Jennifer answers "Right, there's nothing here," and they leave.

In the car, Jonathan takes Jennifer in his arms and in his best Bogart voice says "Give me the clue sweetheart."

"What are you talking about?" asks Jennifer.

" I'm gonna get that clue sweetheart," says Jonathan, continuing his Bogart impersonation, as he pulls Jennifer closer to him.

Jennifer answers " You know Bogie I wouldn't put it past you." She smiles and pauses then says "But first why don't you tell me what was so fascinating in the checkbook."

Jonathan, caught off guard says "What ! How did !"

"The same way you knew I had something." Jennifer grins.

"Just what makes you think there was anything so fascinating in the checkbook?" says Jonathan trying to look indifferent.

" I saw the way you were looking at it, something in there had your attention," she states.

"It was just where he had paid me a $1,000.00 the last time the Dodgers' beat the Yankees' and where he sent Max $700.00 after our last poker game," Jonathan answers innocently.

Max chuckles. "I remember that game, I beat you, Mr. Westlake and Mr. Callaway big time that night."

Jennifer smiles at Max then looks Jonathan in the eye and says "Go on."

" That's it," Jonathan says.

" Now, tell me the rest of what you found in the checkbook," she counters.

Damn she was good Jonathan thought to himself, maybe too smart for his own good. " You first," he says.

Jennifer thought before she answered. He was probably not going to tell her what he found but was somehow going to manage to get the matchbook from her with that impish appeal of his and that gorgeous smile so she may as well show it to him. Damn his good looks anyway. She gives him a seductive look, reaches in and pulls the matchbook out of her bra and hands it to him.

Jonathan sits there mesmerized for what seems like an eternity before he is able to take his eyes off of her and look at what she handed him. After examining the matchbook he asks "The Blue Note Club, do you know anything about this place?"

"It's a very nice nightclub, they feature jazz artists. I've seen Richard Elliot, George Howard, Najee and Kim Waters there," Jennifer answers.

So she likes jazz he thought, Jonathan made a mental note to find out who these people were she had mentioned and check out their music. "Any idea who this Bunny is that wrote her name and number on the inside cover?" he asks.

"I think so," she smiles.

"Go on," he answers.

" No way, now it's your turn. Come on give," she chides him.

" Well I suppose fair is fair," he says. "There were a couple of interesting things I noticed in the checkbook, one is withdrawals every month on the same day for the last 4 months for $5,000.00 with Vincent written next to it." Jennifer and Max simultaneously say blackmail at this. "The other," Jonathan continues "is checks to a Benjamin once or twice a month at no set times and for various amounts."

"Then it couldn't be more blackmail then could it?" Jennifer asks.

" No I don't think so, it's all to irregular, the time sequences are erratic and the amounts are too variable, sometimes $500 sometimes $1,500 and another $750," Jonathan answers.

"Strange amounts and a Benjamin, huh?" Max chuckles.

"Max, you want to let us in on what's so funny, you know something we don't?" Jonathan asks.

"Well it's a little far out Mr. H but there used to be a, shall we say a sporting prognosticator I knew here in New York named Benny the Bookie and I'm just wondering if he could be Benjamin," says Max.

"You know you may have something there Max, can you check it out?" asks Jonathan.

"Sure thing Mr. H, first thing in the morning," answers Max.

Jennifer says "It makes sense, differing amounts and no set time frame, it could be gambling losses."

Then Jonathan says "Now back to you, what about this Bunny person?"

"She's a singer at the Blue Note Club, she's pretty good. I don't know her real well but I've talked to her some," Jennifer says.

"Think she would talk to you about what she knows?" asks Jonathan.

"She might," replies Jennifer.

At this they have arrived back at Jennifer's apartment. Once upstairs they discuss plans for tomorrow for finding Benny, trying to find out who Vincent is, and going to pay their respects to the widow in an effort to find out why she fingered George as the murderer. They also plan to go to the Blue Note Club tomorrow night and talk to Bunny.

After the discussion Jennifer says "I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed."

"Ah, about the sleeping arrangements, I figure I'll just bunk with Max in the guest room while we are here," Jonathan says.

The disappointment shows on Jennifer's face and in her voice as she says "But I thought, well if that's the way you want it." She also can't help but notice the strange look on Max's face at Jonathan's comment.

Jonathan tries to cover by saying "It's not that I don't want to but I also want to keep you chaste and virginal for our wedding night. Besides how could I face your father this weekend knowing I had defiled his daughter."

Jennifer cries "But it could take months for us to have the wedding."

