"Not much. But I've picked up a couple of things that seem to be common knowledge in karate circles.

"One is that Sternway is hard up for money. He's obsessive about it.

The IAMA people I talked to blame his wife. They think she's taking him to the cleaners."

"That sounds like her, frankly," Marshal remarked.

I didn't stop there.

"Also he may be having an affair with a lawyer named Sue Rasmussen. I'm told she's one of his students." I hesitated, then added, "I don't think she likes me."

Marshal replied with a humorless chuckle.

"Really?" Then he said more seriously, "Now there's a nice ethical question for you.

"Mai Sternway has hired us for protection because she thinks her husband is stalking her. She wants us to prove it's him, which will improve her bargaining position. But does that mean we're obliged to give her other kinds of information she could use against him?"

I was in no mood for his scruples. I was still kicking myself because I hadn't told Moy about the flik. And Marshal had a gift for making me feel inadequate. With more than my usual charm, I countered, "Surely you aren't asking me?"

He groaned.

"No, Brew. It was rhetorical. I'm just thinking aloud."

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to say, "I may be able to help you more later. I've got another job. Lacone wants me to baby-sit those chops for a while, earn him a break on his insurance rates. I start this afternoon.

"Since I'll be working for him instead of the IAMA or Anson Sternway, I'll have fewer constraints." Fewer scruples of my own.

"And he acts like he's ready to elope with Sternway. He may let something interesting slip."

"Well, good for you." Despite my rudeness, Marshal sounded sincere.

"You must've made my referral look pretty good. Even if Alex has already married Anson, he's still a businessman. He wouldn't hire you simply because I recommended you."

I could taste Saltines. They were in my future somewhere, waiting for my resistance to crumble.

But he wasn't done.

"For some odd reason, Brew," he commented, "you inspire confidence. God knows how. If you were any more irritable, you'd be arrested as a public nuisance. But after just three days of relative drudgery, you get offered a job that could be real work. And you convince me to spend money and manpower on a case that doesn't belong to either of us.

"Just one word of advice." Like flipping a switch, he re-assumed his professional detachment.

"Don't treat Alex the way you do me. He doesn't really need you and he's accustomed to a bit more sucking up."

Viviter hung up without asking for my phone number. No doubt Beatrix had it on her caller ID.

The Subaru had started to overheat. The squirrels caged under the hood needed more rpms to stand the strain of the AC.

I knew exactly how they felt. I had so much sweat on my face that I couldn't keep my sunglasses up. And I detested Saltines. Instead of pausing to brush the crumbs out of my head, I pulled out of my parking space while I dialed Deborah's private number at Watchdog.

Marshal had that effect on me, made me feel like I needed to prove something.

In the wrong frame of mind, my brain full of inappropriate clutter, I pretended that I knew how to navigate in Garner while my call went through to Deborah.

When the phone jammed against my ear said, "This is Deborah

Messenger," I nearly drove off the road. She sounded just as brisk and professional as Marshal Viviter, but her voice was still the same one I'd heard laughing and crooning and gasping less than thirty-six hours ago.

I had to haul the Subaru away from a collision before I could answer, "Deborah. It's Brew."

"Brew! Are you all right? You sound " She may've heard the near miss in my tone.

I struggled to relax.

"Don't ask. It's too embarrassing to explain. I'm fine." As fine as sweat, adrenaline, and crushed crackers allowed. Since I didn't want to discuss my driving, I lunged at the first topic I could think of.

"I guess you knew Lacone was going to offer me a job."

She accepted the shift smoothly.

"I wasn't sure. Sometimes men like Alex won't take advice from a woman." She laughed deep in her throat.

"On the other hand, he doesn't like Sammy much and Sammy doesn't like you. That may have influenced him a bit."

Apparently she'd urged Lacone to hire me. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, so I stayed away from it.

"Anyway," I went on, "I start this afternoon. Right now I'm lost somewhere in Garner. Don't take it personally if I sound distracted. I don't know this place yet."

She chuckled into my ear.

"You didn't get lost Saturday night."

For a moment I actively blushed.

"It's amazing what comes back to you when you're inspired," I muttered awkwardly.

"Inspired."

" I heard her glowing through the connection.

"I like that."

I gripped the steering wheel hard enough to leave impressions of my fingerprints.

"Maybe you'll still like it the next time. When can I see you again?"

I had to ask. My hormones didn't leave me much choice.

What could she possibly gain from me?