A note of doubt entered Felixs voice. What cause?

A witness who can testify that your boss is running a prostitution ring. Add to that the bodies, and the case isnt looking so good for Señor Roth.

Something flickered in Felixs eyes. Was it fear? Hate? It came and went so quickly, Harley couldnt tell what it had been.

Footsteps approached again, this time from behind Harley. If Roth was coming up behind her, she would be trapped between the two men. But what would they do? Take her hostage, negotiate their way out? It was a ridiculous idea, and yet there was no telling how desperate Roth might be.

Harley swung around just as the second figure reached her from behind, his button-up shirt rustling.

Whats the holdup? Callaway demanded. Then his eyes rose to Felix. Listen, pal, either get the hell out of our way or these cuffs are going on you. He slapped the cuffs dangling from his belt for emphasis.

Felix seemed to be searching for some alternative, some other way to prolong this conversation, and it occurred to Harley in a flash of insight that he was stalling again. Roth might have nowhere to go, but that didnt mean he had no evidence to destroy.

Move! Harley shouted, shoving Felix. He fell back a step, but not as easily as Harley had expected. In that brief encounter, she got the impression that his suit hid a lean, powerful body.

Racing up the remaining stairs, Harley threw open the door leading into Roths private rooms.

Come on, come on! she thought, cursing under her breath as she looked around. Where is he?

It would be just her luck, raiding the compound on the rare occasion Roth was absent. Still, Harley was not going to leave until she had searched every nook and cranny. If he was on the property, they would find him.

Balconys clear, Callaway announced.

Harley kicked open the door to the pink bedroom. The hairbrush and bra were missing, but otherwise there was no sign it had been disturbed since the last time Harley had been there.

Undeterred, she moved on to the second and third doors, both of them unlocked, and discovered a pair of bedrooms with similar layouts to the pink bedroom but different themes. The second bedroom had an ocean theme: clam-shaped bed, one wall dominated by a giant tank of exotic fish. The third was Victorian: a fireplace with busts on the mantel, dark wallpaper, upholstered chairs, lamps with tassels.

As Harley reached the fourth bedroom, she heard a noise from the other side that might have been the click of a closing door. She eased the door open and slipped inside.