"No all I'm giving you is 6 weeks 8 tops to pull off this wedding," Jonathan says.

Jennifer responds "Have it your way but just what makes you think I'm so chaste and virginal anyway?"

"Because I can tell that even if you have slept with someone in the past having sex is not something you take lightly or do on a whim," Jonathan replies.

Jennifer is somewhat taken off guard by this statement and walks off to shower. Jonathan remains seated on the sofa looking very deep in thought. Max can tell that it's not the case he's thinking about but something else that is troubling him so he finally asks "What was that all about Mr. H?"

"Max I just don't know what to do, I want her so bad I can taste it on the one hand but I'm scared to death of making love to her on the other hand and then I don't even know how to go about it with her on another hand," Jonathan confides in his friend.

"Wait a minute, that's three hands Mr. H.," Max says.

"Yeah tell me about, What do you think I should do Max?" Jonathan asks.

"I think your problem is you're afraid of the emotion, you've never felt real love for or from a woman like this before and it scares you. The closest you ever came to this was Nikki but that was just a very close friendship. I also think you are beginning to realize that there's a big difference between having sex and making love and you're trying to sort it all out in your mind. I'll give you a hint, the mechanics are the same, it's the emotion and the focus that's different, " Max answers. "If you want my advice I say don't be afraid of the emotion, it's the real thing with this one and she feels it just as much as you do."

"Thanks Max, I really appreciate it," Jonathan says.

"Well good night Mr. H, I'm going to bed now," says Max.

"Good night Max," Jonathan says as he thinks about what Max has said.

In the shower, Jennifer thinks about what Jonathan said. She thought it was quite gallant and chivalrous of him to have gotten her a separate room in the hotel last night in London saying he didn't want to rush her but wanted her to have time to take everything in and be sure of what she was doing. But this tonight was taking the chivalry thing a bit too far in her opinion. And she couldn't get the look on Max's face as Jonathan spoke out of her mind. Suddenly it hit her, Jonathan had never felt true love like this before and was afraid of such intense emotion. A smile came across her face as she knew exactly what she had to do to get Jonathan over his fear. She gets out of the shower, dries off , puts on her robe and goes to the bedroom. As she goes through the hall she sees Jonathan sitting on the sofa deep in thought. Good she thinks, he's still up as she gets out the negligée her friend Marcie had given her after some lingerie show she had modeled in. She smiled as she remembered Marcie had said here you might need this someday as she gave it to her. Marcie was a smart cookie and a good friend Jennifer chuckles to herself as she puts the negligée on.

Jennifer walks out of the bedroom and over to the sliding glass doors that lead to the terrace. She opens the doors and turns to Jonathan and in a very seductive voice says "I thought you might enjoy the view from out here."

Jonathan had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't seen her walk in the room. He looks up and sees her standing there in a very revealing negligée and his heart stops at the sight of her. He wanted to get up and go to her and take her in his arms but he couldn't make himself move. He felt all weak kneed and spindly legged like a newborn colt trying to stand for the first time. All he could manage to do was exclaim "God you're beautiful!"

"Sure you don't want to see the view from the terrace, the Manhattan skyline is quite a sight at night," is all she says in response.

"I'm already looking at quite a site and I'm enjoying the view from here just fine," Jonathan says still not taking his eyes off of her.

Jennifer gives him her most seductive smile and walks over to him with a sashay in her hips that could fan any man's ember into a burning, raging fire. With that lilt in her voice that women get when they want sex and a look in her eyes that says she wants him and wants him now she says "I've been about as good as I'm going to be." Then she sits in his lap and kisses him with a long, hungering, passionate kiss which Jonathan enthusiastically returns. Without a word, Jennifer gets up, takes his hand and leads him into the bedroom. She pauses to close the door behind them then turns to face Jonathan and proceeds to slowly unbutton his shirt, softly and gently exploring his chest with each button she undoes, first with her fingertips then with her lips, gradually kneeling as she works her way down to his waist. Jonathan moans with pleasure in response. As she begins to unbuckle his belt, Jonathan gasp and takes her face in his hands and gently raises her back to a standing position then pulls her close to him and begins kissing her with increasing passion. His hands tenderly caressing her back, working their way up to her shoulders and neck where his fingers release the tie that is holding the negligée on. He steps back to watch as it falls to the ground and trembles at the full force of her beauty as she shudders at the rising intensity of the passion she is feeling. Jennifer finishes the task of getting Jonathan's pants off as he stands there in awe of her unable to move, her hand lingering and tenderly caressing him as his pants fall to the floor. Jonathan sweeps her in his arms and carries her to the bed and gently lays her across it. They kiss passionately as they gently caress one another, slowly and tenderly exploring each other's bodies. Then when neither one of them can take it any more Jonathan gradually enters her as they both tremble. They move in unison as if they each instinctively knew the other's likes and desires and it is not long before they explode in ecstasy together .

