Got Your Number

Angora wasn't there. One chair was glaringly empty.
    "She's not here. Do you see Cape?"
    "No. She wouldn't just leave with him, would she?" he whispered.
    "I don't think so, unless he tricked her." Not a gargantuan feat.
    "You didn't warn her?"
    Roxann bristled. "I thought it would be better if she didn't know...anything." Like normal.
    He frowned. "What does she look like?"
    "Blond, pretty, curvy."
    "Hmm."
    At his tone, she cut her gaze to him. He'd probably fall head over heels for Angora and all her femaleness.
    At the sudden applause, Roxann looked to the stage, where to her surprise, Angora emerged, all smiles and holding a clipboard.
    "Is that your cousin?" he asked, staring.
    "Yes, that's Angora," she murmured.
    "She's pretty, all right."
    Roxann bit into her lower lip.
    He turned his head slightly. "She looks like you."
    Her pulse quickened and she studied his profile, oddly comforted by the sheer immobility of his features. But on the heels of the warm fuzzies came the awareness that immobility was not always a favorable characteristic, and she'd had her fill of domineering men. Besides, she knew little about this particular man. He could have a wife and eight kids. He certainly struck her as the kind of man who would want to replicate himself.
    "You don't have to stick around," she said cheerfully, and stuck out her hand. "But thanks for your help with Cape."
    He looked at her hand until she dropped it. "Where are you two headed?"
    "That's none of your business."
    He crossed his arms. "Fair enough. Just tell me where I can find Melissa Cape and you'll never have to see me again."
    "I'm supposed to be so grateful for what you did that I spill my guts?"
    He shrugged. "Whatever label you want to put on it."
    "Gee, and I thought you were just being nice."
    "Nobody ever accused me of being a nice guy."
    "Goodbye, Detective."
    He turned back to the stage. "I think I'll stick around to meet your cousin."
    Roxann poked her tongue into her cheek.
    Angora, in her element, proceeded to hold the audience captive while she announced Little Miss Photogenic, Little Miss Congeniality, Little Miss Talent, Little Miss Best Hair (the one rolling on the floor), and finally, Little Miss Little Rock Fall Festival. When the crowd began to break up, Roxann walked to the bottom of the stairs that Angora was descending.
    "Wasn't that fun?" she squealed, touching her crown.
    "Uh, yeah. Listen, something's come up—we need to get going."
    Angora's gaze landed somewhere behind Roxann's shoulder and her face went absolutely feline. "Hel-lo."
    "Hello," Capistrano said, then elbowed Roxann none too discreetly.
    She frowned. "Angora meet, um, Mr. Capistrano. And this is my cousin, Angora Ryder."
    Angora purred. "Do you have a first name, Mr. Capistrano?"
    He extended his hand, along with a dopey smile. "Joe."
    Joe . Roxann pursed her mouth. A nice enough name.
    "And it's Detective Capistrano."
    "Oooh, detective." Then Angora stopped. "Detective? Are we in trouble?"
    Roxann just hated to burst the bubble. "Detective Joe says you're using a stolen credit card."
    Angora jerked her hand back. "Trenton gave me that credit card."
    "Yeah, I know," he said sympathetically. "It's just sour grapes on his part. If you give me the card, I'll try to have this misunderstanding cleared up. Where are you headed?"
    "Sou—"
    "Angora," she cut in with a warning glare. "Give the detective the card."
    Angora found the card and handed it over with a long face. "Your name sounds familiar."
    He looked amused. "Your cousin must have been talking about me. We're working on a case together."
    Roxann rolled her eyes. "Let's go, Angora."
    "What happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"
    "A dangerous man is following the two of you," Capistrano said, "because your cousin won't cooperate with the police."
    Angora's eyes went round. "Is that true, Roxann?"
    She narrowed her eyes at Capistrano. "One person's cooperation is another person's sell-out."
    He scowled. "Look, I have to go back to Biloxi tonight. I can't protect you if Cape decides to follow you again. Go back with me and we'll talk about Melissa. I'll let you be involved in contacting her if it makes you feel better."
    Roxann hesitated.
    "My partner has a wife and two little girls," he added. "Cape deserves to pay for what he did to that family, and for what he did to his own family."
    She sighed and nodded slowly. "Okay...you've convinced me."
    He straightened. "Well. I'm glad to hear you've come to your