 
Guard Me

Geonn Cannon

Smashwords Edition

Supposed Crimes LLC, Matthews, NC

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2016 Geonn Cannon

Published in the United States

ISBN: 978-1-944591-16-8

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter One

Elizabeth Caine cupped her hands under the faucet and then splashed her face. She straightened and looked at her reflection in the mirror, making sure that the little bit of makeup she wore was really waterproof. She smoothed her hair down with her palms, an unnecessary move since it was already slick against her skull. Her hair was pulled back into a slim ponytail that rested on the collar of her blazer. The face that greeted her in the mirror was tired and upset. She pushed those emotions aside and resumed her mask of utter professionalism.

She tore off a paper towel and blotted the water from her forehead and cheeks, dumping it into the empty trash bin as she left the ladies' room. They had swept the restroom earlier to ensure there weren't any nasty surprises planted.

The paint was peeling from the walls in the corridor, and exposed pipes ran overhead. It always surprised her that someone so powerful was so often forced to spend time in areas like this, ushered through the back door like the hired help.

Elizabeth walked to where the hall branched off, and she saw two men in identical suits standing by a pair of swinging doors. A metal staircase led to the garage, and Elizabeth moved to stand at the bottom step. She took the radio from her hip and brought it to her lips. "Second level is secure."

The door above them opened a few seconds later. A man in a tuxedo and a woman in a blue evening gown appeared, flanked by four other suited individuals. Elizabeth's shoulders twitched as she tried to improve her already impressive posture, one fist in the small of her back and the other extending to guide the guests of honor down to the lower floor.

President Joseph Sullivan met Elizabeth's gaze and offered her his usual million-watt smile. He was built like the hometown football hero he was, high school championships and college scholarships and a Heisman trophy. Football led to mayor, led to Congress, led to the most important job in the world, and he was just knocking at the door of fifty years old.

Standing beside him, her hand resting in the crook of his right elbow, was First Lady Dawn Sullivan. Black hair and startling blue eyes, the perfect features of a model or actress. Her lips curled into a bemused smile when she saw Elizabeth.

"Were you waiting for us, Ms. Caine?"

"Always, Mrs. Sullivan," Elizabeth said. "This way."

The First Lady was Elizabeth's charge, her only job was making sure no one got close enough to touch her. They moved down the slightly angled floor to the doors at the far end of the hall. She spoke into the radio again, guiding the First Couple down the hall. "Mountain and Minuet are on the move," she said.

There was a staging area just beyond the doors, and someone came through after she sent her message. Elizabeth hid her surprise that she didn't recognize the man, nodding to him before he spoke. "Mr. President, Mrs. First Lady. This way."

Elizabeth followed the agent she only recognized from other engagements through the doors. They could hear the crowd through the large placards that hid their entrance from the audience. Photographers and reporters stood in huddled masses around the stairs that led up onto the stage. The President and his wife stood at the foot of the stairs and awaited their cue.

Elizabeth scanned the gathered people and moved closer to the other agent. "Where's Hudson?"

"He had to check on something," the agent said.

The din of the crowd quieted slightly, and a man's voice boomed over the PA system. "Ladies and gentlemen... the President of the United States."

The stadium erupted into cheers. Joseph Sullivan trotted up the steps, and Dawn let her hand slip from his elbow as she followed him onto the stage. Elizabeth followed them both and stopped on the top step, scanning the stage as cameras flashed and the audience cheered. Dawn trailed the President by a few steps, a technique she'd picked up during their original campaign. She said that the people hadn't come to see her; they wanted the main event. The President waved to the crowd as he crossed the stage. When he reached the podium he twisted at the waist and held his hand out to Dawn. Her hand slipped into his, and he brought it to his lips to kiss the knuckles.

When the crowd died down, mostly due to the President shushing them with hand signals, Elizabeth assumed a parade rest, clasping her hands behind her back. There were more security officers at the front of the stage. Elizabeth scanned the crowd, not letting herself become distracted by movement or flashbulbs as the President began his speech.

She couldn't shake the unease that had settled on her when someone other than Theodore Hudson came through the doors. Theo was the President's top agent. What could he possibly have had to check that was important enough for him to leave his post? She turned to ask the other agent if he knew anything more and was stunned to find herself alone at the top of the steps.

Theo's voice filled her ear before she could even start to investigate. "Withdraw Mountain. Repeat, withdraw Mountain _now_."

Elizabeth didn't think before she moved. She was the closest agent, halfway across the stage before she realized she was moving. She moved at a loping run, hearing her shoes pound the wooden stage even over the President's voice echoing over the public address system. Dawn heard her approach as well and turned to face her, brow furrowed. Elizabeth moved past the First Lady; her duty was to the President now, regardless of assignment.

She put her hand on the President's shoulder, twisting her body to put herself between him and the crowd. "Mr. President..." she said, already urging him toward the back of the stage.

The President's head erupted in a spray of blood, and his body suddenly jerked as if someone had pulled a string in his back.

Something stung on the side of Elizabeth's head, and it wasn't until she felt the warm flow of blood that she realized she had been hit as well. The President fell in slow motion, tumbling to the stage at an inch per minute, it seemed. Elizabeth reached out her right arm, touching Dawn's outstretched hand as the gunman fired again. Elizabeth saw the bullets hit Dawn in the chest, and then, strangely, she was punched in the back three times.

The three of them fell. Elizabeth's legs tangled with the President's, and Dawn fell like a marionette with cut strings. The President hit the ground, and Elizabeth fell on top of him. She considered how unlikely it was that he would break _her_ fall, her head turned to watch blood spread across Dawn's chest and her beautiful dress. It wasn't until Elizabeth tried to get up that she realized she had been "punched" by three bullets. She hadn't felt them come out, so they hadn't gone through her and into the President.

She'd caught three out of four bullets. Seventy-five percent.

In any other situation, a passing grade.

Elizabeth finally lost consciousness as the rest of the Secret Service and the medics swarmed the stage.

#

Elizabeth opened her eyes.

She was in a bed, in a yellow room. The door was directly in front of her, and a window was next to it. There were blinds in the window. Elizabeth blinked at the door and window, the humps of her feet under the blanket. She lifted her right arm and saw something clipped to the index finger. It didn't hurt, but she didn't like it. She took it off and dropped it to the mattress. The pillow was comfortable.

Her back didn't hurt. She knew from experience gunshots were supposed to hurt, and she'd been shot three times. She wondered if she had built up a tolerance to that kind of pain.

Someone appeared in the doorway. A nurse. Elizabeth parted her lips to say something to her, but her throat was parched.

The nurse came into the room and pressed a button near the bed. She looked down at Elizabeth and gave a sad, sad smile. "Well, look who's here. At least we got one out of three."

_Three out of four,_ Elizabeth thought. _I stopped three of the bullets headed for the President._ Not that it mattered. The first bullet had done the job well enough.

The nurse looked toward the door. "I think she's slipping away again. Call--"

The rest was lost as Elizabeth slipped away.

#

His voice was a low, steady rumble. It was comforting, like a hug, so Elizabeth kept her eyes closed as long as possible so he wouldn't stop speaking. Finally, something must have alerted him, because he stopped talking. She could feel him looking at her, so she ended the ruse and opened her eyes.

Theodore Hudson stood at the foot of her bed. He smiled when he saw her, his lips spreading underneath a salt-and-pepper goatee. He was bald, black, and wearing a black suit. He had a cell phone in his right hand, and he closed it before sliding it into his suit pocket. "There she is. Good to see you, kid." He picked up a small stuffed panda from a food tray that was angled over her legs. "This is from Dana."

Elizabeth parted her lips and discovered her mouth wasn't quite as dry as before. He moved forward and put his hand on top of hers, making her realize just how pale her skin had become.

"How bad?"

Theo's smile wavered and he looked down at her. "You're going to be just fine."

"Didn't mean me," she said. But he knew what she meant. The fact he'd diverted was as much of an answer as anything he could have said. "The President?"

"Dead," Theo said. "He was killed instantly."

Elizabeth worked up some saliva, delaying her next question. "Dawn?"

"She died on the way to the hospital."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and pressed her head back into the pillow. Theo kept his hand on hers, a comforting weight, and she let it hold her steady. It wouldn't do to sink into depression. She waited until she was sure she wouldn't cry before she opened her eyes and looked at him. He was a definite five or six inches taller than her. The bullet that had cut a trench in her head would have been buried in his shoulder, had he been in her place. If he'd been in the _right_ place.

"Where the fuck were you?"

Theo seemed to expect the question and shook his head. He started to speak, but a nurse arrived. Theo stepped away from the bed to let the woman do her work, trying to blend into the shadows. While the petite Hispanic woman checked Elizabeth's machines, Theo walked to the door and slipped out into the hall.

"How long was I out?" Elizabeth asked, staring at the empty space where Theo had just been standing.

The nurse said, "Last Monday it was ten months exactly."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. It made sense; even though her injuries had been less severe, the medics had obviously ignored her to focus their lifesaving efforts on Joseph and Dawn Sullivan; she would have been proud to bleed to death if it meant that the President or his wife could have been saved. Apparently it hadn't been enough.

She closed her eyes.

#

Elizabeth left the hospital against medical advice a few days later, signing the papers they gave her as soon as she was able to walk to the bathroom on her own. She had a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans in the tiny closet next to the bathroom, gifts from Theo, she assumed. She changed into them and walked out of the hospital.

She took a taxi to her apartment only to discover it had long since been emptied out and rented to someone else. A second taxi took her to Dana's apartment.

"They didn't even call to tell me you'd woken up."

"Thank you for getting my stuff from my apartment."

"No problem. Come in, sit--"

"No. I just need my things."

Dana's face closed off and she said, "They're here. In the spare room."

Elizabeth packed her things. She checked to make sure she had everything and found Dana sulking in the living room, sitting on the couch with her hands clasped in front of her. "I think I got it all."

"Okay."

Elizabeth stared at the back of Dana's head. "Come on, Dan. You expect me to believe you waited all this time for me? We were only dating for three months when--" Her attention was caught by the TV, by the caption that read 'President Samuel Wallace.' Elizabeth grimaced and looked down at her bags. "I guess that's it."

"Guess so."

Elizabeth refused to feel guilty as she gathered her things and left the apartment.

She took the cab to a hotel and left her things in a room. It was a short subway ride from there to her office. She ignored the stares as she arrived, crossing the main room without taking her eyes off her destination. She opened the Deputy Director's door without knocking, and he looked up in surprise when he saw who his guest was.

"Elizabeth. You're not even supposed to be out of the hospital yet."

She said, "This won't take long." She placed her gun and badge on his desk, right next to his keyboard. "I hereby resign my position. If you need it in writing, I'll fax you something."

She turned and left the office before he could argue.

#

Elizabeth spent the night in her hotel room. She took a long searing shower, letting the water pelt her head as she tried to wash away the nightmare and get back to the real world. Forty-five minutes didn't do anything to erase the images in her mind, but it did kill the hotel's hot water. She toweled off and wiped the steam from the mirror, finally taking stock of her injuries.

She lifted the hair on the right side of her head and eyed the long straight scar that poked out from under her hairline. It had been well-stitched, and her hair had grown over the line while she was sleeping. It was almost invisible unless someone knew what to look for. The other scars were more evident, once she found a second mirror. Two round scars with rough edges marked her upper right shoulder, and a third was a bit lower near the spine.

The doctor had told her she'd been extraordinarily lucky. Her scapula had taken the brunt of the damage, and it had healed while she was in her coma. The other bullet had hit a rib and traveled south, avoiding all major organs on the way. It required minor surgery to remove the bullets, and she'd received a transfusion from both Theo and Dana to make up for her blood loss.

She put her sweatshirt back on and went into the hotel bedroom. The TV was on for the background noise, and she turned to MSNBC to see what news she had missed. Other than the obvious, of course. She stretched out on the bed in time to hear Rachel Maddow confirm a breaking news story that "the Secret Service agent injured in last year's assassination had indeed woken up from her coma."

The news gave a quick recap of the situation. The President had been in the middle of his Pledge to Future Generations speech, a groundbreaking education initiative that he had campaigned on, the fruition of years of hard work. Elizabeth saw footage of herself crossing the stage and wondered if it was video trickery or if she had really moved that slowly in real life. The video cut off before the actual assassination. Twenty minutes later and three blocks from the stadium, a pair of local police working security detail spotted a suspicious man with a sniper rifle. He opened fire on them, and the officers returned fire and killed him.

The shooter was identified as Colin Pine, a retired air force colonel. An investigation revealed that he was associated with a group known for protesting the administration's current policies. The group, calling themselves the Midnight Ride, claimed responsibility for the assassination and warned the now-President Samuel Wallace that continuing his predecessor's ill-advised policies would lead to another attempt.

Elizabeth's stomach turned at the mention of Vice President Wallace. She'd hated the man from the moment she first saw him, and he'd never done anything to make her rethink the first impression. She muted the television and stared up at the hotel room ceiling with her hands laced over her stomach. She wondered if she had resigned because of her abject failure or just so she'd have to hand in her gun. It was comforting to know that she couldn't finish the job the assassin had started.

She spent a sleepless night in the hotel. In the morning, she packed what she needed into a single bag. She had always believed in traveling light, so it wasn't a difficult prospect. She abandoned the other bag, filled mostly with clothes, and took a taxi to the airport. She briefly considered dropping by Theo's home, forcing him to answer the question he had sidestepped at the hospital, but she'd given him a chance.

She thought about her family's cabin and the savings in her bank account. She thought about what, if anything, she would be leaving behind.

The Washington Monument loomed in her window, and she followed it with her eyes as the taxi carried her to Dulles. She had failed her President, failed to protect her charge, and she'd lost nearly a year of her life in the process.

She wasn't leaving anything behind; she had nothing left to abandon.
Chapter Two

One Year Later

There wasn't a path when she started, but she did her best to carve one out for herself. It started at the back of her father's property. She cut down the tall grass and crafted a stamp out of a board and an old rope. She'd once heard that's how people faked crop circles, holding the rope and stepping on the board to stamp all the grass down in an even pattern. It worked well to make her a path through the wilderness.

In some areas, there was very little undergrowth and she didn't have to cut or crush the grass. By the end of her first trek into the wild, she was exhausted and had to sit and rest by a stream until she found the energy to head back. By the end of the first month she was walking it without trouble. After two months, she was running both ways.

Her father had built the cabin in the eighties when she was just a little girl. It was his weekend retreat, his hunting grounds. It was the place she'd first picked up a gun, and the place where her father and Uncle Jerry taught her how to shoot. Her only qualm was shooting at living creatures, so her targets were always hung from trees. Now she was using it for another kind of training; her recovery.

All the furniture had been removed after her father died. She only had a bed in the back room, a table, and a fridge. The living room was an exercise area. She hung a bar in the bedroom doorway to do chin-ups and used a pad in the living room for sit-ups. In the mornings, she ran ten miles through the woods. In the evenings, she ran four miles to the small town at the base of the mountain.

The town boasted only about three hundred residents. The first building she passed when she entered town was a diner, and then a general store. She bought supplies from the grocery store on the first of every month, and occasionally she treated herself to a home-style meal at the diner. Otherwise she had no real contact with the outside world. She got the pertinent news from the radio or from the owner of the general store when she came in to place her monthly order. President Wallace was about to begin his second year as President, and he'd officially announced his candidacy for a second term.

Elizabeth had been in seclusion for a year. She was physically recovered from her ordeal, but she was still having the nightmares.

It was early in the morning when she received her first visitor to the cabin.

She was outside doing target practice when she heard the engine. Whoever it was, they were still a mile out, and she knew they couldn't travel fast over the dirt road. She casually lowered her weapon and went into the cabin, returning a few seconds later with her shotgun. She sat on the porch with the weapon across her lap. Thirty seconds later the SUV came around the bend and drove onto her property. Elizabeth kept her hand on the gun until she recognized the driver through the windshield. She sighed and stood up, carrying the gun as the truck rolled to a stop.

Theo opened the door and stepped out onto the hard-packed dirt of the road. He turned and scanned their surroundings, taking in the mountains visible over the treetops.

"Gorgeous," he said. He turned to look at her and smiled. "I can see why someone might want to live here."

Elizabeth nodded. "Me too. Goodbye."

He took off his tinted sunglasses and fiddled with them for a moment. The earpieces looked painfully fragile in his large hands. "I was hoping we would be able to talk. We didn't get the chance before you left D.C."

"It was a bad time." She looked past him at the trees. She scoffed, shook her head and sneered. "President Samuel Wallace."

Theo's smile returned. "It became a bit of a game around the office. We called it 'Things Could Be Worse.' Winner was whoever came up with an actual scenario worse than having Sam Wallace becoming President." He thought for a moment. "A lot of the winning scenarios involved nuclear winter."

"How many of them involved me?" Elizabeth said. Theo hesitated and she shook her head. "Don't worry, I've heard the jokes. Talking heads on the radio. Petitions to hire me back so I can be on duty when someone takes a shot at Wallace."

"Some people do like him," Theo said. "And he's proven to be semi-competent from time to time. He may not be the greatest leader we've ever had, but he's doing okay with what he has. He's got a good chance at being elected to a second term."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and turned back toward her cabin. "Did you drive all the way up here just to annoy me and ruin my day?"

"No," Theo said. "I actually came to offer you a job."

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm not rejoining the Service. If someone took a shot at Wallace, I'd probably hold the target for them."