Afterwards, they are both too awestruck by the other and too overcome with emotion for words. They just lie in each others arms looking into each others eyes, their eyes saying what their mouths can't put into words, until they fall asleep.

Max wakes up first and smiles as he realizes he is in bed alone and knows that Jonathan has taken his advice. He was happy for him, happy for them and happy for himself. He knew instinctively that they were going to be a wonderful family , the three of them . Max gets up and goes to the kitchen to start the coffee and the breakfast. He rummages through the kitchen and finds the makings for blueberry pancakes and some sausage. Once he has them ready he places everything on a serving tray he found and takes it to the bedroom door and sits it outside. He discreetly knocks on the door and says " Breakfast is served." Then he goes back into the kitchen to clean up.

Jonathan looks at Jennifer lying there so peacefully content in her sleep and leans over and kisses her good morning and a big grin comes over his face. Jennifer opens her eyes and looks up at him staring at her and grinning and says "Good morning darling, did I miss something? You look like the proverbial cat that ate the canary."

"I just realized that I can wake up with you in my arms every morning from now on and that I can go to sleep the same way I went to sleep last night every night from now on." He beams and starts to get out of bed to get the breakfast but realizes he doesn't have his robe. He looks at Jennifer and says "I seem to have lost my robe and my clothes would you mind bringing the breakfast in, Max left it outside the door."

Jennifer smiles a wicked smile knowing he was referring to the way she had seduced him last night and says "Not at all," gets her robe off the hook on the closet door and gets the breakfast. She laughs as she sees Jonathan's robe lying on the floor outside the door placed very discreetly next to the tray of food.

"What's so funny?" asks Jonathan.

Jennifer picks up the robe and turns to face Jonathan and holding it out to him says "This."

Jonathan laughs too and says "Good old Max, he thinks of everything," as he reaches for the robe.

Jennifer picks up the tray with the fresh coffee and blueberry pancakes and sausage on it and carries it over to the bed proclaiming "Boy this sure smells good and I'm starving."

Jonathan says "Yeah me too, I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."

They sit in bed enjoying the breakfast Max prepared for them while the look in their eyes says they are both thinking of last night and how wonderful it was. Finally Jonathan says "We could have a repeat performance after we eat," with a hopeful look in his eye.

Jennifer gives him a longing look and says "But darling we have things to do today remember we have a case to solve so we can help your friend George."

"Oh I have a feeling the case will still be there when we finish," Jonathan says as he removes the tray from the bed and takes Jennifer in his arms.

An hour later they appear from the bedroom as Max is hanging up the phone. He gives Jonathan a smile as he says "I found Benny the Bookie Mr. H ."

"That's great Max, we'll just get dressed and go see him," Jonathan says.

They find the little diner near the race track where Benny hangs out and they go in to talk to him about his dealings with Emerson Westlake.

Max spots Benny and walks over to his table and asks "How you been Benny?"

Benny looks up and says " Well if it ain't my old friend Max, where ya been keeping yourself Maxie?"

"Oh we haven't been to New York for six months or more and the last couple of times we were here I didn't get a chance to look you up pal," answers Max.

" Excuse me Max," says Benny as he catches sight of Jennifer. "I gotta conduct some business, be right with ya." He gets up and steps toward Jennifer and says "What race ya want today Miss Edwards?"

Jennifer blushes and looks flustered as Jonathan stands there looking at her quizzically wondering what that was all about and she says "Oh Benny we just want to talk to you."

Benny looks at Jonathan and says "so your Jonathan Hart, I'd know you anywhere from your picture in the paper and Max's description. Well it's nice to finally met Max's son." He sticks out his hand to shake but Jonathan is still looking at Jennifer dumbfounded and doesn't notice so Benny tuns back to Jennifer and says "I kinda had a feeling you might be by to talk when I saw the morning papers Miss Edwards. I knew if you were writing the story it wouldn't take ya long to find out Mr. Westlake bet with me."

Jonathan finally manages to say "You bet the horses!" in a rather amazed voice.

Jennifer very sheepishly says "You heard him, I use Benny as an informant on my stories sometimes."

Jonathan gives her a disbelieving look and says "Go on."

Jennifer, very flustered, says "Oh all right, yes I like to play the ponies sometimes."

