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"Strange," Herb Asher said. His business partner said, "Yes. Very strange." ---------------------------- At the end of the work day, as Herb Asher and his partner were preparing to close up the store a young woman wearing a suede leather jacket, jeans, moccasins and a red silk scarf tied over her hair came in. "Hi," she said to Herb, her hands thrust into the pockets of her jacket. "How are you?" "Zina," he said, pleased. And a voice inside his head said, How did she find you? This is three thousand miles away from Hollywood. Through an index of locations computer, probably. Still . . . he sensed something not right. But it did not pertain to his nature to turn down a visit by a pretty girl. "Do you have time for a cup of coffee?" she asked. "Sure," he said. 170 Shortly, they sat facing each other across a table in a nearby restaurant. Zina, stirring cream and sugar into her coffee, said, "I want to talk to you about Manny." "Why does he resemble my wife?" he said. "Does he? I didn't notice. Manny feels very badly that he prevented you from meeting Linda Fox." "I'm not sure he did." "She was coming right at you." "She was walking our way, but that doesn't prove I would have met her." "He wants you to meet her. Herb, he feels terrible guilt; he couldn't sleep all night." Puzzled, he said, "What does he propose?" "That you write her a fan letter. Explaining the situation. He's convinced she'd answer. "It's not likely." Zina said quietly, "You'd be doing Manny a favor. Even if she doesn't answer. "I'd just as soon meet you, ' he said. And his words were weighed out carefully; weighed out and measured. "Oh?" She glanced up. What black eyes she had!
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