Theo said, "Not the Service. I quit after you got hurt." Elizabeth turned and looked at him. He met her gaze without hesitation. "How could I stay after that, Beth? You're like a daughter to me. And I saw you lying there covered in blood, I thought..." His voice faded and then he sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Then what job?" she said.

"I started up a private security firm in Seattle. Former cops, football players who couldn't cut it in the pros. Some people I hire off the street and train them."

Elizabeth had a sudden flash of herself, fresh from college and on her first day in the Secret Service. The muscular black man had walked up to her and said his name, and then knocked her flat on her ass. She still remembered him leaning over her, smiling, and telling her, "When we're done, you'll be able to return the favor."

Sure enough, once Theo was done training her, she had knocked him flat on his ass without breaking a sweat.

"Still knocking down little girls?" she asked.

Theo laughed. "When I have to, yes. And the occasional linebacker. Just in case you think I just enjoy being a bully."

"So you want me to come work for you?"

"If you're willing. I've been contacted about an assignment. The client is an old friend of mine, someone I've known for years. He asked me to send the absolute best, and to do that I had to track you down and drive up this mountain."

Elizabeth turned away from him to prop the gun up against the wall next to her front door. She thought about doing it again. Putting on a holster and protecting someone. She didn't doubt that she had the mental and physical strength to put herself in that position again, but if she lost someone else, it would undo her entirely.

"If I agree, I want to ask you one question. And you'll answer it truthfully. No evasion, no attempt to spare my feelings, no lies to cover your ass. The whole truth and nothing but."

"One question, the whole truth," he said. "I've never given you anything less. What's the question?"

"No," she said. "I'll wait until we're somewhere that you can't run away or get interrupted. When do we leave?"

Theo said, "Time is a factor. We need to leave as soon as you're ready."

Elizabeth thought of the suitcase on the floor of her bedroom, the folded clothes on the floor next to it. She'd never bothered to hang them, so they were just put back whenever she was done washing them. "I have some clothes on the laundry line out back," she said. "Give me a second to pull them down and toss them in the bag and we can go."

Theo said, "Thank you, Elizabeth."

She nodded and went into the cabin to pack her things.

#

The ride down the mountain made the trail seem extremely short. They reached the town and passed through it in a matter of minutes, the general store disappearing in the rearview mirror. Theo waited until they were near the highway before he spoke. "We have about a hundred miles before we reach where we're going. Unless you think I'm willing to drive off the road to avoid answering your question, you can go ahead and ask it."

"I'm not sure I want to know the answer."

Theo nodded slowly. "Then I'm pretty sure I know what the question will be."

"You should have been there, Theo," she said. "You should have been standing right next to me when the President needed you. Where were you?"

Theo adjusted his grip on the steering wheel and said, "It won't make a lot of sense."

"It'll be better than what's been going through my head the past year. Believe me."

"Okay," he said. "I was on the second level of the stadium, by the box seats. I received a call from an unknown number the day of the event. Just four words, spoken in a rushed whisper. 'The President dies today.' I tried tracing the number, but it didn't lead anywhere. I didn't tell anyone because I wasn't sure if it was worth the panic. I was anxious because of Wolf. If that hadn't happened, maybe we wouldn't be here right now."

Elizabeth remembered Wolf well. It was four months before the assassination. Elizabeth hadn't been there, but everyone had heard about it. The President was standing outside a library for a photo op, having spent the day meeting with veterans, and Secret Service Agent Gary Towne had spotted what he thought was a gun. He'd shouted a warning and tackled the President to the ground. When the panic died down, the assassin was revealed to be a veteran who lost most of his right arm in the war, and the gun was a metal pincer that he wore instead of a rubber hand.

The President had been bruised and pissed off, so Towne was banished to a Treasury branch office in Iowa and given the nickname Wolf.

"Even the perfect agent makes one or two mistakes," Theo said, "and I'm far from being the perfect agent. I decided to take a look around and confirm everything was okay."

"Since you made the call, I assume you found something that made you suspicious."

"Nothing that was enough to cause a panic on its own. A door that looks like it was either jimmied or maybe it's just old and needs to be replaced. A security camera that's been knocked into a different angle that creates a blind spot."

He sighed heavily, releasing the anger that had risen since he started talking. He flexed his hands on the steering wheel again. Elizabeth gave him the moment; she knew that once he got fired up her needed to calm himself before his rage became volcanic.

"I was on the second level of the stadium, going along the box seat section. At that point I was fairly certain we had a security situation. I was in contact with the exterior security, but I needed to have eyes on the threat before I let it affect the President. I just... thought I had time. But I heard the music and I knew I had to make a call."

"Did you ever find the shooter? This Colin Pine?"

Theo shook his head. "Never laid eyes on the man until his body was shown on the news." For a while, the only sound was the road passing by under their wheels. Finally Theo said, "And I didn't know."

She looked at him. "Didn't know what?"

"I didn't know that you were the closest agent. They said an agent was down, and I saw you lying there."

Elizabeth turned away from him and looked out the window.

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't put me there," Elizabeth said. "I chose this job and I understood the dangers. If you're offering me this job because you feel guilty, then pull over and I'll walk home."

Theo said, "I'm offering because you were the best agent I've ever seen. I made the worst mistake an agent can make two years ago. I was overly cautious. It's why I handed in my badge."

Elizabeth looked out the window. A cut stone wall swept past them, the stone changed into a gray blur by their speed. There were other cars on the road with them. Families on their way to the city to shop, people on their way to or from their jobs. Life had gone on for everyone around them. The assassination was just an entry in a history book now. She remembered the old Skeeter Davis song about the end of the world, and she hummed a few bars.

Theo smiled. "I thought the same thing the first year. You were in a coma, I gave up my career, and the President of the United States and his wife had been murdered on our watch. And it seemed like everyone in the country picked themselves up in the first month or so, dusted themselves off, and moved on with life."

"Kind of amazing when you think about it," Elizabeth said. "The resilience of people."

"Unless you're in the center of the crisis," Theo said. "Then it just pisses you off."

Elizabeth smiled weakly. "So tell me about this job I'm supposed to take."

"You can still say no if you want."

"I'll make it an educated refusal."

Theo nodded. "I'll let the clients give you the details, but it's just a standard protection job. Their daughter is sixteen and dealing with a stalker. So far there have been at least two attempts to grab her. The parents want you to keep her safe."

Elizabeth relaxed slightly. A teenage girl being stalked could only mean a few things; a jilted classmate, a leering pedophile. Considering the people she'd gone up against in the past, protecting a sixteen year old girl would be a piece of cake.

#

Elizabeth dozed off during the drive. When she woke, her forehead against the glass of the passenger side window, all she could see was water. She blinked, frowned, and pushed herself up in the seat. She looked through the windshield and front window and saw they were parked on a stretch of road flanked by trees on the driver's side and a wide bay on the passenger side. "Where the hell are we?"

"Anacortes," Theo said. He was reading a paperback book, but he closed it on his thumb when he saw that she was awake. "We have to take a ferry. The client lives on an island."

Elizabeth unfastened her seatbelt and climbed from the car. They were parked in the westernmost lane, right next to the water, and Elizabeth walked down the embankment to stand as close to the water as possible. The wind off the water was frigid, but she ignored it as she watched the waves roll in.

Theo came down behind her. "Everything okay?"

Elizabeth said, "Yeah." She breathed deep, holding it in, and then slowly blew it out again. "I spent the last year in the mountains, surrounded by trees. The most water I saw was when it rained. This is... magnificent."

Theo checked his watch, turned to look at the traffic, and said, "Ferry's going to start loading in about ten minutes. I'll honk the horn when you should head back."

Elizabeth smiled. "I'll listen for it."

She heard him climb back up to where the car was waiting and crouched down, her elbows on her knees as she looked out over the water.
Chapter Three

Once they were on the ferry, Theo contented himself with his paperback and Elizabeth wandered the top deck. It was only the very beginning of winter, but the wind off the water was frigid. She wasn't going to let a little cold drive her away. It felt like forever since she had seen the water, and she wanted to enjoy it as much as possible. As she watched the ship plow through the gentle waves, she realized that it had been more than two years since she'd seen the ocean. Even if she'd spent half that time in the hospital, it was still a shocking thing to realize.

She rested her hands on the railing and thought about Theo. There'd been a time when she would have let the man hold a loaded gun to her head. She trusted him completely, but the past year had been a maelstrom of second guessing and unanswered questions. When she needed him most, he hadn't been there. She had been alone on that stage, and she'd gone down alone.

Theo had been her guide during her first years with the Secret Service. When everyone else dismissed her as another token female hire, Theo had taken her under his wing. She paid her dues in the field, working in anonymous, bland offices throughout the United States, following paper trails, digging through electronic trails to confirm or discredit information. After eight years of bouncing back and forth from one assignment to the next, Theo had brought her to Washington. Five years later, when Joseph Sullivan was elected, Elizabeth was assigned to the First Lady's protection detail.

And now she knew how Icarus felt. She'd finally gotten what she wanted, she'd climbed the ladder to the top, and she spent nearly a year there before it all crashed down around her.

She wasn't sure about Theo's job, but they had a deal. She would listen to the client, get all the information, and then she would make a decision about whether or not to take the assignment. By tomorrow morning she would either be back on her mountain or starting a new job with Theo. Either way, it would be progress. After two years of stagnating, it would feel good to finally start moving on.

#

Squire's Isle was a quaint storybook town flanked by thick evergreens on three sides and butting up against the water on the east. By the time the ferry docked with a gentle bump, Theo and Elizabeth were back in Theo's SUV. Elizabeth looked at the town as they drove off, eyeing the tourists on the streets and the ornate streetlights that stood on each corner. People were riding bikes, waving to the people they passed, and some people were just lingering near the harbor to watch the sailboats out in the bay.

"I didn't know places like this still existed," she said.

"They don't," Theo said. "People have to create them."

Theo drove through the town to a two-lane road shaded by trees that crowded either side of the road. Before long, the storybook was left behind and replaced by a thick forest. If Elizabeth looked to the right, she saw only trees and could forget she had left her mountain. But if she looked left, the crystal blue waters flashed between thick tree trunks like images in a zoetrope. The road wound through the woods, keeping near enough to the shore that the water was never out of sight.

Here and there, Elizabeth spotted houses through the trees. Some of them were hidden behind stone walls, decorative rather than security, while others were hidden only by trees. Theo slowed and began to eye the numbers on mailboxes they passed. Finally he said, "Here we go," and pulled between two stone pillars with the numbers 127 carved into the one on the right. The drive was long, following the gentle downward slope of the land to a house that stood near the shore.

The house was two stories, all wood and glass so that it seemed like a natural part of the surrounding environment. The garage was tucked off to the side, out of the way, and Theo parked in front of it. He turned and looked toward the house and then looked at Elizabeth. "I'll wait out here. I want you to meet them on your own, form your own opinions of the job. Everett and Michelle Drake. If you decide not to take the job, then no hard feelings. I'll consider it worthwhile to have spent an afternoon getting reacquainted with an old friend."

Elizabeth smiled and climbed out. "You always were a sweet talker."

Fallen leaves crunched under Elizabeth's shoes as she crossed the lawn. The front door was flanked by two long windows. The porch was small and square, and a pair of mud-caked boots stood under one of the windows. Elizabeth knocked and then checked her own shoes to make sure they weren't muddy. The door opened and Elizabeth looked up into a pair of gorgeous green eyes. She hadn't seen another woman in months, and to break her streak with one this beautiful was disconcerting.

Her long black hair was pulled back, but several strands hung loose to frame her face. She had high cheekbones, her lips curled into a polite greeting as she rested one hand on the doorframe. She wore a floral patterned dress that left her arms bare despite the season, and Elizabeth tried not to stare at the way the neckline plunged. She cleared her throat and focused her thoughts.

"Mrs. Drake? I'm Elizabeth Caine. I'm, ah... Theodore Hudson sent me."

"Please, Michelle. Mr. Hudson said he would be bringing you by." She looked past Elizabeth to the car. "Is he coming in?"

"He wanted to let me make my own decision without bias."

Michelle nodded and stepped back. "Please, come in."

Elizabeth stepped into the house and had to resist making a noise of surprise. The ground floor of the house was dominated by a large living room furnished in subdued earth tones. The wall opposite the door was almost entirely glass, and looked out on the gentle waves of the Strait. The living room was cozy, and a small kitchen and dining room to the right had muted wood accents so as not to distract from the obvious main attraction.

"Everett is in his study upstairs," Michelle said, breaking Elizabeth's trance.

"Right," Elizabeth said. "Sorry."

Michelle smiled. "You're not the first to be distracted by it. When we bought the house, we'd been on the tour for twenty minutes before I realized there was an upstairs."

The stairs were to the left of the door. Elizabeth went up, ignoring the closed rooms and aiming for the open door at the end of the hall. She stopped at the threshold and knocked. In the second it took the man behind the desk to acknowledge her, she took a quick scan of the room. The desk was at the far side of the room, fronting another large picture window. There were several bookshelves in the room, a small sitting area with a humidor and an ashtray, and the walls were decorated with framed paintings of local wildlife.

"Mr. Drake? I'm Elizabeth Caine. Theodore Hudson sent me."

Everett Drake tugged on his right ear as he stood up. He wasn't a tall man, and there was more gray in his hair than black. He had a rounded face and the wide, trustworthy eyes of a small-town doctor. "Yes, he mentioned he would bring you over. Please, come in. Close the door."

Elizabeth closed the office door and moved to the seating area. Everett bent down and took a bottle of water from the mini-fridge next to his chair. He offered it to Elizabeth, and she took it. He retrieved another for himself and examined her as he twisted off the cap.

"I apologize. When Mr. Hudson said he was bringing the best bodyguard he knew, I pictured someone a little more..."

"Masculine?" Elizabeth said.

He was awkward, and tried a smile. "A victim of my upbringing, I think. A woman bodyguard seems unusual. But seeing as the person you'll be protecting is my daughter, it's actually beneficial. Have a seat."

Elizabeth sat down and Everett took the seat across from her. "How much as Mr. Hudson told you?"

"Just the basics. He wanted me to hear the story directly from you so I wouldn't be influenced by his own preconceptions."

Everett nodded and took a sip from his water. "Well, I suppose it started about seven weeks ago. My daughter, Kelly, is sixteen years old. She was in town with some friends after school when they were approached by a man. He told Kelly that he worked for me, and I needed to see her immediately. He refused to give her any details in front of her friends because it was a quote, 'sensitive matter.' Kelly told him to shove his sensitive matters into a sensitive place and dialed the local police on her cell. The man left. Kelly got his license plate, but it had been stolen from a Buick in the parking lot at Anacortes.

"A few weeks after that, Michelle came home from her shopping and discovered a car parked on the road near our driveway. There was no one inside of it, so she drove on. When she was bringing the groceries into the house, she heard the car peel away. It made her so nervous that she called the police. They came, found the tire marks where the car had sped off. We searched the house and discovered someone had been in Kelly's bedroom."

He finished his water and stared at the empty bottle before placing it on the end table. He rested his hands on the arms of the chair.

"Then a week ago. The incident that prompted me to call Theo. Kelly plays baseball. Last week was the last game of the season. She was celebrating with her team, and it got a little late. She called her mother for a ride and waited on the boardwalk. A car that looked exactly like Michelle's pulled up and flashed the headlights. Kelly had the door open and was about to get in before she realized that the driver wasn't Michelle. The guy, whoever he was, tried to grab her, but she was too quick. It was too dark for her to get the license plate."

Elizabeth said, "Was it the same man from the first attempt?"

"According to Kelly, no. She said the guy in the car looked bigger."

"Why do you think someone is so determined to take your daughter?"

Everett said, "Why else? I'm a rich man in a bad economy. My grandfather made a killing in the lumber industry, my father invested well, and I've helped our company branch out into new avenues of income."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, and Everett smiled.

"I'll explain if you promise not to freak out."

"Intriguing."

"We still produce lumber for houses, construction projects, things like that. But our biggest customer is a company called Fosters. Have you ever heard of them?" Elizabeth shook her head. "No one has. But everybody in the country will eventually be their customer. Fosters manufactures caskets." He chuckled and said, "It's a bit morbid to think about. But they're a necessity. Caskets are like toilet paper. It's something that everyone needs but no one wants to think about. So I have money. People want my money, and they're willing to threaten the people I care about to get it."

Elizabeth said, "And you want me to find out who they are and stop them, keeping your daughter safe in the process?"

"You're partially correct," Everett said. He leaned forward and clasped his hands in front of him. "I want you to protect my daughter, and I want you to find out who is threatening her. And then I want you to pay them."

Elizabeth frowned. "Excuse me?"

"These men are only interested in money. If it means my daughter is safe, I want to pay them. I would pay their ransom the second they made their demand. Unfortunately, for the ransom demand to be made--"

"Your daughter actually has to be kidnapped."

Everett nodded. "I can't exactly advertise the fact I'm willing to pay whatever they want. I'll have every criminal in the state swarming. So yes, you'll protect my daughter and find out who is behind this, but I'm giving you the authority to end it by making them an offer. Two million dollars should keep them satisfied."

"Mr. Drake, I'm sorry, but what's to keep these men from just coming back when they want more money? Once you've demonstrated you're willing to pay them, they won't stop until they've milked you dry."

"That's why I hired you and Mr. Hudson. This time I'll pay them off. Next time, I'll have them killed."

Elizabeth wasn't sure how Theo was running his business, but she could make an educated guess. "We're not that sort of business, Mr. Drake."

"You just need to deliver the message," he said. "A payday now, and we part ways. My daughter stays out of it. Trust me, they'll take the money."

