Dawn in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz Page A

surroundings.
    â€œYour office. Your program. Your client list.”
    â€œMy lease is up next month. I made back my investment in the program several times over a long time ago. And I’ve whittled my client list down to one.” She waved one hand. “I admit I’m having a small problem getting rid of him, but I’m sure that situation will soon be resolved.”
    â€œWhat about our book project?”
    â€œThat’s another thing, Anderson. I’m sorry, but I’ve decided not to get involved in helping you with your book.”
    He went very still. “Something is wrong here. This isn’t like you. Your behavior is very abnormal. It’s obvious that you’ve got some issues.”
    She propped herself on the edge of the desk and looked at him. “Anderson, a very unpleasant thing happened to me this morning. A man named Campbell Witley stopped me on the street. He used to date one of my clients. You know what? Mr. Witley was really, really mad at me because I’d helped his girlfriend find someone else to date.”
    â€œWhat does this Witley have to do with your decision to shut down your business?”
    â€œHe pointed out in no uncertain terms that I had no right to use my computer program to meddle in other people’s lives.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous.”
    â€œAs it happens, I tend to agree with him.”
    Anderson stared at her, clearly appalled.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” he asked sharply. “Why do you say that?”
    She eyed the closed laptop and wondered how to explain things to him. He probably wouldn’t believe her if she told him that the program only worked in conjunction with her intuition and a dose of common sense. She hadn’t wanted to believe it, herself.
    She needed a more technical-sounding excuse with which to fob him off.
    â€œThe program is flawed,” she said finally. In a way, that wasn’t really far from the truth, she thought.
    â€œ Flawed . Are you certain?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI don’t understand. You’ve been so successful. You’ve attracted so many high-end clients.”
    â€œDumb luck, I’m afraid.” She shrugged. “Keep in mind that I don’t have any long-term statistics yet because I haven’t been in business long enough to obtain them. It’s possible that over time my matches won’t prove any more successful than the ones people make on their own in the usual ways.”
    Anderson gave her a long, considering look. “I think I see the problem here.”
    â€œThe problem,” she said very deliberately, “is that Campbell Witley has a point. I don’t have the right to fiddle with other people’s lives. Besides, it’s too stressful.”
    â€œStressful?”
    â€œLately I’ve begun to wonder—what would happen if I screw up badly someday and put the wrong people together? Oh, sure, I do a comprehensive background check on all of my clients to make certain they don’t have a criminal record or any history of serious mental disorders. But what if I miss something? Don’t you see? There’s a very real potential for disaster.”
    Anderson nodded soberly. “I agree.”
    â€œYou do?”
    â€œYes.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked a little in his tasseled loafers. “To be perfectly frank, I had been meaning to broach the subject, myself.”
    â€œYou were?”
    â€œYes. But I wanted to get to know you a little better before I raised such a delicate question. After all, Private Arrangements is your business.”
    There was something distinctly patronizing about his smile, she decided.
    â€œWhat delicate question?” she asked carefully.
    He looked at the laptop. “As you know, I have been deeply intrigued by your program for some time now, but I must admit that the fact that you have been using it without professional guidance has worried