“Saffron Blue’s a dead end.”

“Looks that way,” he agreed. “We could try going through the stuff she stored in the garage.”

This morning they’d inspected the charred remains of her Jeep. The garage attached to the carport had been partially burned. The contents of the garage had appeared to be a soggy mess.

“I guess we could, but I doubt she left anything important behind.”

There was a burst of static and Whitney thought Adam had driven into a dead zone, but then she heard him say, “It’s our only option. The police will go through her phone records and credit card charges. They may come up with something.”

“I hope so.” She was still jittery after last night. Not knowing what was going on or why her cousin hadn’t warned her was making Whitney even more nervous.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’ve been careful. I’m not being followed. No one suspicious is around.”

“How’s Jasper doing?”

“He doesn’t seem to be all that interested in mating.”

“He could be a gaynine.”

“What?” Whitney wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

“You know, a gay dog. Maybe he prefers boy dogs.”

“Be serious.”

“I am. Who’s to say homosexuality is strictly a human phenomenon?” He chuckled and she thought about the things he’d told her last night. He was opening up, revealing a sense of humor.

“I think Jasper is just nervous,” she explained. “And I don’t think the nodule you noticed behind Jasper’s ear is any better. Shouldn’t I take him to his vet?”

“Yes. There’s a file on Jasper in the office. I’m sure it has his vet’s-”

“I have the number. Miranda has the telephone number for the vet of every dog she walked. Emergency numbers of the owners, too. She was very thorough. I have it all in my BlackBerry.”

A burst of static followed. “My phone’s cutting out. See you later, sweetheart.”

Whitney said goodbye and snapped her phone shut. Sweetheart? Adam was full of surprises. The way he’d kissed her-well, nothing had felt so right in a long, long time. After her ordeal with Ryan, she hadn’t expected any man to interest her. Just the thought of her ex-husband sent up red flags. She cautioned herself to take time before becoming involved again. Make better, more responsible decisions about men.

She slowly walked back into the office, her mind on Miranda. Maybe she would never see her cousin again. It was possible she would never know who wanted to kill Miranda. Whitney needed to stay out of harm’s way until the police came up with some answers.

Last night she hadn’t been able to sleep. Adam was right. Nearly dying made her look at life differently. After her divorce, she’d become a fugitive from life by deciding to take over her cousin’s business.

Whitney was realizing more and more that what she really wanted to do was become a veterinarian. She’d put her dream on hold to send Ryan to medical school. She’d passed up her chance. After all this time, she would need to take a few refresher courses in biology and anatomy before she reapplied.

She could do it, Whitney assured herself. She would have to go to school at night and scrounge to make ends meet, but she could do it. With hard work, she would be ready to take the entrance tests next spring.

If she was accepted-it was a really big if-she would have to leave the area. The nearest veterinary school was at University of California at Davis in the northern part of the state. It would mean leaving Adam behind.

Don’t go there, she warned herself.

Her relationship with Adam was too new to factor him into her future. She had to chart her own course. She’d learned the hard way that setting your dreams aside for a man was a huge mistake.

AS SOON AS ADAM FINISHED talking to Whitney, his cell phone rang. It was Tyler.

“Where are you, Adam?”

He heard the tense note in Tyler’s voice and knew he was upset. “I was taking care of a little business. What’s going on?”

“My father’s been trying to reach you. Didn’t you get his messages?”

“No. I’ve been really busy.”

“Too busy to pick up voicemail?” Tyler’s tone was hostile now. Anything to do with his old man made Tyler edgy, to say the least.

“I guess you didn’t see the news.” Adam went on to explain about the bombing and subsequent fire.

“Holy shit! You’ll be tied up with insurance claims from here to eternity.”

Leave it to Tyler to think about the financial ramifications of the fire. Adam hadn’t even taken time to report it to the attorney. No doubt this would impact the probate.

“My father’s on the way over to your place. He thinks there’s a disc with a copy of the info somewhere in your uncle’s house.”

Missing financial records and now a missing disc. Things were not adding up. Adam was now more sure than ever that his uncle had been murdered.

“Adam, are you there? Can you hear me?”

“I’m here. I was on my way to the office but I can go home again.”

“I’d appreciate it.” There was no mistaking the relief in Tyler’s voice. “Father’s going postal over this missing disc.”

Adam almost told him that Quinten Foley could drop dead. Searching the house was a waste of time. Adam had already gone over every inch. Then he recalled all the e-mails Tyler had sent him when he’d been in Iraq. He’d kept in touch, tried to lift Adam’s spirits. Most of all, he’d worked hard and protected Adam’s investment in the security company.

It wouldn’t kill him to indulge Quinten Foley. He was the kind of guy who wouldn’t take Adam’s word about not finding the disc. He would have to see for himself. Adam tried to imagine what it must have been like for Tyler to grow up with such a demanding father-and couldn’t.

When they’d first met as cadets at the police academy, Adam had learned he and Tyler had a lot in common. Both had lost their mothers at a young age. He’d assumed Tyler had a great dad like Adam’s own father. Then he’d met the man.

From then on, Adam had befriended Tyler. It wasn’t hard. Tyler was easygoing-the opposite of his father. They’d become closer as they moved through the ranks and became homicide detectives. They both had become disillusioned with detective work at the same time. It was only natural that the two friends go into business together.

Adam assured Tyler that he’d go through all the discs with Quinten Foley. He’d rather be tarred and feathered, but there you go. Some things you did for friends-like it or not. Adam hung up and drove back to Torrey Pines.

A hulking black Hummer was parked in his driveway. Adam pulled in behind Tyler’s father. Quinten Foley jumped out of the Hummer. Splotches of red mottled his face, and Adam knew the jerk would attempt to ream him a new one for not returning his messages.

“Don’t you pick up your messages?” Foley bellowed at him the instant Adam opened the car door.

“Fuck off.”

That got him. Foley stopped dead in his tracks. Adam was certain no one dared to curse Foley. The older man frowned and the red blotches deepened in color.

“I’ve been trying to reach you since late last night,” Foley said as if nothing had happened, but his tone was conciliatory.

Adam headed up the walk to the front door and Foley fell in step with him. “We had some trouble here. My cell was shut off.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“A pipe bombing.”

“Christ! Why?”

Adam was at the front door now. He stopped, the key in his hand. “Apparently the woman who was living in the cottage behind the house got into some trouble.”

“I see,” Foley replied as if he had his doubts. “Did Tyler tell you what I wanted?”

Adam unlocked the front door and held it open for Tyler’s father. “Yes. Something about information on my uncle’s computer.” Adam headed up the stairs toward the office. “It was stolen along with some other computer stuff during my uncle’s funeral.”