Elizabeth wasn't so sure. She turned away from Everett to look out the window. The trees in the back yard were taller than the house and the branches swayed in the breeze. Elizabeth didn't want the case. She didn't care about being the middleman for Everett Drake and his daughter's attempted kidnappers. But all she had promised was to hear him out. She looked back to him and smiled.

"I should be going."

Everett stood. "If you take the case, you'll be staying here in the guest room. The break-in showed me that we're not even safe in our own home, and Michelle and I would both be more comfortable if you were here. Mr. Hudson didn't mention the going rate... I assume a hundred thousand plus expenses would be acceptable?"

_Hell yes it would,_ Elizabeth thought, but she just said, "You'll have to discuss that with Mr. Hudson once we've made our decision."

Everett nodded and held out his hand. "Thank you for listening, Ms. Caine. I hope you're able to help."

"I hope you and your family are able to put this bad situation behind you very soon," Elizabeth said. "Mr. Hudson will be in touch with you."

He thanked her again and Elizabeth showed herself out. She reached the bottom of the stairs and glanced toward the windows again. Michelle was standing in front of the glass, arms crossed over her chest, looking out over the water. Elizabeth cleared her throat and Michelle turned.

"I was just leaving."

"Actually... if you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you, too."

Elizabeth looked at the door. Even if she went out to the SUV, let Theo drive her back to the ferry, and then drove all the way back to the mountain, she would still get there after dark. The entire day was pretty much shot, so what would five more minutes hurt? She said, "Sure. I have some time."

She crossed the living room and joined Michelle at the window.

"How much did he offer you?" Michelle asked. She didn't look away from the water, but there was a bemused smile on her face.

"Uh, a hundred grand."

Michelle nodded and pursed her lips. "Sounds reasonable. And he told you about his plan to pre-pay the ransom."

"Yeah."

Michelle finally turned away from the water to face Elizabeth. "My husband called Theo Hudson for one reason. He wants to make this problem go away. Maybe he's aware of it, maybe he's not. But he's trying to make the problem go away by throwing money at it. He wants to prove that two or three million dollars can solve everything. I wanted to hire Mr. Hudson to protect my daughter. To make sure she's safe." She blinked and said, "If you take the job, please. Don't do it for the money. Don't do it because you want to turn this into a damn business transaction. Do it because someone wants to hurt my daughter and you can keep her safe."

Michelle brushed at her face and moved closer to the window, turning so that Elizabeth couldn't see her face.

Elizabeth said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Drake. Nothing's going to happen to your daughter."

Michelle looked at her, eyes red from crying. "You mean you're taking the job?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said. She hadn't been sure until she said it out loud. "I'm taking the job."

#

Theo put his book on the dashboard as Elizabeth climbed into the passenger seat. He looked at her until she gave in and broke the silence.

"I'll need a team."

Theo smiled. "Who do you want?"
Chapter Four

Chicago, Illinois

"Why don't we just talk about this?"

"Nothing to talk about."

Zoe Forrest kept her hands on her head and looked down. The toes of her steel-toed boots were over the edge of the roof. There was a breeze at her back, but it was gentle enough that she wasn't worried about being pushed. Still, with nothing between her and the alley but ten stories worth of empty air, it was enough to make her start sweating. She was in the frisking position, feet apart and knees locked. Her hands were on top of her head, fingers resting lightly on the tight braids of her hair.

Behind her, Nick's sneakers scuffed across the roof as he moved closer to her. She knew he had the gun he'd taken from her trained on the back of her head. She chewed the inside of her cheek and looked at the roof across from where she was standing. It would be a hard jump, but she could make it. Barely. If she missed and had to scramble, it would give Nick time to get a shot off. It wasn't worth the risk.

Nick pressed the gun between her shoulder blades and said, "Take a step, bitch."

Zoe sighed. "Nick, I was really hoping we wouldn't be reduced to name-calling."

"Just do it. Or I'll shoot."

Zoe didn't believe him for a second. Anyone who said to do something so they wouldn't shoot was looking for reasons not to pull the trigger. The only concern was keeping him from pulling the trigger by accident, or making him so angry that he just shot as a reflex. The most dangerous gunmen were those who knew what they were doing. A close second were the shooters who didn't have a clue.

Her cell phone began to ring in Nick's pocket.

"Uh-oh," Zoe said. "You want to get that for me?"

"Shut up."

Zoe said, "Look, I'm trying to help you out, Nicky. Haven't I always looked out for you in the past? That's probably our boss. He doesn't know what you know. You want to be the hero? Let him know. Answer the phone and tell him you're about to take care of the rat. You found the hole in his operation and you're gonna plug it. God, can you imagine? Of course... huh."

Nick was quiet for a moment. The phone rang again. "What?" he said.

"Well, nothing. I was just thinking. What if you go back to Mr. Big and tell him that you found the leak and killed me? What would he do?"

"Give me a goddamn medal, that's what he'd do."

"Maybe. No, I'm sure. Yeah, he'd be happy."

Nick pressed the gun harder against her spine. The balance of her weight shifted and she had to lean back to prevent herself from falling forward.

"Of course he'd be happy. Why wouldn't he be happy?"

"The man's been looking for me for a long time, Nick. He might be angry that you took the opportunity away from him. I bet he's been itching to kill me for a long time."

She could feel the gun trembling against the back of her jacket. She was wearing a leather jacket and a purple blouse over a white tank top. She flexed her fingers against her braids and shrugged. "I'm just saying that if it was me, I'd want to confirm before I did anything that I couldn't take back."

Nick hesitated only a heartbeat, and then the gun was pulled away from her back. She calculated two seconds, figuring the moment that Nick's hand was inside of his coat to get the still-ringing phone from the inside pocket. She threw her weight back and slammed into Nick, both of them tumbling to the roof. Nick cushioned her fall, and she rolled to the side and scrambled to her feet before he could recover.

The gun was caught on the lining of Nick's jacket, and Zoe took advantage of his distraction to punch him in the face. "Motherfucker," she said as she took the gun from him. She tugged at her blouse and the buttons came undone, revealing a shoulder holster that ran over her left breast and hooked around her torso. She took the handcuffs from a small pouch in the harness and rolled Nick onto his stomach. "Holding my own gun on me? That's just rude."

Now that the danger had passed, she was breathing heavily and sweat beaded on her forehead. Her heart was pounding as she cuffed Nick's wrists and then fished in his pockets for her cell phone. It had stopped ringing, but she checked the call log and saw an unfamiliar number. "Oh. Wasn't the boss man after all. Sorry about that."

She hauled Nick to his feet and dragged him to the roof access door he had so recently forced her through at gunpoint. Once they were in the stairwell, Zoe attached his handcuffs to the railing and said, "Here. Sit tight."

She flipped her phone open and dialed a familiar number, leaning against the wall as it rang. Finally, there was an answer. "Two Jakes Pizza. Pick-up or delivery."

"Pick-up," Zoe said. She gave the address and said, "Near the roof access, top of the stairs. Be here in ten minutes or there's no tip." She hung up and looked at the missed call that had defused her tense situation. If it was a telemarketer, she owed the entire profession an apology. "What the hell," she said. "Got nothing else to do while I'm waiting." She dialed the number.

After three rings, she got an answer. "Hello, I'm looking about the want ad."

"I'm clear," she said. "Who is this?"

"It's me, Zoe."

Zoe pushed away from the wall, Nick forgotten for the moment. "Liz? Thought you dropped off the face, girl."

"I did. I'm back."

Zoe heard approaching sirens. "When and where?"

"I realize you have a life... it'll be a bit of a busman's holiday."

"When and where," Zoe said again.

Elizabeth told her.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Zoe said. "I have some things to wrap up here, but it won't take me very long. I can get there by the weekend."

"That'll be great. I've missed you, Zoe."

"You too." The door at the bottom of the stairs opened as Zoe hung up. She leaned over the railing and looked down to see two cops starting up. "About time you guys got here. I got one of Glover's men gift-wrapped for you up here. Get the lead out, boys." She turned to Nick and said, "And you. You know why you're gonna help us?"

Nick glared at the ground.

"Because one way or another, you're gonna spend a couple of hours with us tonight. Whether you talk or not, we can hold you for a while without charging you. Then we'll let you go scurry off back to your boss, where you can swear up and down that you didn't tell us anything. Think he'll believe you? Or do you think he'll take you out of the picture just to be safe? The only way you'll be safe is if he's in prison. And the quickest way to get him there is to go ahead and tell us what we want to know."

The cops arrived, panting, and Zoe stepped out of the way. She opened her blouse to reveal the shoulder holster and took her badge from the bottom pouch. "Detective Zoe Forrest, undercover. I'm with the Oh-Nine."

"I know who you are, Zoe," one of the cops said.

Behind the sweaty, red face Zoe realized she recognized him, too. "Oh hey, Artie. Didn't recognize you because of the heart attack."

The other cop went to swap Zoe's cuffs with his own. Artie looked at Nick and wrinkled his nose. "Seriously? This guy really works for Howard Glover?"

"That's what it says on his resume," Zoe said. "You guys mind booking him, doing the paperwork, getting him all set up? I'll take the interrogation once he's squared away."

Artie said, "Where you off to? Hot date?"

Zoe smiled. "More like a reunion. Long overdue."

#

New York City, New York

Sometime past one in the morning

Wade listened. To the hum of the engine, the rumble of the train, the hiss of steam washing over the steel shell of the car.

He'd been on the subway for hours. It was colder there, under the city, and he wore a trenchcoat and a skull cap pulled down so far that it looked like he had elf ears. He didn't read, he didn't look at the other passengers. His eyes were closed, but he remained upright and aware of his surroundings as the train bumped and rolled along the track. He kept both hands in his pockets and his feet were planted flat on the floor to keep himself from moving too much.

"Old dude's jackin' off," he heard someone say to his right. He didn't mind. His goatee had a bit of gray in it, and his hands were in his pockets. He'd seen more disgusting things on the train before.

The kid who had spoken was sitting a few feet away with four other kids. There were two girls in the group who mainly kept quiet. The three boys were the problem. A woman was at the other end of the train with her kids. What they were doing out this late, he couldn't begin to guess. But he knew that if the kids didn't stop using their foul language in front of such impressionable ears, there would be a problem.

"Hey. Yo, old dude. What are you jerkin' the gerkin to?"

Wade resisted the urge to sigh.

"Dude, maybe he's dead." The kids laughed again. "He died doing what he loved."

One of the girls said, "Ew, Travis, that's disgusting."

The mother said, for the second time, "Would you boys mind keeping it down?"

"Maybe you could keep this down, lady," Travis said. There was a slap of flesh against fabric, and Wade knew that the young gentleman had just grabbed himself. His buddies found this to be the height of hilarity. To Wade, it was the last straw. He opened his eyes and pushed himself out of the seat. He was between the mother and the boys. He kept his hands in the pockets of his coat.

"Hey, the dude's not dead. Sorry. Did we interrupt your whack-a-thon?"

Wade walked slowly up to the boys and spoke in a calm voice. "This woman would like you to lower your voices and refrain from using foul language. It doesn't seem like an unreasonable request."

"Yeah, well. I want you to sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up. Is that an 'unreasonable request'?"

The other kids laughed, but it was more nervous now. Wade knew he looked different with his eyes open. He knew his eyes were wide, frightening and, when they didn't blink, people got nervous. So he locked the loudmouth Travis in his gaze as he stepped closer. Now there was only the back of Travis' seat between them.

"Be quiet," Wade said.

"Go fu--"

Wade's hand came out of his coat too fast for the kid to react. The tines touched the exposed skin of Travis' neck and the electricity made every muscle in his body tense. The boy to Travis' right lunged for Wade's arm, but Wade brought his left hand out of his pocket and grabbed the other boy's bicep. He tightened his fingers around the muscle like a vice, and then twisted and pulled at the same time. The boy tumbled over the back of the seat and landed hard on his back on the floor by Wade's feet.

Wade planted one boot on the kid's neck and pulled back the Taser. He grabbed a handful of Travis' hair before he could fall and pulled him forward so they were eye to eye.

"A well-trained dog knows how to be silent when its master speaks. Are you trained worse than a dog?"

The kid was barely able to stay conscious, making weak and whimpering noises in his throat. Wade dropped him before the kid could throw up on him, stooped down to pick up the other kid, and tossed him onto an empty bench. The third boy and the two girls were frozen with fear, staring at Wade and trembling.

"Be quiet," he said to them.

"Yes, sir," the last boy capable of speech said.

Wade returned the Taser to his pocket, straightened his trenchcoat, and turned to look at the woman. She had pulled her kids to her, covering their faces with her hands. He didn't try to smile. He knew he had a slightly terrifying smile. So he just nodded and said, "They won't disturb you anymore, ma'am. You can enjoy the rest of your ride."

He sat down and closed his eyes again, resting his head against the window. His cell phone rang, and he grunted quietly as he fished it out of his pocket. "If you cancel on me again, Shahan, that's it..." He flipped the phone open and said, "Wade Ottis."

"What would you do for a hundred grand?"

Wade pursed his lips. "A hell of a lot more than I'd do for a Klondike bar."

The train reached the next station and slowed to a stop. The doors opened with a hiss, and the mother rushed her kids out the door. The troublemaking teens helped their assaulted friends off the train, all of them avoiding Wade's gaze. He had the entire car to himself, just the way he liked it.

"I need you to be in Washington."

"The one on the west coast or the new Sodom and Gomorrah?"

"The state. It could be a couple of days."

Wade breathed in through his nostrils and exhaled out his mouth. A man came off the platform and stepped onto the car. He looked around and, deciding Wade was the only person there, walked over and sat on the bench beside him.

"Could do with some fresh air. Hundred grand. Plus expenses?"

"Yes."

"I'll see you there."

The train began to move again.

"Yes, you will. Hey, Liz," he said. "How come I thought you were dead?"

She didn't answer immediately. "I guess maybe I was for a while."

Wade raised an eyebrow. "That would do it. See you soon." He closed the phone and turned to face the man who'd taken the seat next to him. He didn't speak and, after a moment, the man withdrew an envelope from his pocket. Wade took it, counted the money, and placed it in his own pocket. Then he took out the Taser, and a gun with the numbers filed off. He handed them both over.

"Consider the Taser a free gift."

The man raised an eyebrow. "It works?"

Wade said, "Just tested it out myself." The man looked at the Taser and his eyes cut to Wade. In that look, Wade saw judgment. He saw the buyer examining Wade's slight build and trying to make a decision. Wade said, "You think you can zap me and take back your money, but a word of advice. We won't reach the next station for fifteen minutes. In that time, I'll have recovered from being zapped by the Taser and I would have done strange and horrible things to your body parts." He thought for a second. "I would start with the fingers."

The man placed the Taser in the pocket of his coat, stood up, and moved to the farthest end of the car.

Wade put his hands in his pockets and rested his head against the glass. He placed his feet flat against the floor and listened to the hum of the engine and the rumble of the train. He thought about Washington, the state not the capital, and about what he would do with one hundred thousand dollars.

#

Squire's Isle, Washington

Elizabeth closed her phone and dropped it on the bed next to her. She and the Drakes had agreed that she would start in the morning, and they would officially introduce her to Kelly in the morning. She accepted the offer to stay in their guest room for the duration of her employment, but she would spend her first night on the island in a hotel. Theo was in a room down the hall. She considered telling him that she'd gotten in touch with both Zoe and Wade, but that could wait until morning.

She had changed into her pajamas already, a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, and she went to the window without bothering to put on a robe. She pushed back the curtain and saw people on the street below, heard cars passing by in front of the house. There was a real world outside her window now, and real people.

In the morning she would have to rejoin society but, for tonight, she wanted to spend just one more evening in splendid isolation. She pulled the curtains closed, shutting out the rest of the world before she went to take a shower.
Chapter Five

Theo drove Elizabeth back to the Drake home early the next morning. They arrived as the sun was just starting to rise, turning the bay into a pastel painting. Theo parked at the head of the driveway, pulling to the shoulder so he wouldn't block anyone's exit, and twisted to reach into the backseat. He brought up a duffel bag and handed it to Elizabeth. "Figured you might need some hardware."

Elizabeth opened the bag and took out a 9mm SIG Sauer. She'd expected the weapon and the Kevlar vest, but the earpiece was a surprise. "Just like old times," she said.

"I'm not running some Mickey Mouse operation down there, Beth," Theo said with a smile. He checked his watch. "It's about half an hour before the family wakes up for the day. What do you want to do first?"

Elizabeth got out of the truck to put on her shoulder holster, covering it with her blazer. She scanned the grounds and said, "I want to look around. How much of this is their property?"

"Right now we're in the middle of their acre-and-a-half lot. I'll let you do the math on that one. But there are markers at the end of the property in either direction."

"Okay. I'll scope out the area and see what I can find. Then I'll check out the house." She checked the SIG, loaded it, and placed it in the holster. She took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders as she walked to the front of the SUV and looked out over the water.

Theo said, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I'll be fine. Just like riding a bike, right?"

"Similar," Theo said. "I'll go up to make sure no one panics if they see you walking the property. Then I'll keep an eye on the house. I'll let you know if I see anything." He tapped his ear and Elizabeth placed the small bud into her ear. "The microphone is built in. Just speak and I'll hear you."

"No more speaking into my coat sleeve?" Elizabeth said.

"It's a brand new day."

Elizabeth smiled and said, "Give me twenty." He nodded and she started out.

