Take a Chance on Me (96 page)

"I never slept with Leelee's mother," he said, watching her eyes close in relief.

"I'm so sorry I had to ask you that," she breathed.

"I don't sleep around, Emma. My last relationship lasted four years. I've had one or two brief encounters, but I remember them all and I'm fairly certain I don't have any offspring running around unaccounted for."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He closed the album and handed it back to her. "I've got to get going. I've got to call Reg Massey on my way to Hancock—she's the detective who's handling Slick's case. Where did you put—"

Emma handed him a stack of computer printouts—everything she'd discovered about Simon Slickowski, the dog disco dancing king—and walked him to the door.

"Thank you for a wonderful night, Emma." Thomas felt he was forgetting something, then remembered that Hairy was spending the weekend with Leelee.