"Shane agrees with me," she said softly, casting her fiance a mischievous smile. "Sometimes, anyway."

Claudia laughed. "Ethan, this is my sister, Emily, and her fiance, Shane c.u.mmings. Emily, Shane, this is Ethan Mallory."

"The detective?" Shane's eyebrows lifted.

"That's me. And you'd be the fireman who rescued the damsel in distress." Ethan smiled at Emily. "Glad to meet you. I'd like to talk later, if we have a chance."

She looked wary. "I don't think I can help you. I've never remembered anything from the night of the fire."

"I'm hoping you'd consider hypnosis."

She exchanged a glance with her fiance. Shane said, "If the amnesia has a physical cause, that won't help."

"True. But then at least you'd know for sure."

Emily nodded and agreed cautiously to think about it, and the four of them proceeded to the door, with Emily and Shane ahead. Ethan murmured to Claudia, "Are you sure she's your sister?"

Claudia grinned. "We don't seem much alike, do we? Emily is every bit as stubborn as I am, though. She just goes about it more quietly."

The town house was even more impressive inside. Very Old World , Ethan thought as he stepped inside, with an antique table gracing the foyer that he would have given his eyeteeth for. He liked buildings and furniture with a few years on them, a little history.

He glanced at Claudia, who was pa.s.sing her coat to the maid. Except for the white velvet love seat, which bore such pleasant memories for him, her apartment was furnished in a strictly modern style.

Did they have anything in common?

He was feeling gloomy as he entered the parlor. It held a cozy fire burning in the fireplace, several more antiques, including a Victorian sofa and two wing chairs ... and what seemed like dozens of Barones. All of whom turned to stare at him.

There was a moment's awkward hush. Claudia broke it. "That is the sort of silence that falls when the person one has been talking about suddenly enters the room," she observed. "Was it me or Ethan you've been discussing?"

Ethan had never met the tall, lean man who stood near the fireplace, but the sharp features and sour expression were familiar. Derrick Barone lifted a gla.s.s half full of some dark liquor in a mocking toast. "You and your new lover, actually. I saw him leaving your apartment at a very early hour last Wednesday, dear, and I've made some inquiries. As I've just been explaining to everyone."

Ethan went very still.

"And did you explain why that would be any of your business?" Claudia asked sweetly. "Because I'd like a recap of those reasons."

"Oh, come now, Claudia. That should be obvious. Something of a conflict of interest, isn't it? When the family asked you to keep an eye on Mallory, they didn't mean you should favor him with other body parts, too."

Ethan clenched his hands into fists, but he held on to his temper. He couldn't punch Claudia's brother out. Not here and now. But if one of her relatives didn't do something soon-

"That's enough, Derrick," said a short, stocky man-Paul Barone, Claudia's father. "There's no need to be unpleasant."

Nicholas muttered something to the woman beside him, who had her hand on his arm. His mother apparently overheard him. "Not in my living room, you won't," Moira Barone said tartly.

Claudia hadn't said a word. Ethan forced his hands to relax and looked at her. There was a stunned, gla.s.sy look in her eyes he didn't like. No reason for his hands-off policy now, he decided, and slid an arm around her waist. "Just don't try to smile," he muttered close to her ear.

She made a choked sound, and d.a.m.ned if her lips didn't twitch.

"Look, I'm sorry." Derrick spread one hand wide. "I was out of line. This is why I wanted to have this discussion without Claudia-it's bound to be painful for her. I'm worried about the repercussions from this affair for Baronessa, for all of us, but I'm worried about Claudia, too. I'd hoped we could agree to stage an intervention."

"A what?" Ethan said, incredulous.

"Like when friends and family confront an alcoholic, I take it," one of the women said dryly. "You think Mallory is addictive?"

Another woman giggled.

"Let's try to be serious," Derrick snapped. "We all know Claudia's record with men isn't good. I don't want her hurt. Am I the only one who's worried that Mallory is using her to further his investigation?"

"That is just not true." Claudia took a step forward, bristling like an angry hen. "You might do that sort of thing. Ethan wouldn't."

Derrick looked pained. "Of course you believe that. You'll excuse me if I don't take your word for Mallory's, ah, integrity."

"I'm not sure you know the meaning of the word!" Claudia said hotly.

"Enough." That came from a tall, thin woman to Ethan's right-Sandra Barone. She spoke softly, but with sufficient authority that Claudia closed her mouth on whatever she'd been about to say. "Derrick, your sister is a big girl, and she's quite right-her affairs are none of your business."

Carlo Barone shook his head. "I am embarra.s.sed. Is this what you've brought us together for? To make trouble for your sister?"

Derrick rounded on him, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng. "For G.o.d's sake, Uncle Carlo! I know she's the fair-haired child, but you can't depend on her to keep an eye on Mallory now. He could be feeding her any kind of garbage in between kisses."

Ethan had had enough. "What a revolting image. But you weren't an English major, so maybe you have a little trouble with metaphors." He moved forward, slow and easy. "Let's see if I understand. You'd like your family to appoint you to monitor my investigation?"

Derrick's lip lifted in a sneer. "Me, or someone else you aren't f-"

Ethan's hand shot out and closed on Derrick's shoulder. And squeezed. "I'll keep this simple. Shut up."

The blood drained from Derrick's face. His mouth opened and closed. He tried to jerk loose, and couldn't. Ethan kept squeezing, feeling bone grate beneath his hand-then let go with a little shove. Derrick staggered backward.

Ethan spoke very softly. "Listen up. No one monitors my investigation. I report to my employer. I use a.s.sistants I trust. I trust Claudia. I don't like or trust you. If I see you within spitting distance of me, I'm liable to get upset."

Derrick rubbed his shoulder, his face mottled with fury. "Stupid jock! Too dumb for anything but brute force, aren't you?" He turned in a half circle, addressing the others. "Are you going to let him get away with that? Is he allowed to brutalize me in front of all my dear relatives?"

"Brutality is what you can expect from Ethan," said a cool, feminine voice from the doorway. "My compliments. Apparently he's cowed all the Barones except you."

Ethan shook his head and sighed. This was just what his evening needed to be complete. "h.e.l.lo, Bianca."

Claudia supposed she must have spent a worse evening at some point in her life, but she couldn't call any examples to mind.

No one had been happy with Derrick-well, no one but Bianca. The two of them had huddled in a corner with their heads together, no doubt having a great time disliking everyone else.

But however much the family hadn't appreciated Derrick's methods, his poison had still worked. If she'd had to listen to one more word of gentle advice before they left, she would have screamed.

Screaming still had a lot of appeal. But not until she got home. She didn't want to startle Ethan into wrecking his car. "I like your family better than mine," she muttered.

"You're forgetting Uncle Harold."

She snorted. "Quit trying to make me laugh. I'm wallowing in self-pity. I don't do this very often, so when I do succ.u.mb, I like to give it my full attention."

"Acquiring a new skill does take a lot of concentration."