Fallen leaves crunched under Elizabeth's shoes as she left the manicured lawn and entered the woods beside the house. When she first moved to the Pacific Northwest, she'd actually been surprised to find so many deciduous trees. She always just assumed states like Washington and Oregon only had evergreens. She made her way through the forest, keeping her mind clear as she searched for signs of recent passage. Cigarette butts around a tree, disturbed piles of leaves, anything that would indicate someone had been watching the house for an extended period.

While she walked, she let herself focus on the situation. She hadn't slept much the night before, thinking of where she was and what she had agreed to do. After a year of seclusion and ten months in a bed, she was back. There was a gun tucked under her arm and, if necessary, she would use it to keep one person from hurting another. It was almost surreal. Her time with the Secret Service seemed almost like another lifetime, a hazy memory of something that had happened to someone else.

She didn't doubt that she was up to the challenge; she was just worried that she didn't want to submit herself to the whole thing again. She'd lost a President. Even if there was a way to come back from that, did she really want to?

The fence that marked the end of the Drake property wasn't particularly well-tended, and Elizabeth nearly stumbled over it before she realized it was there. Elizabeth looked into the neighboring property before she turned and walked the fence line toward the water.

Regardless of what she decided long-term, it was good to be out in the world again. She'd spent far too long hiding on the mountain and working on her recovery. She'd neglected to realize that getting out and doing her job was as important as any physical therapy she had done on the mountain. Once again, she owed Theo for making her realize that.

Elizabeth reached the water and stopped to admire the view. The water lapped gently against the rocks at the shoreline, soaking them and the ground before withdrawing once more. She could see the neighboring island across the Strait, but anything that might have been built there was successfully camouflaged by the scenery. Elizabeth loved the way the architects of this island had taken the time to make sure their designs didn't intrude on the main reason people chose to live here. When she looked back the way she'd come, she could barely even make out the Drake house that she knew was there.

She walked along the shore to return to the house. She'd been concerned about people approaching the house by boat, but the rocks would make that difficult. They'd have to announce their presence with a light to safely berth, and she doubted anyone would give away the element of surprise that way.

The Drake house was even more impressive from the shore-side. She supposed it made sense; more people would be seeing it from the water than from the road. The morning sun shone on the panel of living room windows, preventing her from seeing if the family was up and about. The sun would also serve as a blinder for anyone attempting to stalk from this position, but at night the house would be lit from within. The Drakes would be like actors on a stage.

She reached up and touched her ear. "Theo?"

"Present."

The urge to lift her hand to speak into a wrist-mic was almost overpowering. It was bizarre to just speak into thin air. "I finished walking the north side of the property. I'm back at the Drake house, heading inside now."

"Copy," Theo said. "Listen..."

Elizabeth waited, but he didn't say anything else. "Theo? You there?"

"Nothing, never mind. I'll be there in a few."

Elizabeth climbed a set of stone steps that led from the shore, across the backyard, to a small door beside the living room. She knocked, and a few seconds later a teenage girl answered. She was only a few inches shorter than Elizabeth, with straight brown hair that draped over her shoulders. She wore a white Oxford shirt and a knee-length black skirt, her feet bare on the tiled floor of the mudroom. She furrowed her brow at Elizabeth and said, "Can I help you?"

"Elizabeth Caine. Your father..."

"You're the bodyguard lady," Kelly Drake said. "Awesome. C'mon in." She stepped aside so Elizabeth could enter. "Did you get any mud on your shoes? You can leave them here if you did."

"I think I'm good," Elizabeth said, but she checked her shoes anyway.

"Mom and Dad are still upstairs, but the other guy. The guy with you. Mr. Hudson?" Elizabeth nodded. Kelly led her into the kitchen. "He let me know you were walking around. Any psycho killers out there?"

"Not this morning," Elizabeth said.

Kelly said, "Good. Let's, like, get some things straight, Bodyguard. You work for me. I say jump and you say, like, how high. I, like, tell you to scat, you get the heck out of my way and leave me alone. You'll call me ma'am."

Elizabeth kept her voice steady. "No."

"To what? Like, the ma'am part? I'm totally negotiable on that."

"No to all of it," Elizabeth said. "I'm here to protect you. I'll do whatever is necessary to make sure you're not hurt. And if that means I have to tape your mouth shut and drag you to safety, I'll do it."

To Elizabeth's surprise, Kelly responded with a smile. "Test one passed."

"Test?"

Kelly went to the fridge and took out a carton of eggs. She sat them on the stove, where the bacon was already started. "I didn't want a pansy bodyguard. If I have to be followed around by someone like a babysitter, I want to make sure they'll do their job. And don't worry, I don't say 'like' as much as some girls at my school do. It's, like, totally annoying. Do you want some eggs?"

"If there are enough, sure."

"There's always enough, Ms. Caine. Cholesterol will kill me long before any bad guys get around to it."

"No one wants to kill you."

"Said the bodyguard standing in my kitchen with a freakin' shoulder holster."

Elizabeth pulled the lapels of her blazer closed and moved to the stools opposite the stove. "Whatever they want with you is a moot point. I won't let them get that close. And you can call me Elizabeth."

"Okay." Kelly cracked two eggs, only using one hand to split the shells and pour them into the pan. "You want scrambled? Cause that's what you're getting."

"Chef's choice," Elizabeth said.

There was a knock on the front door and then Theo entered. "Good morning, ladies."

"Hi, Theodore," Kelly said. "I'm making eggs."

"If the cholesterol didn't kill me, my doctor would. Thanks, but I'll just enjoy the air sandwich I'm getting from that bacon."

Kelly waved her hands over the pan to move the smoke toward Theo.

Theo dipped his chin in appreciation and turned to Elizabeth. "Did she pull the airhead trick on you, too?"

Kelly said, "She didn't fall for it, though. No fun whatsoever."

"The point isn't fun," Theo said. "The point is keeping you safe."

A door opened upstairs and Everett Drake came down the stairs. He was already dressed for work, a scent of aftershave and subtle cologne drifting ahead of him as he walked through the living room. He smiled and said, "I didn't realize we'd rented out the bottom floor."

"Good morning, Daddy," Kelly said.

"Morning, Juniper."

Kelly took two slices of toast from a plate and transferred scrambled eggs onto one of them. She topped that with two strips of bacon and a sausage patty. She placed it on a plate and handed it to her father.

"McDonald's who?" Everett said. He kissed the top of Kelly's head and turned to Elizabeth and Theo. "Can I ask what the plan is for today?"

Elizabeth nodded at Kelly. "That depends on your daughter. We'll go to school with her, and whatever she has scheduled afterward..."

"Now that baseball's over, I usually just head to the library or hang out with my friends."

"Then we'll be doing that. Basically anything your daughter does, we'll be in the background. We'll be as unobtrusive as possible, but if there's a threat we will have to take action." She watched Kelly while she spoke. The girl wasn't just putting on an airhead mask; she was also faking that everything was fine and that she wasn't scared out of her wits. "And then we'll find whoever is doing this and we'll make him stop."

Kelly said, "That sounds like a plan to me."

Theo said, "Naturally, Elizabeth will do most of the shadowing and escorting. Large black men following white teenage girls tend to create more issues than they solve."

Everett smiled.

Another door opened upstairs, and Elizabeth noticed that it seemed farther away than the door she'd heard when Everett came downstairs. Michelle joined the group in the kitchen, dressed in a long blouse and blue jeans. Her hair was down, and she smiled when she caught Elizabeth's eye. "I see the gang's all here."

"Not yet," Elizabeth said. "We have a support team coming in to lend a hand," Elizabeth said. "They should be here by the weekend."

Everett had gone to the hall closet to retrieve a jacket and returned to get his breakfast sandwich. "Here's hoping this will be resolved by then."

Elizabeth said, "I'd like nothing more than to be able to tell them to turn around and go home. But if we need them, they'll be here."

Everett patted his pockets to make sure he had everything he needed. "Okay. Um. Will there be reports of what happened today when I get back?"

"Only if there's anything that requires action," Theo said. "Otherwise we'll respect your daughter's privacy."

Kelly said, "Awesome. I was worried you guys would be rats."

Michelle said, "Like we need a nightly report to find out you spent your afternoon studying at the library. Such a wild child."

Kelly handed her mother a plate of eggs. "I'll have you know, I'm considered the bad girl of the library clique."

"Well, you must be. You have a bodyguard now." He smiled and kissed the top of his daughter's head. "I should go if I want to catch the ferry. I'll see you tonight, Juniper."

"Bye, Daddy."

Everett carried his sandwich toward the door and, almost as an afterthought, stopped by Michelle and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

"Okay," Michelle said. Elizabeth noticed that she didn't return the kiss. Everett left, and Michelle said, "I assume you'll be joining Kelly at school today?"

"I will," Elizabeth said. "Don't worry, Kelly, I won't be dogging your every step. You won't even know I'm there."

Theo said, "While we're on the subject, Mrs. Drake, we need to talk about protection for you."

Kelly had carried a pan from the stove to rinse it out in the sink. "Mom?"

Michelle blinked and straightened, assuming a defensive posture. "Me? I-I'm not... there haven't been any attempts to harass _me_."

Elizabeth said, "You don't know that. There was someone in the house one afternoon. Kelly was at school and Everett was at work. You know the intruder was in Kelly's room, but you don't know what their plan was or why they left. If the kidnappers just want money, they have to assume Everett would pay as much for his wife as he would for his daughter."

"Don't count on that," Michelle said, almost too quietly to be heard. Kelly was still at the sink, scrubbing, and Elizabeth doubted she had heard over the sound of the water.

Theo said, "Regardless, I think we'd all feel better if I kept an eye on you. At least until our back-up arrives at the weekend."

Michelle's posture relaxed slightly. "If you think it's safer. At the very least I'll have someone to help me carry groceries."

Kelly finished with the pan and returned to the central island that everyone else had gathered around. "Okay, um. I should probably get to school. Is someone going to drive me, or can I drive myself?"

Michelle went to the front hall and returned with a set of keys. She tossed them to Kelly and said, "Take the Miata."

"Okay. Have fun with your bodyguard."

Michelle chuckled. "Have fun with yours."

"Theo," Elizabeth said. "I need to get something from your truck."

"I'll come with you."

Kelly led the way out of the house and, once they stepped off the porch, she headed for the garage. She turned to Elizabeth and said, "I'll pick you up by Mr. Hudson's truck."

Elizabeth and Theo continued down the driveway to where Theo had parked. "What do you think?" Theo said.

"Mr. and Mrs. Drake are sleeping in separate bedrooms. That goodbye kiss was for our benefit. And maybe for Kelly's. I don't think it's pertinent, though. They wouldn't be the first couple to stay together until their kid went to college. As for Kelly... she's a good kid. I think she'll let me protect her, even if that means I have to act like a bitch sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Theo said.

Elizabeth lunged at him and Theo sidestepped away from her.

"You haven't asked about the back-up I called in."

"I'm afraid to," he admitted. "I'm afraid if I do, I'll hear the name Wade Ottis."

Elizabeth said, "You'll also hear the name Zoe Forrest. You like Zoe, don't you?"

Theo groaned. "Compared to Wade, Zoe is actually sane. But that's not saying very much." He turned to face her. "You're sure you know what you're doing?"

"Everett hired you because he wanted the best. You got me because you wanted the best. That's why I chose them for my team. Trust me."

Theo's shoulders sagged. "God help me, I do. But you'll deal with them. They're your responsibility."

A metallic blue Miata pulled out of the garage and rolled down the driveway to park next to them. Elizabeth went to the SUV and took the bag from the passenger seat, patting it as she passed Theo. "Dealing with Zoe and Wade will be the easy part," she said. "The hard part will be getting a sixteen year old to wear Kevlar under her designer outfit."

"Good luck in high school," Theo said.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "If it's anything like I remember, I think I'm going to need it."
Chapter Six

Squire's Isle High School was located a few blocks away from the harbor. Kelly drove relatively sanely for a sixteen year old and found a space at the very edge of the parking lot where it would be easy to get out after school was over. Elizabeth had used the ride to try and convince Kelly to wear the Kevlar vest. There'd been a fight, but not for the reasons Elizabeth had expected.

"No," Elizabeth said as she followed Kelly through the parking lot. "You cannot wear the Kevlar vest _over_ your clothes."

"Why not?" Kelly said.

"Because the whole idea is to not draw attention to yourself. Walking into your classroom with me is bad enough, but if you're wearing body armor..."

Kelly turned and held out her arms so Elizabeth could see how slight she was. "Like they're not going to notice? This blouse isn't exactly designed to hide a bulletproof vest." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and started walking forward again. "Besides, it could start a fashion trend."

Elizabeth almost argued that kids in high school didn't need a Kevlar vest fashion trend, but there were too many news stories in her mind to tell her it might actually be a good idea. She sighed and said, "If your teachers say it's okay it, and if it's the only way to get you to wear it, then fine. You can wear it over your clothes."

Kelly pumped her fist in victory as she led the way across the campus. Elizabeth, freed from her argument, took the time to give the parking lot a more critical examination. Kids slumped against cars, listened to music from car stereos playing too loud, and generally looked like they were still mostly asleep. There was a low brick wall next to the entrance, and some students sat there furiously attempting to finish a last bit of homework before the bell.

Elizabeth saw sagging jeans, bleach-faded sweatshirts, pants with strategically placed rips placed there by the manufacturers, and an assortment of piercings that she never would have expected to see when she was in school. Looking at the informal fashion show of high school students, Elizabeth had to admit that maybe a bulletproof vest trend might actually be a step up from what they were doing now.

Kelly opened the door for Elizabeth and followed her into the hall. Elizabeth held up a hand to make Kelly stop, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dimmer light before they continued on. Kelly hooked her hand around the strap of her book bag as they walked. Kelly kept glancing at Elizabeth and finally said, "Can I ask you a question that might be kind of personal?"

"Sure. We're going to be spending a lot of time together, so might as well."

"Have you shot a lot of people?"

Elizabeth said, "No. Not a lot."

"But some."

"Two."

Kelly said, "Wow. I don't think I've ever met someone who's shot a person before."

Please don't say it's cool.

"It's kind of freaky. I mean, you look like a normal, regular person."

Elizabeth smiled at that. "Don't let appearances fool you."

They reached a bank of lockers were a group of girls were standing in a semi-circle. One of them spotted Kelly coming and smiled, waving her to join them. Kelly looked at Elizabeth to make sure it was okay, and Elizabeth nodded. Kelly slipped into the group and effectively vanished. If Elizabeth hadn't taken note of Kelly's manner and appearance, it would have been difficult to separate her from the rest of the nearly-identical girls. Somehow tall, short, blonde, brunette, redhead, fat, thin didn't seem to matter, and the half dozen girls in the group all became a single entity.

One of the girls, a brunette with slumped posture and a beak-like nose suddenly noticed Elizabeth lingering. "Uh, can we _help_ you or something?" Elizabeth mentally named her the Vulture.

Elizabeth had worn her blazer over a white dress shirt and slacks, and she felt woefully underdressed with the group of teens. Before she could speak, Kelly answered.

"This is my aunt. She's a... cop."

Elizabeth regretted that they hadn't come up with a cover story for her presence. _Sloppy of me,_ she thought. "Yeah. I'm just keeping an eye on Kelly here."

"Why?"

"I'm overprotective," Elizabeth said.

The Vulture twisted her lips and the girls went back to their discussion. Elizabeth noticed that, while perfectly eloquent at home and in the car, Kelly fell prey to the "likes" and "you knows" that affected the grammar of so many teenagers. She crossed her arms and moved toward the lockers, watching the rest of the student body flow past the group of girls. When Kelly was safely delivered to first period, Elizabeth would take the time to visit the principal and explain the situation. If there was time, she would also take a quick look around the grounds to make sure everything was on the up-and-up.

She spotted the boy about six seconds before he acted. He was tall for his age, with a mess of curly hair that covered his eyes. He wore a hoodie over at least three layers of T-shirts that did nothing to hide how scrawny he was. He tugged up his drooping pants, stepped toward the girls, and reached for Kelly's shoulder.

Elizabeth spun off her left heel, twisted, and grabbed his arm before his hand could touch Kelly. She twisted his arm down and back, forcing him to turn around as she walked him across the hall. He yelped as he was pressed against the brick wall, and Elizabeth pinned his arm against his spine.

"Whoa! Grayson," Kelly said.

"You know him?" Elizabeth said.

"Yes, God," Kelly said. "Let him go, please."

A man in a V-neck sweater was hurrying toward them, and the crowd of students had dispersed to give Elizabeth and Kelly a clear area in which to stand. The man, a teacher by the looks of him, said, "What the hell is going on here?"

Elizabeth released the boy, Grayson, apparently. She straightened her jacket and looked at the teacher. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mr. Ashby. And who are you?"

Grayson was rubbing his shoulder, and Kelly was standing beside him with her hand on his uninjured arm.

"I think that's something we should discuss with the principal," Elizabeth said.

Ashby said, "I was thinking the exact same thing. Let me show you where her office is."

Elizabeth said, "You'll be okay to get to first period?"

"Yeah," Kelly said. "But you don't have my schedule. You don't know where my classes are..."

"I'm going to the office," Elizabeth said. "I'll ask them. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah," Kelly smiled and said, "No one's gonna mess with me after that little display."

Elizabeth nodded and looked at Grayson. "Sorry about the arm."

"Whatever," Grayson said, his voice wavering in that faux-macho way teen boys had when they were hurt in public.

"Principal," Mr. Ashby said.

