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under
    the circumstances.
    "That'd be me."
    She cleared her throat. "You are the Truax of Truax Investigations?"
    "As of three days ago according to the date on my business license. The name is Ethan Truax,
    by the way."
    "I don't understand. The phone book ad stated that you've been serving the community for
    more than forty years."
    "My uncle put that ad in the book. He retired last month. I'm taking over the business."
    "I see." She waved a hand to indicate the packing boxes. "You're moving in, not out?"
    "That's the plan."
    "Do you mind if I ask how long you've lived here in Whispering Springs?"
    He gave that some thought. "A little more than a month."
    So much for dealing with an investigator who had extensive contacts in the community and
    with local law enforcement, she thought. There was still time to call Radnor Security Systems.
    Of course there was the not-so-little issue of price, but maybe she could negotiate an
    extended payment schedule with the larger firm.
    She took a step back toward the door. "You're new to this profession, then?"
    "No. I owned and operated an agency in Los Angeles for several years."
    That should have been reassuring news. Why wasn't she feeling reassured?
    "This probably isn't a good time for you," she said quickly. "I'm sure you're very busy getting
    unpacked and organized."
    "Not too busy to take on a client. Why don't you come into my office and tell me why you
    need an investigator?"
    It was not exactly a request, she noticed. Not quite a command, either. More of a glittering
    lure designed to draw her into striking distance.
    She had to make a decision. The bottom line here was time and money. She did not have a lot
    of either.
    She tightened her grip on the handle of the chartreuse tote and tried to look like a woman
    who hired seedy private investigators on a frequent basis.
    "How much do you charge for your services, Mr. Truax?"
    "Come in and sit down." He moved deeper into his office, beckoning her closer with the subtle
    invitation. "We can discuss the financial aspects of the arrangement."
    She could not come up with a good reason not to at least get a cost estimate.
    "All right." She looked briefly at her watch. "But I don't have a lot of time. If we can't agree on
    your fees, I will have to call someone else."
    "The only other agency in town is Radnor."
    "I'm aware of that," she said coolly. This was business. She did not want him to think that she
    had not done her research as a consumer. "They appear to be very cutting-edge. I was told
    that they use the latest high-tech methods."
    "They've got computers, if that's what you mean, but I've got one, too."
    "Really?" She looked around very pointedly. "Where?"
    "In here. I'm still working on getting it set up."
    "Oh."
    "I can guarantee you that I'm less expensive than Radnor."
    "Well – "
    "And there's another aspect you may want to take into consideration." His mouth curved
    faintly at the corners. "Being new in town, I'm also a hell of a lot hungrier."
    She almost bolted for the door. "Yes, well – "
    "And more flexible."
    She braced herself and walked toward the inner office. It was like walking through Door
    Number Three on a television game show, she thought, the door that concealed the mystery
    prize. You might get an all-expense-paid trip to Paris, or you might lose everything you had
    managed to win up to that point.
    She paused briefly at the threshold, waiting to see what would greet her. But there was
    nothing terrible in the room, just the faint traces of sensation that she had learned to expect
    in old buildings. She picked up a few whispers of sadness, some anxiety, and a little residual
    anger – all of it from long ago and very low-level. Nothing she could not block easily.
    "Something wrong?" Ethan asked.
    With a start, she realized he was watching her very intently. Most people never seemed to
    notice her slight hesitation upon entering a room. The fact that Ethan Truax had observed
    that tiny pause worried