Page 34 of Finding Amanda

Amanda watched as Mark sent them into the dance studio and then moved over to watch them through the glass. She stood beside him, closer than she otherwise would have liked, to make room for the other mothers. Mark was the only man in the building.

"Quiet day?" she asked.

"Not really."

"It's freezing out there. I hope you were working inside."

He shrugged. "It was fine. I'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind."

Shestiffened. "About what?"

"Can you write down those names for me, the people who knew you were going to be in New York this weekend?"

"Why?"

"So I can figure out who tipped Sheppard off."

She turned to face him but kept her voice low. Too many bored ears in this place. "I don't think anybody tipped him off. It was just a coincidence."

He nodded slowly, never looking away from the girls. "You're probably right, but just in case, I'd like to check."

"What're you going to do?"

He faced her. "I talked to Chris today, and he agreed to look into their backgrounds to see if we can find a connection."

She lowered her voice. "You're joking, right?"

They stared at each other until a tiny rapping sound interrupted them. Amanda turned to see Madi's button-nose pressed up against the glass, her little fist tapping on it. She mouthed through the thick glass,watch!Amanda nodded and pasted on a smile.

Not looking at her, he answered her question. "I'm quite serious, Amanda."

"You're crazy."

"Humor me."

They stared forward. She half-watched the dancing girls in front of her, but mostly her thoughts were distracted, wondering exactly what Mark would find. More importantly, what difference would it make? Even if someone had tipped Sheppard off . . .

Her phone jingled from inside her purse. She dug through the contents and grabbed it. "Hello?"

"It's Alan."

Heat flooded her cheeks, and her lips turned up in an involuntary smile. "Hey." She slipped in front of the woman on herleft and made her way to the far corner of the small waiting area. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm just surprised," he said.

"Surprised at what?"

"I've never had a new friend dominate my thoughts like you have today. I can't stop thinking about you."

Amanda looked up to find Mark still staring through the glass, watching the girls. But the room wasn't so big that he might not be listening. She stepped outside. The wind whipped around her, and she pulled her wool coat tighter, sheltering the phone with her other hand. "I know what you mean," she said as the door slammed behind her. The moon was up, a crescent smile above her. A few stars glittered, but the air was too cold to keep her head tilted back to admire them. She hunched her shoulders and faced away from the wind.

"I got your chapters this morning and so far, I'm impressed. Can you please send me the rest of it?"

"Have you already finished what I sent?"

"Just about, and I'm sure when I do, I'll want the rest. It's very . . ." There was a pause before Alan continued. "Intense. The writing is excellent."

She flushed with the compliment, or was it shame? "Thank you."

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