Elizabeth sighed. "Right. Lead the way." She followed Ashby down the hall, and the crowd parted to let them pass. Elizabeth was reminded of her own high school career and wondered how many teachers had escorted her to the principal's office. It was nice to know some things never changed.

#

Georgette Honaker's office was glass-walled, and the blinds were open so she could see the students pass by on their way to class. Elizabeth, despite being closer to forty than thirty, still felt a twinge of anxiety as she took one of the seats in front of the desk. Ms. Honaker was an impressive woman, with a body like a fire plug and hair the color of aged concrete. She listened to Elizabeth's explanation of why she was there and why she had assaulted a student, and then turned in her chair to look out the glass.

The bell rang five minutes earlier, so the hall was empty. Finally, she gave a weary sigh and said, "I remember there was a time when all our parents had to worry about was sneaking a beer under the bleachers, sneaking a feel at a dance, and maybe - maybe - someone having reefer in their locker. Now we have to worry about crystal meth and kids bringing guns to school and getting abducted."

Elizabeth said, "You have problems like that here?"

Ms. Honaker smiled sadly. "Not yet, thank God. But every time it happens, even if it's in Maine or Florida, we feel it here. If you think one of our girls is in danger then I not only agree with you being here, I insist on your presence. Do what you have to do. I'll have the secretary print out Ms. Drake's class schedule, and I'll let her teachers know to expect you."

Elizabeth said, "Thank you, Ms. Honaker. You, ah... might also want to warn them that Kelly will be wearing a bulletproof vest over her clothes."

"Dear lord," the principal said. "Do you think that's necessary?"

"Not really," Elizabeth said. "I wanted her to wear it under her clothes as a precaution, but she's insisting."

Ms. Honaker grinned and shook her head. "Given what some of the girls are wearing to school these days, I bet half the parents would prefer Kevlar."

Elizabeth said, "That's Kelly's idea. As trends go, it could be a lot worse."

"Let me know if you need anything else," Ms. Honaker said.

Elizabeth nodded and left the office. Mr. Ashby was waiting in the outer office, and he straightened when he saw Ms. Honaker escorting Elizabeth out.

Ms. Honaker said, "Thank you for bringing this situation to my attention, Jason." To the secretary, she said, "Shirley, could you print out a list of Kelly Drake's classes, and give me a list of her teachers so I can give them a head's-up."

Mr. Ashby said, "This woman assaulted Aaron Grayson."

"This woman had a valid reason," Ms. Honaker said. "She also agreed that she'd overreacted."

Elizabeth had done no such thing, but she met Ms. Honaker's eyes and nodded.

Mr. Ashby didn't look convinced.

"Don't you have a class you need to be teaching?" Ms. Honaker said.

"My TA..."

"Your assistant is probably being swarmed by those kids as we speak. Go on, get. I've dealt with this situation and your job is done. Ms. Caine won't be assaulting any more students."

Elizabeth said, "Scout's honor."

Mr. Ashby didn't look happy, but he left the office. The secretary handed Ms. Honaker the printout of Kelly's schedule. Ms. Honaker looked it over and said, "Okay. Kelly is in Mr. Quintero's class, and they're in the computer lab." She reached over the upper part of the desk and retrieved another sheet of paper. "Here's a map of the school so you can find your way around. The key is on the back."

"Thank you for all your help."

"I'll do anything to help protect my kids. Even if it means I gotta let one of them wear a Kevlar vest and get followed around by a bodyguard."

Elizabeth thanked her again and left the office. She turned the map a few times to get her bearings before she headed for the lab.

The high school was a strange amalgam of aesthetics; harsh tile at the lockers, muted carpets in the common areas and around the classrooms, and a rock garden water feature outside the library. The library and computer lab took up the central space of the building, surrounded on all sides by walls that were wooden to chest height, and glass to the ceiling. Elizabeth found the entrance and searched until she found Quintero's class.

He was a slightly balding Hispanic man with thick eyeglasses, and he met Elizabeth at the door. "You're the, ah, bodyguard?"

"That's right."

"Ms, ah, Honaker let me know that you were coming. Kelly convinced me that the, ah, bulletproof vest was your idea."

Kelly stood up and waved, revealing that she was proudly wearing the vest over her blouse. Elizabeth waved back.

Quintero said, "You can sit anywhere, I guess. Try not to, ah, disturb my class too much if you have to jump in front of a bullet."

Elizabeth said, "I'll ask any shooters to take it outside."

Quintero smiled and gestured for her to sit anywhere. Elizabeth walked into the room and eyed the glass walls. Kelly was sitting in front of a glass window, visible from the hallway that ran alongside the computer lab. Elizabeth took an empty seat near Kelly's where she could see the hallway and the entrance to the lab. There was a screensaver running on her computer; the name of the school spelled out in letters that shrank and grew in a pattern she couldn't quite figure out.

Kelly leaned back in her chair and said, "Hey. Ms. Caine."

"You can call me Elizabeth," she said.

"Right. Sorry. I've already had three people ask where they can get one of these vests."

The girl next to Kelly said, "Yeah, they're totally war chic right now."

Elizabeth shuddered to think war was _chic_. "Sorry, I don't think I have any more in the trunk."

"We're going to check out some surplus shops next weekend," the girl said. "It's gonna be awesome."

Elizabeth had a vision of teenage girls heading off the Chemistry class wearing Kevlar body armor and cringed. She mentally apologized to all the teachers and parents and faced the computer again. She tapped a key and the screen saver disappeared, replaced by the school's homepage. She scanned the stories - mostly fluff articles about football games, student council, and fundraisers - and then typed in the address for Google.

For a year, she'd fought the urge to do what she was considering. It hadn't really been a struggle; she wasn't interested in reading anything about the assassination. She knew the bare bones, and she didn't care about conspiracy theorists and analysis. But here, with time to kill and an internet connection ready to take her wherever she wanted to go, her fingers were lightly tapping the keys as she watched the cursor blink.

Finally, she typed her own name into the search engine and hit enter.

A string of searches appeared, most of them with her name highlighted as part of a longer article about Joseph and Dawn Sullivan's assassination. She was disturbed to see that she had a number of fan sites as well, pages dedicated to her life and career.

She clicked on one and read a piecemeal biography that hinted at a long-term relationship with her criminology professor. The end of the biography indicated that she had "quietly passed away" a few months after going into a coma. There were photographs of her taken from newspapers and online articles, obviously cropped from larger images. She couldn't imagine why anyone would care this much about her, and she clicked backward to Google.

Elizabeth did a search for Colin Pine next. The two top entries were a study in opposites; an obituary by his Midnight Riders militia declaring him a martyr to the cause, and a profile on a website that listed various Presidential assassins and attempted assassins. She clicked on the militia page and hit a firewall, the school technology refusing to let her in. She went back and tried the assassin page. That one was unprotected, most likely to allow for research purposes.

Colin Pine was an older man, with small black eyes and short gray hair. His photo was in color and professionally done, but there was something about it that reminded her of Lee Harvey Oswald holding the papers and a rifle. It was the expression on Pine's face, the serene set to his features that conflicted with the fever in his eyes.

She scrolled down and, for the first time, read about the assassination that had nearly killed her.

According to Pine's coworkers at a heating and air company, he'd come into work late and left early on the day of the shooting. He'd appeared "nervous and agitated" during the brief time he was at work. Twenty minutes later, security cameras saw him entering the stadium with a heavy box. Security and Secret Service officials both examined the box and found equipment to repair the air conditioner.

For half an hour, Pine was inside the building without anyone seeing him. At a quarter to one, the President was announced. Four minutes later, Colin Pine took a shot.

He left the stadium without bothering to conceal his shotgun. More security camera footage showed him running down a street with the gun tucked under his arm like a folded-up newspaper. The area had been cordoned off immediately after the first shot rang out, and two local police officers spotted Pine trying to escape down an alley. They shouted for him to stop, and he shot at them. The officers returned fire, and Pine was killed.

Elizabeth scrolled back up to the section about the actual assassination. There was a link, and she clicked on it. Someone had gone through the footage of the shooting frame by frame, chronicling the longest ten seconds of Elizabeth's life in bullet-point format.

The first bullet sliced alongside Elizabeth's head, opening up a long scar before it hit the President in the forehead. Three more bullets hit the First Lady in the chest, taking her down. Then the three that had hit Elizabeth in the back. Six bullets in less than fifteen seconds.

Elizabeth clicked back to the first page and looked at the security footage of Colin Pine after the assassination and examined the gun he was carrying. It was a pump-action shotgun, but it was an older model without the trigger disconnector. Without that, Pine was able to fire faster than he would have been able to with a semi-automatic shotgun. It was fast, but it also required the shooter to cycle the pump action with every shot.

She went forward again. One bullet to the President's head, three to the First Lady, and then back to try and finish off the President with three body shots.

Elizabeth had originally thought the shooter was just spraying the stage, shooting indiscriminately. But there was precision behind Pine's actions. He had deliberately shot the President once and then he had _moved_ to kill the First Lady. Was he simply switching to an unprotected target?

Elizabeth leaned back in the cheap plastic seat, Kelly Drake momentarily forgotten. She had to process the very real possibility that Joseph Sullivan wasn't the real target of the assassination.
Chapter Seven

The principal followed through on her promise to alert Kelly's teachers of the unusual arrangement. Elizabeth, for her part, did her best to be a non-presence in Kelly's day. When Kelly stopped between classes to talk with friends, Elizabeth continued on to check nearby entrances and exits. She gave Kelly enough space that she would feel safe without being smothered.

Kelly's AP English class had an exam, so rather than spend an hour in the quiet classroom, Elizabeth slipped out and patrolled the hallway. The classroom was on the northern side of the campus, at the point where one corridor branched out into another. There were three points of entry that Elizabeth could see; two doors at the near end of the hall and a third farther down. The windows used a hand crank to open, hinged at the bottom to open outward. Someone would have to be a very slender contortionist to get in through them.

Elizabeth walked down the row of lockers, her hands loosely clasped behind her back as she eyed the decorations on some of the locker doors. There was a football game on Friday, and the pep squad had gone all out with the cardboard and glitter. Elizabeth had a very clear memory of high school, the cliques that formed around uniforms. Football players, cheerleaders, even the band. If you wore a matching costume, you had your own private circle.

Elizabeth's costume had been plain shirts and skirts, and she'd kept mainly to herself. No extracurricular activities and only a handful of friends. She didn't know what the big deal was about team sports, or why the school counselor always insisted she needed more of both in her life. She had as many friends as she wanted, and they gave her everything she needed. She didn't need anything else to feel accomplished.

She turned on her heel and walked back to the AP English class. There was a long, narrow window in the door and Elizabeth peered through it. Kelly was bent over her test, her head propped up on one hand while she drummed her pencil with the other. She was still wearing her bulletproof vest. Elizabeth was about to start down the other hall when there was a piercing beep from the ceiling and the intercom system came to life.

"Elizabeth Caine, please report to the front office, please."

She could hear the announcement echoing down the hall and felt a chill. She shook it off and said, "You're thirty-eight, Liz. Being called to the principal's office isn't a big deal."

She glanced into the class to make sure Kelly was still okay before she went down the hallway. She made a wrong turn, but the school building was designed so that she was able to correct herself without backtracking. When she reached the office, she saw Ms. Honaker standing outside the door with a man in a plaid shirt and jeans with dirt staining the knees.

Elizabeth said, "What's wrong?"

Ms. Honaker was wringing her hands nervously. "This is Carl. Our janitor. He was outside doing a bit of maintenance when he spotted a car waiting just off the property."

Carl said, "There was a man sitting in it, smoking a cigarette. I thought he was just waiting for someone, but then twenty minutes later I went back around and he was still there."

"Where?"

Carl pointed to the west side of the building. "It's a grey sedan, parked on a street in the residential area behind the school."

Elizabeth was already moving. "Ms. Honaker, get one of the security guards on campus to keep an eye on Kelly."

"Of course," Ms. Honaker said.

Elizabeth started running. When she reached the back doors, she pushed through to find a turnaround where the buses parked to pick up and drop off students at the end of the day. She ran through the parking lot to the grassy knoll that stood between the school and the football field and scanned the neighborhood. The edge of the campus was marked by a tall chain-link fence and, just beyond that, there was a sprawling neighborhood. Parked at the corner of one street was the grey sedan.

Elizabeth put her earpiece in and said, "Theo, you copy?"

There was a pause of a few seconds and then Theo responded. "Where would you put the vanilla extract if you were stocking a grocery store?"

"I don't know, baking supplies?" she said. She had her gun out as she moved toward the football field, looking for a way off campus without scaling the fence. "We may have a situation at the school. Unidentified car waiting off the grounds with a man inside. We're about twenty-five minutes from lunch period."

"Need back-up?"

"Negative," she said. She found a spot where the fence opened wide enough for her to slip through. "I have campus police keeping an eye on Kelly in her classroom."

"Campus police in a high school," Theo sighed.

"Tell me about it."

She crossed the street, never taking her eyes off the man waiting in the sedan. She checked the traffic to make sure he was alone and stepped into the street. "About to make contact. Hold for confirmation."

She rounded the back of the car and approached from behind on the driver's side. The man behind the wheel had a cigarette dangling from his fingers, leaning back against the headrest. She could hear the radio playing through the window, which was open a crack to let out his cigarette smoke.

Elizabeth tapped the glass with the barrel of her gun.

The man lazily opened his eyes, then recoiled when he saw her weapon. His body twisted in the seat, his elbow jammed the center console, and his cigarette dropped to the seat. "Holy shit, Jesus!" he shouted, raising both hands so fast that he forgot he was in a car. His hands impacted the roof of the car and he turned in the seat so he could face the window.

Elizabeth pulled open the car door. The cigarette was smoldering on the seat, and Elizabeth brushed it to the ground and snuffed it with her shoe.

"Where's your identification?"

"M-my... drivers license. In my wallet. Front pocket."

"Take it out with two fingers. Slowly."

The man did as instructed, easing the wallet from his pants like it was wired with an explosive. He held it out to her but Elizabeth said, "Open it."

The man fumbled with the wallet and held it open so she could see his license through the plastic window.

"Okay, Kevin Michael McConnell. What are you doing out here?"

"Having the last cigarette of my goddamn life," he said, his voice still shaking, his eyes locked on the gun. "I lost my job a few weeks ago. Haven't got up the nerve to tell my wife yet. So I just... I-I've been looking for work. I have an interview nearby at noon and I was killing time. Jesus, why do you have a _gun_?"

Elizabeth lowered the gun and rolled her eyes. "Next time you might not want to loiter outside of a school. People get antsy about that sort of thing."

"No fucking kidding."

Elizabeth said, "Where's your interview?"

He nodded toward the north. "Fitness center by the park."

"I suggest you go wait there, Kevin McConnell."

"Yes, ma'am."

She stepped back and closed the door, stepping back on the curb as he started the car. He didn't squeal the tires as he left, but he came pretty close. Elizabeth reached up and touched her ear as she watched him drive away.

"False alarm."

"You couldn't ask him where to find the vanilla extract?" Theo said.

Elizabeth crossed the street back to the school. "Why are you looking for it?"

"Mrs. Drake decided to cut her shopping list in half so we'd get done faster. I think she gave me all the hardest-to-find shit."

"You shop for yourself, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I don't get shortening and flour and extracts. I don't _bake_. Why go to the effort when there's a fast food place on every corner?"

"You're a lazy bum, Theodore." She returned to the school and went directly to Kelly's English class. Two policemen in full uniform were flanking the door, one resting his shoulder against the wall and the other standing a few feet into the center of the corridor. The leaner saw her and motioned with his chin, and the other turned to face her. "Elizabeth Caine."

"Deputy Randall White," the standing cop said, "Andrew Kemp. Andy is the campus cop, I happened to be in the area."

"Thanks for coming so quickly," she said. "Turned out to be a false alarm. Some guy trying to hide the fact he's unemployed from his wife."

White said, "McConnell?" Elizabeth nodded. "I've gotten a few calls about him loitering. He was at the library yesterday, and I think he got run out of Joe Lack's after he spent three hours nursing a single soda. Did he say where he was interviewing?"

"Fitness center."

White shrugged. "Could work. Listen, the Drake girl. I responded to the first call, the guy who tried to grab her after school. At first I thought it was just some teenager trying to get attention. Once I talked to her, though... she's embarrassed by it all. She hides it well, but she definitely wishes it would all just go away. I'm glad the family is taking it seriously. Andy is here all day, but if you need some extra back-up, I'll try to make myself available."

"Thank you, Deputy White. I'm sure I'll have to take you up on that offer before this is all over. If you wouldn't mind, could you stop by the office and tell Ms. Honaker that it was a false alarm?"

"Be glad to. C'mon, Andy."

Elizabeth nodded to White and the campus cop as they passed her. She went to the door of the classroom and saw Kelly was at her desk with her head down. She checked her watch and saw there were ten minutes left before the lunch bell rang. She leaned against the wall next to the door and stared up at the ceiling tile.

She'd always thought school was tedious when she actually had to attend the classes. Sitting and waiting was going to be the end of her.

#

Kelly asked permission to have lunch with Grayson and a group of their friends. Elizabeth agreed, and the group piled into a ridiculously large SUV that one of Kelly's friends drove. Elizabeth took the keys to the Miata and followed them to the restaurant. When they arrived at the Spartan Café, Elizabeth climbed out of the car and Kelly intercepted her before they reached the door. "Hey. Are you gonna eat with us?"

"No," Elizabeth said. "I'll stay in the car. But I want to make sure the restaurant is safe before I leave you alone in there."

