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absolutely terrific corporate lawyer.”
    â€œI’ve heard of her.”
    â€œKay’s been doing a great job of helping me get my father’s estate straightened out.” She laughed, shaking her head. “The affairs of Mechanix International are really screwed up, Jake. My dear departed dad was in cahoots with all sorts of scoundrels—crooks, Teklords and a wide variety of government sneaks.”
    Jake asked her, “Are you going to be, do you think, controlling the operation eventually?”
    â€œYou bet your ass I am,” she assured him. “We’re going to dump all the doinks and deadheads. Roger Zangerly is helping out, too. He’s one of the few Mechanix execs I can halfway trust.”
    â€œAnd what about Barry Zangerly?”
    â€œWe aren’t,” she said, spreading her fingers wide and studying them, “living together anymore.”
    Jake said nothing.
    â€œBut I’m not going back to my old promiscuous ways,” she added. “I’m living alone—without even a servobot to help out—at my father’s Palisades Sector home.”
    â€œBig place to inhabit alone.”
    â€œYou’ve been there, haven’t you?”
    â€œOnce—briefly.”
    â€œThat’s right, you were lured there and—”
    â€œLured is too polite a word to describe it,” he put in. “I was out-and-out dumb and let myself get conned. I almost got trounced as a result.”
    â€œMy fault that was.”
    He grinned. “Nope, entirely mine.”
    â€œWell, you’d been hired to find me.” She leaned back in her chair. “Hired by Barry actually. I feel badly about abandoning him. But I really think it’s important to be by myself for a while.”
    â€œThanks for letting me intrude on your solitude tonight.”
    â€œYou’re one of the exceptions.” Alicia blinked, sitting up. “Oh, you were teasing me, weren’t you? Am I starting to sound self-important and soulful?”
    â€œJust a mite.”
    â€œI’ll quit,” she promised. “Tell me what you’re working on now—if it’s not confidential.”
    â€œAt the moment I’m between cases.”
    Resting her elbows on the table again, Alicia said, “I’ve been thinking I’d like to see you now and then. In a strictly friendship sort of way.”
    â€œI’m pretty much practicing the solitary life myself these days,” he told her. “As far as any sort of social life goes.”
    She said, “I suppose I’m making too much of the fact that you saved my life.”
    â€œThat was part of my job,” he said. “What you have to understand, Alicia, is that any one of a dozen other Cosmos Detective Agency operatives could’ve—”
    â€œExcessive modesty doesn’t fit you very well.” She gave a shake of her head. “I’m not a schoolgirl and this isn’t a crush. I like you —Jake Cardigan. If we’d met at a party or a brawl, I’d still think of you as an exceptional person.”
    â€œAn exceptional person who’s nearly twice your age.”
    She laughed. “Is that what’s bothering you? You don’t want to get involved with a kid?”
    Jake studied the black starless sky up above the restaurant deck. “It’s simpler than that,” he answered finally. “I don’t want to get involved with anybody, age has very little to—”
    â€œExcuse me, amigo , for intruding on what sounds like it’s bound to develop into a very touching spiel—and how might you be, Miss Bower.” Gomez had come striding out onto the deck. He bowed toward the young woman. “We’ve never met, señorita , but no doubt you’ve heard of me. Sid Gomez, Jake’s partner and well-known ace detective in my own right.”
    Eyeing him, Jake inquired, “You just happen to be passing by, too?”