Too old to be a runaway, but she was obviously new to the city. "So you came here to find your sister."

She looked up at him with those big blue eyes. "Yes."

Johnnie forced himself to concentrate. "Have you reported her disappearance to the cops?"

"I didn't, but Rachael's friend Barbara McClure called the police the day after she disappeared. They haven't found her or even a clue as to what happened to her. I'm not sure they're even still looking."

He took a drink of his beer, set it down on a nearby table. Angel took a large, nervous swallow of her wine as he moved closer. Reaching out, he took the gla.s.s from her hand and set it down on the table next to his beer.

"So now you want to hire me to help you find her."

"Y-yes..."

"And in exchange you're willing to make a trade."

She swallowed, nodded.

"I like this idea, Angel. I like it a h.e.l.luva lot." Then he hauled her into his arms, bent his head and very thoroughly kissed her.

Amy gripped Johnnie's powerful shoulders and just hung on, reeling at the powerful jolt of desire that shook her. Hot lips, softer than they looked, moved over hers, nibbled the corners of her mouth. He deepened the kiss, coaxed her lips apart and his tongue slid inside.

Heat engulfed her; need curled in her belly. She wanted to have his hands on her, wanted him to touch her. She wanted him to make love to her. She had never felt this way before, never experienced this intense, mindless hunger. She wanted to give in to it, let him have what he wanted.

What she also wanted.

She pressed herself more firmly against him, felt the heavy weight of his erection. He was going to help her. In return, she was paying him with her body. It didn't matter that she was selling herself like...like a prost.i.tute, behaving like...like a wh.o.r.e.

Her throat closed up. A little sob got caught there. She felt his mouth against the side of her neck, trailing scorching kisses along her throat, and her eyes stung. His fingers worked the b.u.t.tons on her blouse and tears welled.

She wasn't a wh.o.r.e. She didn't sell herself to strangers.

What about Rachael? What if she isn't dead? The awful thought both she and Babs secretly believed. What if she's in terrible trouble and there is no one to help her?

He kissed her again, long and deep, but the desire was fading, replaced by a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. The tears in her eyes slipped onto her cheeks.

Johnnie must have felt the wetness because he broke off the kiss and jerked away. "All right, that's it!"

Hard fingers dug into her shoulders. Her head came up as he backed her against the wall and she stared into his dark, angry face.

"Who the h.e.l.l are you?" he demanded. "And don't even think of telling me your name is Angel Fontaine."

She shook her head, misery sweeping over her. She had failed Rachael, failed herself.

"I'm so s-sorry. I thought...thought I could do it. I didn't mean to lead you on, I just..." Fresh tears welled and the sob locked in her throat finally escaped.

Johnnie blew out a breath and eased her back into his arms. "It's all right. I had a feeling this wasn't going to work." He held her a moment, giving her time to compose herself, then moved away.

"I was going to tell you my name," she said, brushing away a drop of wetness with the tip of her finger. "I didn't mean to deceive you. I just..."

"You just what?"

"There's something about you... I don't know, I just... When I get around you, I can't seem to think straight."

A corner of his mouth edged up and some of his anger faded. "Go on, let's hear it."

She swallowed. "My name is Amy Brewer. I'm not...not a stripper. I'm...I'm a kindergarten teacher."

Johnnie groaned.

"The part about my sister is true. After Rachael disappeared, I flew out here from Grand Rapids. Babs-that's my roommate, Barbara McClure-she and Rachael worked together at the Kitty Cat Club. They were friends. Babs got me the job at the club. She helped me deal with my...my inhibitions and learn to dance-which wasn't all that easy. Eventually, I got the hang of it. And then I saw you and I found out you were an investigator and we sort of came up with this plan."

"This plan being for you to sell yourself to me in exchange for my services."

Fresh tears welled. She wiped them away. "I guess so. It sounded like a good idea at the time, considering..."

"Considering what?"

She looked him in the face. "Considering what happened in that room."

Johnnie's eyes seemed to darken. There was no mistaking what she meant. She was attracted to him or she wouldn't be sitting in his living room.

"Anything else?"

"There's more, but it isn't important now."

"Why don't you let me decide that?" He led her over to the sofa, as modern as the rest of the apartment, which had high, open ceilings, a sleek dark brown sofa and chairs, and everything perfectly in place. He was, after all, an ex-soldier.

He picked up her winegla.s.s and handed it back to her, grabbed his beer, and sat down beside her on the sofa.

"Okay, tell me the rest."

Amy took a fortifying sip. "Once I started my sister's old job, I began to dig around. That's the reason I came to L.A., to try to come up with information that might help me find her. There's a man my sister dated before she disappeared. His name is Kyle Bennett. He's supposed to be a movie producer. Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going over to his house for-"

"No way. I know Kyle Bennett and the guy is a sc.u.mbag. He's about as much a movie producer as I am."