"Oh. Well, Daddy said he was going to pay your expenses and stuff like that. But if you want to get something to eat you can tell them to put it on my card."

Elizabeth smiled. "I appreciate it."

"And I appreciate you not making a big deal about Grayson."

"I take it your parents don't know about the young man."

Kelly shrugged. "They know of his existence, I guess. I mean, he's been around the house. But they don't know that we're sort of dating."

"Sort of dating?"

"Yeah, come on, you've never sort of dated a guy?"

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. "Actually, no."

Kelly said, "What?"

"Never mind," Elizabeth chuckled. "Go sit with your friends."

The other kids had taken a seat near the counter, but where they would still be visible from the front window. Elizabeth scanned the other customers, then went behind the counter and explained the situation. The manager allowed her to examine their kitchen and the back exit. The door led to a gravel alley, lined on both sides by dumpsters for the café and surrounding businesses. She deemed the café safe, ordered a turkey club, and carried her sandwich outside to eat in the car.

With Kelly safely dealt with for a few minutes, she let her mind wander back to what she had learned about Colin Pine and the Sullivan assassination. It was possible that the shooter had just wanted to cause as much carnage as possible. Lee Harvey Oswald had shot the governor of Texas during the Kennedy assassination, so maybe Dawn had just been collateral damage. It just didn't sit right with her.

If somehow Joseph Sullivan _hadn't_ been the target, then it must have been Dawn. Elizabeth had spent a year on Dawn Sullivan's protection detail, and she'd learned a lot about the First Lady in that time. _Boy did I,_ she thought, but she pushed the thought out of the way. But was any of it bad enough to lead to an assassination? And why do it in such a public way, with the President standing right next to her? There were easier ways to get at the First Lady. To kill her during an appearance with her husband was like trying to climb Mount Everest with both hands tied behind your back.

She thought about calling Theo to run her questions past him, but she didn't want to disturb him. The thought of him standing in line at the grocery store with a basket of fruits and vegetables made her chuckle, and she looked out the window at the pedestrian traffic passing by her car.

Ahead of her, over the buildings and the trees, she could see the glistening water of the harbor. The island was a godsend; even if the bad guys did manage to grab Kelly, they had limited means of escape. Some might chide her, claim she was planning for failure. But she preferred to have a plan for even the worst worse case scenario rather than be blindsided if something really bad happened.

Through the window of the café, she could see Kelly and her friends. Kelly and Grayson were sitting so close to each other that Elizabeth was almost sure they were on the same chair. Elizabeth touched her earpiece again and said, "Theo, you there? Or do you have your hands occupied holding up Mrs. Drake's knitting."

"Ha," Theo said. "What's up?"

"I need to know whatever you can tell me about a kid at Kelly's school named Aaron Grayson. His parents, his history, whatever you can find."

"Think he's a P.O.I.?"

Elizabeth looked through the window again. Grayson was eating a French fry, and Kelly had her head on his shoulder. She didn't think he qualified as a person of interest, didn't think he would knowingly endanger Kelly, but she had to cover all her bases. "I don't know, but check him out anyway. Just the basic bio information."

"I'll get on it and get back to you. How's the high school flashback going?"

"Doing my best to make it through without drawing too much attention to myself. Just like the first time around."

Theo laughed. "I got a call earlier that you might be interested in. Zoe boarded a plane in Chicago this morning and she'll be here by the time school lets out."

Elizabeth felt a twinge of emotion, but she couldn't precisely identify it. Reuniting with Theo was one thing, but seeing Zoe again was something else entirely. Seeing Zoe would most likely force unwanted self-examination, force her to admit she wasn't the same person she'd been before the shooting. In a way, that was why Elizabeth was so adamant Zoe be on her team for this job. Now that her arrival was imminent, Elizabeth found herself dreading the moment they were together again.

"Beth? You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Theo. I'm here. Let me know when she's on the island."

"Will do. One last thing. The guest room here at Casa Drake is all made up for you, so you can move your stuff out of the b-and-b. Or you can just let Zoe use it."

"I think I'll do that," Elizabeth said. "I'll let you know if there are any more developments at the school."

Theo said, "All right. Work hard, do well on your arithmetic and your letters."

"Fuck you," Elizabeth said, smiling as she took the earpiece out and looked back at the café. Aaron Grayson was looking at her through the glass, Kelly oblivious of his distraction as she talked with her friends. Grayson nodded his chin at her, and Elizabeth offered him a weak wave. He gave a smug teenage boy grin and then went back to his lunch.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, thankful she'd already asked Theo to check the kid out. She had the feeling he could be a definite nuisance.
Chapter Eight

Elizabeth floated through the rest of her day, alternating between sitting in the back of Kelly's classes and walking the hallways. In Kelly's Advanced Algebra class, Elizabeth picked up a textbook from the back of the class and thumbed through it at an empty desk. She wondered if it had been written in another language, perhaps one of the dead ones, and finally decided calculators had been invented for a reason. The only math she needed to do was balancing her checkbook and keeping track of bullets in her magazine. "If Johnny has four apples and Jane gives him six..." was about as far as she needed to go.

The final bell rang at three, and Kelly joined the swarm of students out the door. She stayed to one side of the pack, and Elizabeth was at her side.

"Grayson wants me to go over to his house with a couple of other people, play some Xbox. If you want to say no..."

"No, it's fine," Elizabeth said. "I'll just stay by the door."

"No, that's not what I meant," Kelly said. "If you wanted to say no, I'd be very grateful."

Elizabeth said, "Ah. You want to skip, but you don't want him thinking it's your idea."

"It's just nonstop with him. If you beat him at some game, he'll sulk. But if he wins, he won't shut up about it. So it's easier to just skip it than waste my afternoon pretending I suck at _Red Dead Redemption_."

"Okay. So I'll play the bad guy. What do you want to do instead?"

Kelly said, "Feel free to say no, but I was thinking. This morning you said that we're probably going to spend a lot of time together. I mean, until this whole mess is settled we'll basically be joined at the hip. So why don't we just hang out and get to know each other. We could go to the library and you could help me with my homework."

Elizabeth scoffed. "I took a glance at your math textbook. If you want my help with that, I'll have to take a couple of college courses before I can even pick up a pencil."

"Aw. I'd start off with the easy stuff for you."

"You're too kind."

"So library?"

"You're the boss. Lead the way."

They got into the car and Kelly waited for the traffic to die down before she even started the engine. Elizabeth shouldn't have been surprised by the mass exodus, but it seemed unreal. The parking lot was full of cars driven by juniors and seniors, and every single one of them seemed eager to be the first one off the property. Kelly turned on the radio and twisted in her seat to watch for a less crazy time to pull out.

"Mr. Hudson told us some things about you when he said he was going to hire you," Kelly said suddenly. "I mean, he just told us some things about who you were and why he thought you were the right person for the job."

"Yeah?" Elizabeth said. "Like what?"

"He said you used to protect the President."

Elizabeth winced. "Actually I was assigned to the First Lady. I didn't even get to see the President that often." _And the one time I did try to protect the President, it didn't work out all that well._

"Still. It's kind of cool, right? Me being protected by the same person who worked for the White House." She smiled.

"Did he tell you how it ended?"

Kelly's smile wavered and she checked the traffic again. "Well, no. But he didn't really have to. Once he told us your name, it kind of clicked. You were pretty famous for a while. The President and his wife were dead, you know, but you were hanging on. You were in that coma for a really long time, and people just kept hoping. I don't know. One of my teachers said it was like if you survived, then it would prove that there's silver linings. That things aren't always bad."

"I've never thought of myself as a silver lining."

"Well, you were. For a lot of people. A girl I used to hang out with did a report about the assassination, and it was all about you."

Elizabeth looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it was like a book report. But everyone on the news and online focused on the First Couple. I mean, naturally. But my friend, Diana, she focused on you. The day leading up to the assassination and your job as a Secret Service agent. You hadn't woken up then, so she just added that hope thing I told you about. How everyone was pulling for you to come through it."

Elizabeth's ears burned, and she turned to look out the window to hide her face. _A high-school kids paper about the day leading up to the assassination. I'm sure that was an interesting read._ She gestured at the cars behind them. "I think you're almost clear."

Kelly looked and said, "Ah, so I am. Buckle up."

"Ditto," Elizabeth said.

Kelly pulled out of the parking spot, waved to the car that had let her in, and followed the flow of vehicles like a fish heading downstream.

"Kelly, I'm willing to talk about a lot of stuff with you. Anything you want to talk about in school or this whole situation, I'm here for you. But when it comes to what happened to me two years ago..."

"Off-limits?"

"If you don't mind."

Kelly said, "No problem. I'm sorry if I... you know. Stirred anything up."

"You're fine," Elizabeth said. "It's just not something I'm comfortable really talking about. Maybe when we know each other a little better."

Kelly smiled. "Okay. But I hope you're not offended if I say that I hope you're not around long enough for us to become really close."

Elizabeth laughed. "You and me both."

#

Elizabeth did a quick walkthrough of the library as Kelly set up her bag at one of the back tables. She stacked several thick textbooks in the middle of the table, opened her laptop, and spread out a handful of printed sheets that laid out the guidelines for whatever report she was working on. Elizabeth looked at the table with disbelief. "This is your homework?"

"Part of it," Kelly said.

"Jesus," Elizabeth said. "Anyone tries to grab you, I say we just throw your book bag at their head. They won't remember their own name when they wake up."

Kelly laughed. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad."

Elizabeth shook her head. "How long do you think it'll be?"

"Um, maybe an hour and a half. I like to make a dent in it before I go home for the night. All the distractions and stuff, you know."

"Right. I'll try to keep any distractions to a minimum. I'll be at the front if you need me... are there any other exits back here?"

"Nope, just the one at the front."

Elizabeth said, "Okay. Call me if you need any help with the easy ones."

Kelly chuckled. "Will do."

Elizabeth left Kelly to her work and walked back through the library. She took a position near the entrance where she could look out at the street but still keep an eye on Kelly's table. The street outside ran mostly east to west in front of the library, and Elizabeth took note of the pedestrians who walked past on the sidewalk. There was a click and a hum of static in her ear, and she reached up to touch the earpiece just as Theo began to speak.

"You're listening to the smooth jazz stylings of River Hudson on T-H-E-O Radio."

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. "Can I make a request?"

"Are you going to request I not sing?"

"You know me too well. How's Kelly?"

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder. She could just make out Kelly at the back of the library. She'd finally taken off her bulletproof vest, the idea of starting a trend abandoned due to the reality of how much the vest actually weighed. "Taking it in stride on the surface. I think it this goes on much longer she's going to have to accept it's really happening. It's anyone's guess how she'll deal with it then." She looked back out the door. "Did you get anything on Aaron Grayson?"

"Loads. You'd probably be better off just buying the DVDs of _Beverly Hills 90210_ , though. Typical bad boy stuff. Loitering at local businesses, and he's had to be run off by the cops a few times for breaking curfew. He had a couple of run-ins with the local cops for underage drinking, smoking..."

Elizabeth said, "Wow. Did the cops think he was a real issue, or just a typical teenage hellion?"

"I haven't talked to the cops yet."

Elizabeth frowned. "Then where--"

"All the information I just gave you is off Mr. Grayson's Facebook page. This is a kid who is proud of his delinquency. One of his posts says he's quote, 'bummed the coppers wouldn't let him keep his mug shot.'"

"What a prince."

"How'd he get on your radar?"

"Don't mention it to the parents, but he and Kelly are dating."

Theo groaned. "And she seemed so smart when I met her."

Elizabeth chuckled. "All right, if that's all you have, I'm going to stop standing here talking to thin air."

"Actually, I got one more thing to pass on. Got a call from Zoe; she's on the ferry. She'll be here in about an hour. You want to pick her up at the dock, bring her to the homestead?"

Elizabeth was too stunned to answer at first. "Yeah. I mean, no. Kelly drove the Miata; it's just a two-seater."

"No problem. I'll play taxicab. But try and make sure Kelly's back by the time Zoe gets here. I want to introduce her to the family all at once if I can."

"Sure. What about Wade?"

Theo sighed. "Haven't heard from him. Don't want to hear from him. I know why you brought him in; sometimes you have to accept the necessary evil. But if there's a chance we can get through this without exposing the Drakes to that madman, I'll be thrilled. So in about an hour I'll bring Zoe to the house and you'll be there with Kelly."

"Sounds good," she said. "See you then."

Elizabeth looked around to see if anyone had been observing her apparent soliloquy, but she was alone. The reference desk was in front of her, but no one was manning it at the moment. She looked back out at the street and thought about Zoe; what she would say and how it would be to see her again. It had been nearly three years since their last get-together, and nearly ten years since they had first met over two glasses of Scotch.

"Yes."

Elizabeth looked up from the bowl of pretzels and frowned at the black woman sliding onto the stool next to her. "Excuse me?"

"The answer is yes, you can buy me a drink."

"I wasn't aware I'd offered."

"You offered. When I was out there dancing with Tammy, you offered every time you stared at me."

Elizabeth coughed into her hand. "Oh. Sorry. I thought you were a little too preoccupied to notice me noticing."

"A woman like you noticing me... yeah, I notice that." She held out her hand. "Zoe. Pleasure to meet you."

"Liz. What are you drinking?"

"Whatever you're having is fine by me."

Elizabeth waved down the bartender and signaled for two more glasses. They were in a lesbian bar all the way across town from where Elizabeth lived and worked, a necessary evil considering her job. The thought of hooking up with someone, walking out the door, and spotting a neighbor or - God forbid - a coworker was enough to keep her inside most nights. But sometimes it was worth the risk, and the trip, to get a little buzzed and enjoy some female companionship.

The bartender came over to them and poured two glasses of Scotch. "Salud," the waitress said as she made her way back to the other customers. Elizabeth tapped the side of her glass against Zoe's and took a sip. She held the liquor in her mouth, letting it seep into her tongue and the inside of her cheeks before she swallowed what was left. She raised her eyebrow and looked at Zoe, noting her posture and the way she positioned herself on the stool. She was facing Elizabeth, but she had one elbow on the bar so that she was twisted slightly to the left. She was keeping an eye on the room even while she drank.

Elizabeth touched her thumb to her lip, eyed the moisture, and then sucked it off. "So how long have you been a cop?"

"Damn," Zoe said. "You're not bad."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I have my moments."

Zoe said, "Been a cop for five years. About to take my detective's exam, so a couple of my friends decided to take me out and loosen me up." She lowered her voice and leaned in to whisper, "I've been a little tense."

"I won't tell anyone," Elizabeth whispered back. She caught a whiff of Zoe's perfume as their drinks were delivered.

"So are you a cop?"

"Mm. Sort of. Secret Service."

Zoe whistled. "Damn. Not bad. I didn't even know the Pres was in town."

Elizabeth chuckled. "He's not. I'm just a lowly field officer. Following up on tips, money laundering, identity theft. The boring side of the glamour."

"Oh, I see," Zoe said. She took a long drink of her Scotch, touched her tongue to her top lip, and said, "So, Ms. Boring Secret Service Agent. Want to help me loosen up?"

"I thought that was what the Scotch was for."

"The Scotch helps," Zoe said. "But what I really came out for was to get fucked." Her hand was suddenly in the small of Elizabeth's back, rubbing in slow circles that tugged up the hem of her shirt. "So what do you say? Want to help a gal out, or should I just thank you for the Scotch and move on to my next potential victim?"

Elizabeth drank the rest of her Scotch, winced as it went down, and gently placed her glass back on the bar. "Well, I've always been a staunch supporter of my local law enforcement. You got a place nearby?"

"I got a place we could use."

Elizabeth slid off the stool, took Zoe's hand, and guided it across her shoulders. "Well then let's get there as fast as possible."

That was their first night together, but far from their last. Neither was interested in anything long-term; they were more than happy to just enjoy each other's company. When Elizabeth was transferred to D.C., they continued to meet whenever their schedules allowed. They only stopped when one of them entered into a more serious relationship. When Elizabeth met Dana, Zoe was already with a woman named Wendy. Then the shooting...

Elizabeth hadn't expected to feel so conflicted at the thought of seeing Zoe again. She'd made the call because Zoe was a great detective, and she had the feeling those skills would be useful in the coming days. But now she was afraid that Zoe would expect a resumption of their previous arrangement. She was afraid Zoe _wouldn't_ expect that. She hadn't even thought of sex since leaving the hospital.

_It's your own damn fault for calling her, so suck it up and make a decision._ Elizabeth sighed and rolled her shoulders. She checked her watch and pushed away from the door to go tell Kelly she had to get her home in an hour.
Chapter Nine

Theo's SUV was parked at the head of the driveway when Elizabeth and Kelly arrived. He flashed his headlights at her, and Elizabeth waved her hand out the window to let him know he could leave. He pulled out, and Kelly pulled in and drove to the garage. Kelly slung her bag onto her shoulder and led Elizabeth up to the house.

Michelle was in the kitchen preparing dinner when they came in. The sleeves of her blouse were rolled up past her elbows, and a green apron hung around her neck. For a second, with the gorgeous view out the window and the domestic scene, Elizabeth felt like she'd stumbled into a greeting card photo shoot.

"Hey, honey," Michelle said. "Ms. Caine."

"Elizabeth, please."

"Yes, of course. Dinner will be ready in about an hour and a half. Elizabeth, I insist that you and Mr. Hudson join us. I'm making more than enough."

Elizabeth said, "Sure. That sounds great. There'll be a third member of our team--"

Michelle nodded. "She's invited, too. I'll give you a twenty-minute warning so you can wash up."

