The fire from Knott's cabin becomes the fire rising from a wok at the Golden Pagoda. Tex takes the opportunity to light another cigarette, then continues his story. "Well, I had a few singed hairs, but I was okay. Little did I know, things were about to really heat up." "Ooh. It sounds like Sylvia's about to make another appearance," Chelsee says.

"That's a good guess," Tex says. "After I got out of Knott's inferno, I decided to fly back to Linsky's warehouse to check up on my client." "But she wasn't there,"   Chelsee says. Tex pauses impatiently. "Have I told you this part of the story before?" "Well, no. It's just that, well, I know how women work," says Chelsee.

"Well, that makes one of us anyway," says Tex.  "So, she's not at the warehouse. I fly over to her apartment. She's not there either. So, I get in my speeder, I fly back to my office, I walk in the door... " "And she's waiting for you," Chelsee says.

"Yeah."

"Probably wearing something very nice," Chelsee says smugly, plucking an olive from a toothpick with her teeth.

"To tell you the truth, I did not even notice," Tex says.

"Oh, of course not," Chelsee says. "So then she says, 'Hello, handsome.'"

"Needless to say, I was very, very upset with her," Tex says.

Tex walks over to where Sylvia is standing.  "I thought we agreed that you would stay at the warehouse," he says.

"I know," Sylvia says, playing with the collar of Tex's coat. "But I started worrying something would happen to you. I don't feel very comfortable about being alone right now."

"Sylvia. This thing is dangerous. And I don't think you realize how dangerous it is."

"Well tell me," she says. "I'm paying your tab, after all."

"Yeah sure, bring business into this," Tex says.

"Well, that's what it is, isn't it?" Sylvia says, toying with Tex. "Am I not just a client? There were plenty before me and there will be plenty after me."

"That's what I tell myself," Tex says.

"What do you mean by that?" says Sylvia, trying to egg Tex on.

"You know what I mean by that."

"Tell me," she says.

Tex sighs. "There's this thing. It's called The Rules Of A PI. And the number one rule is, 'Don't fall for a client.'"

"That wouldn't happen would it?" Sylvia says, smiling.

"Well, I'm holding you personally responsible for making me even think twice about it," Tex says, half-heartedly scolding Sylvia.

"I feel so guilty," she says, playing along.

"Well, you should."

"So tell me," Sylvia says, "are there any rules about kissing a client?"

"That falls squarely under Rule 1," says Tex.

"The rule that you're thinking twice about," Sylvia says, as if trying to remind herself. "So, break a rule. How many rules are there?"

"Thirty-seven. So far."

"So, thirty-six out of thirty-seven. That's not so bad. And I won't tell a soul," Sylvia says.

"Sounds like you were just about ready to go into the deep fryer," Chelsee says, back at the Golden Pagoda.

"No," Tex answers. "It was more like a quick sear, followed by a slow simmer."

Then, in Tex's office: "Listen, Sylvia, it has been an incredibly long day and my resistance is just about zero. So if you will take ten paces back and promise to quit smelling so good, I promise you that when this is over, we'll look into the possibility. We got a deal?"

"Okay. I'll be good," she says. "But I'll hold you to that promise."

"I've got a cot in the other room," Tex says. "You take that and I'll sleep here."

"Sweet dreams," Sylvia says, moving in to kiss Tex. Tex turns his head so that the kiss lands on his cheek instead.

"That's not gonna be hard," he says.

	Back at the Golden Pagoda, Chelsee notices Tex staring down at his wedding ring, his thoughts six years in the past. Suddenly self-conscious, she quickly hides her hands with her napkin, to hide the fact that there's no ring on her finger. She looks back at Tex: "Do you miss her?"

Tex snaps back to the present. "Oh yeah, this again," he says, looking back at the ring. "You know, as soon as I lose some weight, I think I'm gonna get rid of it. I don't think I need to be reminded anymore." He looks at Chelsee, and smiles. "No, I don't think I do." "Good. Because I'm very selfish, you know," she says. "That's one of the things that really attracts me to you," says Tex. "Boy that makes me happy to hear it. So, now that you've described to me just about every temptation a man can stand, what happens next?" Chelsee asks. Tex, knowing exactly what she means, smiles and throws his hands up. "Nothing happened! Nothing happened, okay? Actually, I flew Sylvia back to the warehouse." "Good!" "I thought you'd like that part," Tex says. "I went back to the office and I had a call."

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