"I kind of figured that, but it isn't the point. The point is, my sister came to Los Angeles to try to get into the movie business."

"Gee, there's a good idea."

"I know, but that's what she wanted to do. So she might have believed Kyle Bennett could help her. If she was involved with him, maybe he had some part in her disappearance."

"Fine, I'll talk to him."

"He isn't going to tell you anything. He'll be a lot more likely to open up to me than he will be to you."

"You're a schoolteacher, remember? Not a cop. There is no way you should involve yourself in something like this."

"It isn't as bad as it sounds. Babs knows Kyle's address and what time I should be back. If I don't get home when I'm supposed to, she's going to call the police."

He just shook his head. "No way, no how."

She set the winegla.s.s very carefully down on the coffee table and stood up.

"You've been very nice, Johnnie. Especially considering the way I've behaved. Now I'd appreciate it if you would take me back to the club."

"s.h.i.t."

"I'm doing this. I'm going to find out what happened to my sister."

He set down his beer and slowly stood up from the sofa. He was a big man, powerfully built, intimidating just standing there in front of her. She forced herself not to back away.

Johnnie looked down at her and his breath whispered out on a sigh. "All right. I'll help you."

Amy opened her mouth to tell him she had changed her mind about paying him with s.e.x, but he cut her off.

"No strings," he added. "I'll do some digging, see what I can come up with. I'll do what I can to find out what happened to your sister."

She started shaking her head.

"What now?"

"I need to be involved in this. I owe it to Rachael. I can't just sit back and do nothing."

"Were you listening to what I said? You aren't a cop. You aren't trained for this kind of work."

"I'm keeping my appointment tomorrow with Kyle Bennett. I might find out something important."

His jaw clenched and unclenched. He must have noticed the mutinous set of her chin because he simply nodded. "Fine. You're probably right about getting him to talk. But if I'm going to help you, we do things my way. Is that understood?"

He was an investigator. He knew what he was doing. She gave him the first sincere smile she had felt all evening. "Understood."

"One last thing."

"What's that?"

"Sooner or later, I'm taking you to bed, but it won't be because you owe me. It'll be because the time is right and you want me as much as I want you."

Her stomach contracted. Just looking at him made her want him but she knew he was right. Her mind wasn't ready even if her body was more than willing. She didn't reply. G.o.d only knew what she might say if she did.

"We'll talk more tomorrow," he said. "Right now, it's time for me to take you home. I think we both know what will happen if we stay here much longer."

Ignoring a rush of embarra.s.sment, Amy nodded and let him guide her out the door. Of all the endings she could have imagined for the evening, this wasn't one of them.

She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

Five.

Johnnie backed the Mustang out of the garage and headed down the hill. A freakin' schoolteacher. Jesus, just his luck.

At least his instincts hadn't been wrong.

He shifted in the seat, trying to get comfortable. He'd had a hard-on nonstop since the first time he had seen Angel at the club.

Not Angel, he corrected himself. Amy. Amy Brewer. Kindergarten teacher.

Christ, how much worse could it get?

"Nice car," she said, drawing his attention back to the moment.

"Four-hundred-twelve horses under the hood of this little beauty."

As they pa.s.sed beneath a streetlight, he caught her soft smile. "When I was in high school, my dad had a Stingray. It was old, but it was hot. He was a mechanic, great with cars. Once in a while, he'd let me drive it."

"You like cars?"

"I do...yes. I love speed. I like to go fast-when it's safe. I like the sound a car makes when you step on the gas. I guess I picked it up from my dad."

His lips faintly curved. The lady was just full of surprises. "So, your dad still around?" If he was, the guy had to be crazy to let his daughter get involved in something as dangerous as this.

"He died three years ago. He was cutting firewood. Tree split wrong. He was killed instantly."

He could read the sorrow in her face. "That's too bad."

"My mom's back in Grand Rapids. She didn't want me to come out here."

Imagine that.

"She's afraid something will happen. She said losing one daughter was enough."

He tossed a glance her way as he made the turn off Laurel Canyon onto Sunset and merged with the traffic. "Your mother's right. Snooping around the way you've been doing...that's dangerous business, honey."

"Maybe, but so far I haven't found out much of anything. I'm hoping tomorrow will be different."

"What time's your appointment?"

"Two o'clock at Kyle's house. He lives in Bel Air so it isn't that far a drive."

"Bel Air, huh? Pretty ritzy for a sc.u.mbag. You got a car?"

"Babs is lending me hers."

"I need your cell number. Write it down on a piece of paper."