"Much obliged," Elizabeth said.

Kelly said, "I'm going to do my homework upstairs." She turned to Elizabeth. "Do you need to come up and make sure my room is... secure? Is that the word?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind."

When they were on the stairs, Kelly turned and spoke as she climbed. "So it's you and another lady who are going to be watching me?"

"For the most part," Elizabeth said. "We have Mr. Hudson and another man is coming in to lend some..." Her voice trailed off. How best to describe Wade's contribution? "Let's call it moral support."

"Cool. I mean, two lady bodyguards. That's so cool."

Elizabeth smiled. "Girl power."

Kelly's room was the first door on the left at the top of the stairs. She turned on the light and dumped her book bag on the foot of the bed. "Here we are; my own little tree house."

The room could have been described as small, but Kelly's decorating touches made it cozy. There was enough room for a bed, a large desk, and a dresser with room left in the center for her to move around. The closet door was open and Elizabeth saw an army of clothes waiting to be worn. Posters hung on the wall, but the subjects were hardly what Elizabeth expected to see. Instead of sparkling vampires or teen heartthrobs, she had concert posters from various venues in Seattle and Oregon. The focus was on female musicians like Dawn Landes, Dash Warren, Melissa Etheridge, and Avery Swallow.

Across from the door was a window with the curtains pushed back to reveal a view of the forest next to the house. Elizabeth remembered the view from her window when she was sixteen; dirty brick of the building next door and, if she leaned out far enough, the steam coming from the top of the dry-cleaners.

"Nice room," Elizabeth said. She walked to the window and looked out at the roof. It sloped away from the window at a steep angle. None of the trees were near enough for someone to access the house from them. She made sure the lock was secure and turned to scan the room again. There was a bookshelf behind the door that Elizabeth hadn't seen. Tucked between the tightly shelved books was a photograph of Aaron Grayson.

"I assume your parents haven't seen that?"

Kelly looked where Elizabeth pointed and smiled. "Like I said, not exactly common knowledge. Mom and Dad don't exactly like him."

"He's kind of a bad boy from what I hear."

"I don't know. He gets into trouble a lot, but he's not really bad. He just likes to make a commotion." She chuckled. "And he's cute."

Elizabeth grinned and leaned against the wall next to Kelly's desk. "That's the important thing when you're sixteen. Cute trumps everything else when it comes to boys."

Kelly sat down at her desk and turned on the lamp. "We need to come up with a way that I can ask you something personal without having to ask for permission..."

"How about this... since I'm going to be intruding on your private life, you can intrude on mine. You can ask whatever you want, but I'll tell you if you go too far or if it's none of your business."

Kelly said, "That'll work." She put her hands on the desk and toyed with her cuticles for a moment before she said, "Are you gay?"

Elizabeth considered before she answered and then said, "Yeah. Is that going to be a problem for you?"

"No! I didn't mean like that. I was just wondering, because you said you'd never sort of dated any guys like I am with Grayson. And I thought you were too pretty to be celibate."

Elizabeth laughed. "Thanks, I think."

"You don't have to worry about Dad firing you if he finds out or anything. He's really cool about it, and the entire island is really gay-friendly. I just wanted to know. I'm nosy that way." She pulled her bag off the bed and began unloading the same books she'd had at the library. "You don't have to stay in here if you don't want to. It's pretty boring watching people do homework, I know."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah... I'd probably be more help with dinner than with advanced mathematics. Give a shout if you need anything. And stay away from the window."

Kelly saluted, and Elizabeth left the bedroom.

In the kitchen, Michelle was checking something in the oven. She smoothed her hands over her apron and glanced up as Elizabeth came down the stairs. She smiled and said, "So the rough part of your day is over. Returning to high school, I mean. How was it?"

"I was having traumatic flashbacks the entire day," Elizabeth said. "I fully expect to have nightmares about being back in school and not knowing what my schedule is."

Michelle laughed. "I've had that one myself many times. I hope Kelly wasn't too much of a hassle."

"Are you kidding? She's a great kid. The only problem was that she insisted on wearing the bulletproof vest over her clothes instead of under them. Trying to start a fashion trend."

"As long as her jeans cover her rear and her blouse covers her chest, I'll be happy."

"What if her midriff is exposed?"

Michelle held her hands out in surrender. "I've learned to pick my battles. Is she doing her homework?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said. "I was going to help her out, but I got a look at her work and gave up. I was feeling mentally inadequate by comparison, so I thought I'd come down here and help you instead."

Michelle arched an eyebrow. "So you can feel mentally superior to me?"

"Not at all," Elizabeth said. "Just relatively less idiotic."

Michelle said, "Well, in that case you can help set the table. The plates are in that cabinet, silverware is here."

Elizabeth stepped around the kitchen island and took the plates down. The table was between the kitchen and the mudroom, out of the way but placed so that they could see out the living room window while they ate. There was enough room for four people to eat dinner comfortably, but Elizabeth found a way to provide six places without crowding any one person too much.

She looked at the settings with mild surprise; she was used to quiet dinners for one in her cabin. She usually just ate at the counter, staring at the wall or listening to her portable radio. It had been a long time, since leaving for college in fact, since she'd actually sat down and had a real meal. The Secret Service had spent countless state dinners standing at the perimeter, ignoring the smell of food until they got fifteen minutes to eat whatever they could grab from the kitchen. The idea of sitting at a table and having a home-cooked meal seemed utterly alien to her.

"So how was it today, really?" Michelle asked, her voice low so it wouldn't carry up the stairs. "I mean, I know you can't tell me _everything_. You promised Kelly her privacy and Everett and I will respect that. But a report or something..."

Elizabeth said, "Things were fine. There was a false alarm at the school, someone loitering outside school property, but it turned out to be nothing. Kelly's a smart kid. I don't think she'd go with anyone she didn't know and trust. In fact, Theo and my presence may be a bad thing. If whoever was trying to grab her saw us, they might go to ground until we decide the threat has passed and go away. Then they could start all over again."

"God," Michelle said. She sagged against the counter, eyes closed, and dropped her head.

Elizabeth went back into the kitchen and put a hand on Michelle's shoulder.

"Every day I wake up wondering if this is going to be the day that someone tries to grab her again. And I carry that with me the entire day. And at night, I can't even relax because I know I'll just worry the entire next day for the same reasons. I don't know if they've given up or if they're just biding their time. It feels like I'm _hoping_ for them to do something just so I can finally relax... but that's when the real panic sets in, right?"

Elizabeth said, "If the worst does happen and they get past me and Theo and the others, you can take comfort in the fact that your husband is willing to pay the ransom immediately."

"Yes. Immediately after my daughter is traumatized by being grabbed and stuffed in a car." She blinked rapidly and brushed at her cheeks in case any tears had slipped free. "Sorry. I'm sure you and Mr. Hudson will do your best to make sure that doesn't happen. I just find it hard to have faith in my husband's preemptive ransom plan."

"I think it'll work," Elizabeth said with more confidence than she felt. "Given the chance to have their payday without the hassle of actually taking Kelly and arranging for a place to keep her will appeal to them. They'll get the same amount of money for less work. I don't know many people who wouldn't take that deal."

Michelle said, "I wish I had your confidence, Elizabeth. But thank you." She put her hand on top of Elizabeth's and squeezed.

Elizabeth let her hand slip from underneath Michelle's and said, "When is the ferry supposed to get in?"

"I think it's still about ten minutes out. Is there anything you should tell me about the other people who are coming to help you and Mr. Hudson?"

"Zoe Forrest is an undercover detective in Chicago. I met her a few years back when I was still in the Service. I've never seen anyone better at just blending into the background. If Theo and I suspect that our presence is scaring off the people trying to grab Kelly, we'll back off and just let Zoe do her thing. She's the second line of defense."

Michelle nodded. "Mr. Hudson also mentioned someone else. Mr. Ottis?"

"Right," Elizabeth said. "Wade Ottis. I'm not going to be introducing him to you or Kelly. He'll be here as background support. Hacking, weapons, that sort of thing. But I don't want you to have to deal with him."

"Who is he?"

"He's a criminal," Elizabeth said. "I went to college to study Criminology. I had to do a paper on illegal weapons and, in the course of my research, I met Wade Ottis. I think he was intrigued with the idea of being observed, so he let me follow him on a few sales. People buying a Glock in a brown paper bag or hunting rifles wrapped like they were loaves of bread. He told me most people used the weapons they buy for home protection or hunting. I asked what the minority of buyers used them for, but he just smiled and refused to answer me.

"He's a scary man. But he straddles the line between the good guys and the bad guys. If he thinks a gun is going to be used, he'll take the money and then slip the information to the local police. When I joined the Secret Service, I looked him up. I paid him on a case by case basis to provide information on threats against the President or First Lady. He came through a couple of times."

"But--"

"No," Elizabeth said, anticipating the question Michelle had stopped herself from asking. "He didn't help the one time it mattered, because I didn't ask him that time."

"I'm sorry. I wasn't going to bring it up at all."

Elizabeth shook her head. "It's fine. Your daughter already mentioned it to me."

Michelle sighed. "Kelly..."

"Don't worry about it. It's the elephant in the room and we should talk about it. Your husband hired me to protect your daughter, and the last person I was supposed to protect was killed. That won't happen to Kelly, I swear to you."

Michelle said, "You can promise that?"

"I can," Elizabeth said. "First and foremost, I don't believe your daughter is in physical danger. We won't have to worry about protecting her from someone shooting through a window or hitting her with a car when she's crossing the street. Whoever is trying to grab her needs her in one piece for the ransom demand. Secondly... I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. If I have to sacrifice myself for your daughter, I'm willing."

Michelle looked at Elizabeth and met her gaze, holding it for a moment to gauge her sincerity. Apparently she liked what she saw, nodded, and stepped away from the stove.

"I'm glad Mr. Hudson chose you for this job."

"So am I," Elizabeth said. She cleared her throat and said, "Now it's time for me to bring up something that might be uncomfortable. It involves helping us protect your daughter."

Michelle gripped her left elbow with her right hand and leaned against the kitchen counter. "Then you can ask me anything."

Elizabeth looked at the stairs to make sure Kelly was still in her room before she spoke. "Are you and Mr. Drake sleeping in separate rooms?"

"Wow." Michelle raised her eyebrows and shifted uncomfortably. "We're that transparent?"

"No, but I'm trained to pay attention to small things like the sound of closing doors and body language. I wouldn't ask, but if there's a situation in the middle of the night--"

"I understand," Michelle said. "Yes. I've been sleeping in one of the guest rooms. We're trying to wait until Kelly is off to college before we make any... serious decisions." She cleared her throat. "I was going to move back into the master bedroom for the duration of your stay..."

Elizabeth said, "That won't be necessary. As long as Theo and I know where you are, you can sleep wherever you want."

Michelle smiled weakly and checked her watch. "Speaking of. I should go up and change for dinner. Will you keep an eye on the food to make sure it doesn't burn?"

"Sure."

Michelle thanked her quietly before she pushed away from the counter. Elizabeth watched her go upstairs before she went into the living room. The sky was a bit overcast from a blanket of cotton ball clouds that had moved in. She looked at her own watch and saw that the ferry was most likely docking at that moment. Zoe Forrest was on the island. She took a breath and hoped she was ready to face her past.
Chapter Ten

By the time Theo's truck returned, the overcast sky had darkened the island considerably. Theo's headlights cut across the front of the house, and Elizabeth checked the window to watch him park a few yards from the porch. She kept her hand on the butt of her gun, counting three bodies in the car when there should only have been two. She wondered if Wade had shown up as well, but the third passenger stepped out and revealed himself to be Everett Drake.

Elizabeth relaxed and said, "They're back. Theo picked up your husband as well."

Michelle and Kelly were in the kitchen serving dinner. Michelle smiled and said, "Perfect timing."

Elizabeth stayed by the window until the trio reached the porch, then she opened the door and ushered them inside.

"Everything quiet?" Theo said.

"Domestic bliss," Elizabeth said. "How were things on your end?"

Theo said, "Quiet. Zoe said she didn't see anything suspicious on the ferry. She latched onto Everett for the duration of the trip to make sure no one was following him."

"So she claims," Everett said with an uneasy grin. "I didn't even notice her on board."

Elizabeth said, "That's our Zoe." She had been focused on Everett and Theo, but she finally turned to address Zoe directly. "Keeping up your old tricks, I see."

Zoe smiled. Her hair had been braided into narrow rows, and she wore a black leather jacket and blue jeans. Her blouse was burgundy and open to reveal a V-neck T-shirt underneath. She looked damn good, and Elizabeth felt her unease melt away when Zoe spoke.

"Gotta keep in practice or I'll get rusty. You look good, Liz."

Elizabeth returned the smile and said, "Dinner is being served. We've been invited to join the family. We can go over what we have after we eat."

"Great, I'm starved." They crossed to the kitchen and Zoe brushed Elizabeth's hand with hers. It was just a slight touch, but it was as welcome as a hello kiss would have been.

Kelly had arranged the plates on the table, making the most of the limited space they had. She stood next to the table and directed everyone to where they should sit. Everett was at the head of the table, of course, with Michelle on his right and Kelly on his left. Kelly declared that Elizabeth would be sitting next to her, a decision that Elizabeth approved for protection purposes, and Zoe would be seated beside Michelle.

Before the girl could assign him a seat, Theo said, "I'll stand while I eat. Keep an eye out the window."

"Are you sure?" Everett said.

"I'm well trained at eating on my feet," Theo said. "I'll be fine."

Kelly said, "All right, then. That's everybody."

Michelle said, "It's a bit cramped, and sort of an unusual meal. But I'm glad that we're all here and we're all safe. That's enough to be thankful for, I think. I hope everyone enjoys the meal."

Elizabeth took her seat next to Kelly and looked across the table at Zoe. Zoe smiled and tapped the inside of Elizabeth's foot with her shoe. Elizabeth gave a subtle shake of her head, and Zoe shrugged as she picked up her silverware. Elizabeth lifted her right foot and pinned Zoe's foot with it. Zoe chuckled quietly, drawing a confused look from Michelle before they started eating.

#

After dinner, Elizabeth begged off ice cream so she could drive Zoe to the bed-and-breakfast. She would drop off Zoe, pick up her things, and come back to the Drake house to spend the night. Theo assured her that he had everything well in hand, waving them out the door with a strawberry ice cream stained spoon. Elizabeth pulled on her coat as she left the house, her breath fogging in the chilly night air.

Zoe slipped her arm around Elizabeth's as they crossed the lawn. "Glad to see you up and about," Zoe said. "I was worried about you, once you disappeared."

"I needed some time."

"I know. God knows anyone would need to take a step back after what you went through. I'm not blaming you for that. But the place where you ran, the place you went to ground. They don't have phones?"

"I didn't even call my parents, Zo," Elizabeth said. She got behind the wheel of Theo's SUV and waited until Zoe was in the passenger seat before she continued. "I didn't need hugs or hand-holding or a sympathetic ear. But that doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about you."

"And you didn't hesitate to call me when you needed help. I understand you needed time after what happened. Hell, if it'd been me, I would still be sitting in the corner sucking my thumb."

"Well. If it wasn't for Theo, who knows where I'd be."

She drove off the Drake property and turned toward town. A fog had arrived with the lower temperatures, and the trees loomed on either side of the road like half-finished charcoal sketches. When they actually reached December Harbor, the lights from homes and businesses made things look a little more realistic. Elizabeth used the ride to fill Zoe in on the situation and catch her up on what she and Theo had done so far.

The bed and breakfast where she'd spent her first night on the island was a few blocks away from the harbor. The streetlights glowed through the fog, the halogen catching the tiny particles of water and creating wide halos of white and blue. Elizabeth parked and climbed out of the truck, and Zoe turned in a slow circle to examine the town.

"This place for real?"

"I'm afraid if I ask, it'll ruin the spell."

She led Zoe to the exterior stairs that led to her room. Zoe said, "It's hard to imagine anything bad ever happening here. Kidnapping and ransom demands. That kind of shit happens back home in Chicago. Not here in Bedford Falls."

"Criminals go where the money is," Elizabeth said. She keyed the lock and stepped into the room. "The Drakes definitely have money."

Elizabeth's suitcase was still on the bed, standing open. She tossed her outfit from the day before onto the folded clothes before she zipped the bag closed.

"You're not going to just run off, are you?" Zoe said. "Even if we're not going to 'catch up,' we should catch up."

Elizabeth put her suitcase on the floor and sat on the foot of the bed. "There's not much to catch up with for me. Apparently pretty much everyone in the country knows how I spent my summer vacation. Coma, resignation, isolation. How were your last two years?"

Zoe said, "Well, I had to deal with my friend being in a coma. Deal with the fact I couldn't be there for her. And then when I finally found out she was awake, I couldn't even go see her because I was undercover. Then she..." Zoe waved her fingers in the air like a bird flying away and walked to the bed. She sat next to Elizabeth with their arms touching. "She was just gone."

"I didn't think," Elizabeth said. "Not about you, or anything. I just had to get away. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"It's all right. I got over it a long time ago. I just wanted to be sure _you_ were okay. So. Are you okay, Liz?"

Elizabeth said, "I might be getting there."

Zoe covered Elizabeth's hand with her own and squeezed the fingers. "Look, I keep looking past you to that bathroom because I need to wash my flight off. But I want you to wait until I'm done so we can talk some more."

"I should get back to the Drakes before Kelly goes to bed."

"I won't talk your ear off all night," Zoe promised. "But it's been a hell of a long time since I saw you. So I'm not eager to just let you walk away."