Jonathan just laughs and says "Max you got a new buddy!" Then he looks at Jennifer and says "You're amazing! Just what other surprises do you have in store for me?"

Jennifer very coyly answers "I'm not telling, I want you to gradually discover them all accidentally one by one."

A surge jolts through Jonathan like a bolt of lightning as he instinctively knew that something in her manner was telling him many of these discoveries were going to be made in bed and he almost visibly trembles at the thought.

Jennifer turns the conversation back to what Benny might know about who killed Emerson Westlake. Benny isn't much help as Emerson wasn't a big gambler and he has no idea who could have killed him or who Vincent could be. Benny did say it was a shame Mr. Westlake had died since he always paid when he lost. As they are leaving he ask Jonathan if he wants to bet on a horse.

Next they go to see Elizabeth Westlake and pay their respects. Elizabeth Westlake was the kind of woman who wore old money as comfortably as last years clothes and she had been to the manner born. She was a Winthrop by birth of the Boston Winthrop's whose money and position in Boston went back as far as that of the Cabot's and the Lodge's. Jennifer had gone to boarding school with her younger sister Kathleen and had met Elizabeth on several occasions then. Jonathan had met her through his dealings with Westlake Enterprises.

The maid answers the door and leads them into the sitting room and Elizabeth appears shortly thereafter saying hello .

"We just came by to tell you how sorry we are about Emerson," Jennifer says.

"Yes and if there is anything we can do you just let us know," Jonathan offers.

"Thank you both very much," Elizabeth replies. "I just finished all the arrangements, the services will be tomorrow at 10:00, I do hope you'll be there Jonathan, and Jennifer I know Kathleen would love to see you she should be here any time now."

"Yes we'll be there," they both say.

Elizabeth says "Excuse me for looking so perplexed but I wasn't aware that you two knew each other and yet you look so together like you were made for each other."

Jonathan answers "We met and London and came to the same conclusion." Then realizing she is a little off guard he asks "What made you tell the police you thought George did it?"

Elizabeth is obviously taken aback and says "Oh you've seen George? But Jonathan you know how they always fight, I guess it was just the first thing that came to mind."

Jonathan senses that something isn't quite right in what she is saying but decides to let it go for now and makes their good byes and they leave.

In the car Jennifer says "You didn't buy that did you?"

Jonathan replies "Not quite, something just didn't seem kosher about her story but I can't exactly put my finger on it maybe she is just distraught over Emerson's death and that's why she seemed strange."

"She didn't seem that distraught over the death of her husband to me, in fact she seemed rather calm," declares Jennifer.

"I'm with you Mrs. H the chauffeur told me she went out skeet shooting this morning," Max says.

"That's a rather odd thing to do the morning after your husband dies. Darling if somebody murdered me would you go out skeet shooting the next morning," queries Jennifer.

"No darling I wouldn't, and I don't think I would look as calm as she did either," answers Jonathan. He pauses then says "But we're forgetting one thing, Elizabeth was at a charity dinner when Emerson was shot."

"That's the other strange thing Mr. H, the chauffeur also mentioned that he just got back from picking up Mrs. Westlake's car from the museum. Mrs. Westlake drove herself to that charity dinner for the museum last night but the police brought her home after they told her about Mr. Westlake," says Max.

The three of them say hum in unison a go deep in thought. After few minutes Jonathan brings up lunch and they stop at a deli for reubens before going on to George's. When they arrive at George's he opens the door in his robe looking very disheveled and like he hasn't slept.

"George you look awful," states Jonathan.

"Yea I guess I am a mess," replies George.

"Why don't you shower and shave and get dressed, it'll make you feel better," Jennifer suggests.

"Yeah and I'll fix you something to eat Mr. Callaway," offers Max.

Jonathan leads George off to the shower and Jennifer and Max head for the kitchen to fix George something to eat.

After George is cleaned up and fed, Jonathan tells him about what he found in the checkbook and asks him if he has any idea who Vincent could be or why he was blackmailing Emerson. George is lost and has no ideas about who Vincent is so Jonathan asks him if he knows anything about Bunny. George tells them that Emerson had confided in him that he was having an affair with Bunny and had been for the last 5 months or so.

"Well now we now why Emerson was being blackmailed," exclaims Jennifer.

"But we still don't know by who," says Jonathan.

Then Jonathan tells George about the meeting with Elizabeth and all George can say is " She's always been a little strange." They tell George of their plans to go to the Blue Note Club that night and talk to Bunny. Then they leave after making George promise to get some sleep.