Elizabeth said, "All right. I'll be here."

Zoe leaned in and kissed Elizabeth's temple. Elizabeth closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, turning her hand over to lace her fingers with Zoe's. Zoe's lips lingered, and then she brushed her cheek over Elizabeth's before she stood up.

Elizabeth watched Zoe go into the bathroom and close the door, then pushed her hand through her hair. She was trembling, her face flushed, her body warm despite the temperature outside. She stood up and walked to the window, hugging herself with her hands cupping the opposite elbow. She chewed her lip and watched the fog turn the glass opaque. She'd been reluctant to take Theo's job offer, but standing here now... she was glad she'd done it. Maybe her mind had forced her to call Zoe for the same reason. She looked at the bathroom door as the water started running.

Elizabeth stepped out of her shoes, pausing to peel off her socks as she crossed the room. She stood in front of the bathroom door, trying to slow her breathing, running her thumbs along the pads of her fingers as she stared at the door. She draped her jacket over the chair next to the bathroom door, covered it with her blouse. She was breathing heavily as she stepped out of her pants and pushed the bathroom door open.

She could make out Zoe's shape through the fogged glass of the shower. She closed the door quietly and then leaned against it. Zoe had her back to the room, head ducked forward to let the water wash down her back. Elizabeth took off her underwear and bra, leaving them on the floor as she crossed to the tub and pushed the door open.

Zoe twisted to look over her shoulder, relief and apprehension on her face. She straightened, moving one arm across her chest as she turned to face Elizabeth. Elizabeth stepped into the tub and closed the door behind her.

"You don't have to do this," Zoe said.

"I'm not doing anything," she said. She leaned in and lightly kissed Zoe's lips. "We're just getting to know each other again. Turn around."

Zoe turned to face the wall. Elizabeth picked up the soap, lathered up her hands, and began to massage Zoe's shoulders. The tension seeped from her muscles, and Zoe rolled her head forward as Elizabeth pressed her thumbs into the tight cords of Zoe's neck. Zoe leaned into the massage, and Elizabeth took her weight. She brushed her lips over Zoe's temple, near her ear, and said, "I'm not going to make love to you tonight."

"Keep this up and you won't have to," Zoe said. "I'll get there all on my lonesome."

Elizabeth smiled and ran her fingers down Zoe's back. Zoe trembled as Elizabeth's hands went around her waist and ended up on her stomach. Zoe exhaled softly, and Elizabeth kissed the upper shell of Zoe's ear. She didn't care that she'd been unconscious for ten months of her dry spell; it definitely felt like more than two years since she'd had someone in her arms. She'd spent so long hiding, protecting herself, that she'd forgotten what it was like to share space with someone else. The thrill of feeling someone else breathing and watching the reactions as her fingers explored different flesh.

Zoe twisted away from Elizabeth and stepped back, moving carefully on the slick surface of the tub. She pushed Elizabeth forward, and Elizabeth placed her hands against the tile wall of the shower. Zoe moved behind her and kissed her shoulder, up to her neck. She ran her hands over Elizabeth's body, one up between her breasts and the other tracing her spine. Elizabeth tensed, eyes closed, anticipating the discovery, trembling.

Zoe lifted Elizabeth's hair and moved it out of the way, letting it drape over her shoulder. She kissed the back of Elizabeth's neck, and then moved her lips to the right.

"Zo," Elizabeth gasped. "I... don't..."

"Do you want me to stop?" Zoe asked, her voice husky.

Elizabeth swallowed hard and pressed her lips together. No one had seen her naked since the shooting. She was fortunate that the wounds were on her back so they were easy to avoid. She didn't have to avert her gaze from mirrors or avoid touching it when she bathed. It was easy to forget they were there. She braced herself against the wall and nodded. The water coursed down her head, over her face and down her chest, and she said, "Okay."

Zoe's fingers brushed one of the scars, and Elizabeth sucked in a breath through her teeth. Three scars, two clustered at the top and another slightly lower. Bullets meant for the President of the United States. Zoe touched all three of them, tracing the outer lines of the wounds before she covered them with her palm. Her other hand gripped Elizabeth's left shoulder and squeezed, and then Zoe bowed her head and kissed the top-most scar.

Elizabeth shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut.

Zoe kissed Elizabeth's back, moving on from the twisted flesh that reminded her of the shooting, trailing down her spine. She stopped just above the flare of Elizabeth's hips, moving back up. She picked up the bar of soap off the porcelain shelf and ran it across Elizabeth's back. Elizabeth felt the suds rolling down her shoulders, to her ass, felt Zoe's wide palms massaging the soap into her skin.

Zoe pressed against her, and Elizabeth felt Zoe's breasts against her shoulders. She kissed Elizabeth's cheek and whispered, "Are you sure you don't want us to get fully reacquainted?"

Elizabeth knew how good it would be. Showering with Zoe was one thing; actually being with her, taking her to bed and letting her guard down enough to have an orgasm... she wasn't ready for that level of intimacy.

"It would be a mistake," Elizabeth said. The regret in her voice was palpable.

"Okay," Zoe said. She kissed Elizabeth's shoulder again and said, "You let me know when you're ready and I'll be here."

Elizabeth turned her head and kissed Zoe's lips. When Zoe's tongue slipped into her mouth, Elizabeth realized what her mistake had been. She'd gone to the cabin to get strong enough to face living, but she'd gone about it all wrong. She needed work, she needed love. She broke the kiss, their foreheads touching. Zoe's hands continued to roam Elizabeth's body, spreading soap suds over her until they finally pulled apart.

"Let me help," Zoe said. She cupped her hands under the spray and rinsed the soap from Elizabeth's body. Then they kissed and Zoe said, "You should probably get back to the Drake house."

"Probably," Elizabeth said. "Thank you for being here, Zoe."

"You call, I answer. I call, you answer. That's how we work, Liz."

Elizabeth cupped Zoe's face and kissed her. "When I'm ready," she said, "I'll definitely let you know."

Zoe smiled and turned her head to kiss Elizabeth's palm. "Can't wait. Now get outta here so I can shower in peace."

Elizabeth ran her eyes down Zoe's body, taking in the hard nipples, flat stomach, toned thighs. She took a breath, blew Zoe a kiss, and stepped out of the tub. She closed the door and picked up the towel, drying herself as she walked back out to the bedroom. She took her clothes off the chair and dressed, leaving her panties hanging from the bathroom door as a thank-you for Zoe. Her hair was still wet, but she didn't want to take the time to dry it. She pulled it into a ponytail and dug in her suitcase until she found a hoodie. She put it on over her blouse, covered her hair with the hood, and reluctantly left the warmth of Zoe's bedroom for the cold, foggy Squire's Isle night.
Chapter Eleven

When Elizabeth returned to the Drake house, the dining room was vacant and the house seemed strangely silent. She found Michelle in the kitchen, and she looked up from the sink as Elizabeth came into the kitchen. "Hello," she said. She frowned and said, "Is it raining outside?"

"No," Elizabeth said. She self-consciously touched her hair. "Where's Theo?"

"He went to check out the perimeter to make sure no one was camped out there."

Elizabeth rolled up her sleeves and stood next to Elizabeth at the sink. She took a washed plate and dried it, placing it in the plastic rack next to the sink.

"Thank you."

"Hey, I enjoyed the food so I should help with the clean-up." She looked down and tapped the dishwasher with her foot. "But you do know what this thing is, right?"

Michelle laughed. "I've been instructed in its use, yes. But I prefer doing this the old fashioned way. Washing off the dishes after dinner, drying them, making them ready for tomorrow night... it's how my mother did it, and it's how I learned."

"If it ain't broke," Elizabeth said, and dried another plate.

"Exactly."

"So where is everyone?"

"Everett is in his study, taking another one of his business calls." Her voice was sharp, but the bite had long gone out of it. Elizabeth knew this was a fight she'd long ago given up winning. She rinsed off a set of forks and then looked toward the stairs as she handed them to Elizabeth. "Kelly's upstairs in her room. Finishing up her homework before she goes to bed. Or more likely chat with Grayson online."

Elizabeth smiled. "Why am I not surprised you know about him?"

"Oh, please," Michelle said. "For weeks she's been all about 'this guy at school, his name is Grayson' and 'Do you remember that guy Grayson I was telling you about?' Then suddenly, Grayson stopped being brought up in conversation. I asked about him a few times and she was very careful not to act too excited that she got to talk about him."

"It's good to know there are ways that she's still a kid. A couple of times today I felt like I was watching a fifty-year-old."

"God, you're telling me. She's so mature sometimes that it scares me."

"If you don't mind me asking, she seems like she'd be mature enough to handle the idea of you and her father divorcing."

Michelle said, "So why haven't we told her."

"It's none of my business."

"No, it's fine," Michelle said. "The truth is that this is safe. It's comfortable. Everett and I both agree that we're not... together anymore. But the thought of leaving this house and getting an apartment, living on my own... even with the alimony and my savings. It's a frightening thing to consider. Being alone. I've never really been alone in my entire life."

"It's not as bad as it sounds."

Michelle looked at her. "No?"

"I've spent the past year of my life avoiding contact as much as possible."

"Because of the..."

"Yeah," Elizabeth said. "Trying to get my strength back after what happened. Plus I just couldn't face anyone. It was my failure."

Michelle said, "They showed the footage so many times, on the news and online. It was impossible to avoid it for a while. No one thought you were a failure. Most people wondered why you were there alone, and everyone else thought that you were a hero for doing as much as you did. You took three bullets meant for the President of the United States." Her eyes dropped to Elizabeth's shoulder but quickly rose back to her face. "You were a hero."

"I didn't feel like one," Elizabeth said. "But thank you for saying it."

The mudroom door opened and Theo stepped into the house. "The woods are clear, Mrs. Drake. I'll stay posted at the top of the drive to keep an eye on any suspicious vehicles that come by during the night."

Michelle said, "This far out, we don't get much traffic."

"That's what I'm counting on," Theo said. He looked at the tableau of the two women standing at the sink, Elizabeth holding a towel as she waited for another plate to dry. "What is this? How on earth did you convince Elizabeth Caine to do chores?"

"I guess I just knew how to ask," Michelle said.

Elizabeth said, "Her husband is paying me very, very well. Plus she fed me tonight and she's offering me a place to stay. For that, I can dry a dish or two."

"Never thought I'd see the day."

Michelle dried her hands on a towel and said, "Mr. Hudson, can I make you some coffee? It's going to be very cold out there tonight..."

"I've already got a great big thermos of coffee from that little bakery in town. Delicious stuff. It'll get me through to morning."

"Well, if you're sure. Thank you for the help with the dishes, Elizabeth."

"My pleasure."

Michelle looked around the living room, checking to see if there was anything else that needed her attention. "Elizabeth, your room is at the top of the stairs, the second door on the left. It's right next to Kelly's room, in case you're needed during the night. I think I'm going to turn in, if you don't mind."

"No, not at all," Elizabeth said.

"Sweet dreams," Theo said.

Michelle smiled at him, bid them both a good night, and then headed upstairs. She knocked on Kelly's door as she passed it and told her that bedtime was at ten, no arguments, and then continued on to her guest room.

Theo waited until she was gone before he checked his watch. "Seemed to take you an unusual amount of time to drop Zoe off at the bed and breakfast."

"I had to fill her in on what we'd done today."

Theo looked at Elizabeth's wet hair. "Mm-hmm."

"Nothing happened."

He held out his hands. "The girl was home, and safe, and she had me watching her. As long as you weren't neglecting your duty, you can do whatever you want behind closed doors. Just keep it professional when you're on the clock."

"You don't have to tell me that," Elizabeth said, more resigned than angry.

"I know. But it's good to have it said out loud sometimes." He nodded toward the door. "I'll be outside if you need anything during the night. If anything goes wrong, flash your bedroom lights. I'll see you."

"I might be downstairs," she said. "Just crash on the couch. Better position, tactically."

Theo said, "Good point. Wherever you're sleeping, flashing the lights will be my signal, okay?" She gave him a thumbs-up, and he headed for the door. "And I wasn't kidding about that thermos of coffee. It's like manna from heaven in the form of ground beans. I might move here just so I can have a steady supply."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Good night, Theo."

He waved over his shoulder as he headed out. Elizabeth followed him and shut off the overhead light in the front room. With the artificial lights off, the natural light seemed to flow through the window like a living creature, casting an azure haze over the furniture. Elizabeth walked between the couch and the coffee table and looked out at the water, crossing her arms as she enjoyed the scenery.

The fog had mostly cleared, and the moonlight shone down onto the water. Elizabeth stood there for a long time, just watching how the moon reflected on the always moving water. It was calm, hypnotizing. After a while she tore herself away from the view and walked to the couch. Her bag was still in the front hall, but she didn't want to trudge upstairs just to drop it off in her borrowed room.

She sat down and took off her shoes, settling into the corner of the couch. She was facing the front door and she could see the mudroom entrance in her periphery. If she raised her head, she could see Kelly's room. There was a yellow glow around the door that indicated the girl was still awake. Elizabeth settled against the back cushion of the couch and let herself doze.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep when she was startled awake. Her hand went to her shoulder holster, fingers wrapping around the butt of the weapon without a second thought. Her muscles were tense, coiled to react, and she scanned the living room for the source of the disturbance.

The sound came again, from above. Just a light tapping against wood. Elizabeth looked up and saw Michelle, standing in front of the guest room door. She was in a robe, her right arm across her stomach while the other was poised to knock again. She was just using the tip of one finger, the lightest of taps, her head bowed as she knocked once more.

Elizabeth thought about announcing herself, considered letting Michelle know where she was. But Michelle suddenly stepped back from the door and moved down the hall like an apparition. Her robe billowed around her as she moved, sweeping like a cape as she stepped back into the darkness of her own room and quietly shut the door.

She settled back against the couch, but she didn't relax. Kelly's bedroom light was off, and she could see that Everett's office was dark as well. The house was quiet enough that she could hear the soft inhale and exhale of the water outside, the waves washing over the rocks before being pulled back out again.

Elizabeth rested her head on the back of the couch, let go of her gun, and tried not to think about what Michelle had been doing knocking on her door in the middle of the night.

#

Elizabeth woke at five in the morning and did a walkthrough of the house. The doors were secure and everything was as it had been the night before. Kelly was still fast asleep from what she could tell, so Elizabeth took her bag into her room and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. She put on a pair of sneakers and went downstairs, jogging out the front door to where Theo was parked.

He was nestled in his seat, thermos clutched to his chest like he was a child and it was his security blanket. He lifted his head as Elizabeth raised her hand to knock, showing he hadn't really been completely asleep, and rolled down the window.

"How's the coffee?" she asked.

"Heaven in a cup," he said.

Elizabeth nodded toward the road. "I'm going for a run. Half an hour. Kelly should be asleep, but I don't want to leave 'em in the lurch."

Theo said, "I'll be watching."

Elizabeth went to the head of the drive and stretched, looking north and south to decide which direction she should go. North would take her to the town, and south would take her deeper into the island's wilderness. She laced her fingers together and stretched her arms over her head before she turned south and began jogging. Her mind was racing, as usual, but for the first time in a year she had new things to ponder.

During her year at the cabin, she'd had only a handful of thoughts on her mind. The first thought was about seven bullets and thirty seconds. The other was her ten months in a hospital bed and focusing on her recovery. The two thoughts vied for her attention, swarmed back and forth for dominance. Her coma. Her failure. It felt good to break the cycle, to add new things to her mental gymnastics, even if some of the questions concerned her.

She thought about Michelle standing at her door, enveloped by her robe as she tapped her fingernail against the wood.

She thought about Zoe, her dark skin glistening with soap and shower water.

She pushed those images aside and focused on Kelly and the threats on her life. She doubted Aaron Grayson really had anything to do with the threats; he was a typical first crush for a girl Kelly's age. Those dreamboats could so often turn into nightmares, but she doubted he would even have the ability to hire grown men to abduct his girlfriend. Besides, all he would have to do was ask her to come with him and she'd more than likely go. By the time she realized something was wrong it would be too late.

Her time on the Service had been a defensive job. She stood near her charge, kept an eye out for danger, and reacted should anything occur. If she wanted to protect Kelly for any length of time, she would have to adjust. She'd have to go on the offensive and try to figure out who was threatening her before they made their next move.

The trees on either side of her grew up and in, their branches forming a natural ceiling over the road. Elizabeth stayed on the left side of the road, her breath huffing in her ears and her feet pounding the pavement. She saw another jogger up ahead and took a second to qualify the threat she posed. Athletic, muscular, dressed in shorts and a dark blue T-shirt with a crest of some kind on the upper left chest. Her dark hair was pulled back out of her face, and she also wore a knee brace.

"Morning," the woman said when she was in range to speak without shouting. She was out of breath, and her face was wet with perspiration. Elizabeth decided the woman was just another jogger.

"Morning," Elizabeth replied.

"Are you new here?"

"Just visiting."

The woman smiled and said, "Well, welcome to the island."

Elizabeth waved as they passed each other. She looked over her shoulder and saw the letters SIFD on the back of her shirt in large white letters. Local fire department. Elizabeth had her earpiece in, so she touched it and said, "Theo."

"Copy."

"Female jogger headed your way. Wearing a fire department T-shirt. Seems fine, but you may want to keep your eyes peeled."

"Just a second," he said. There was a moment of silence and then Theo came back. "Mrs. Drake is up, so I asked her. That's Alexandra Crawford. No threat."

"Copy," Elizabeth said.

"Enjoy the rest of your run."

"Save me some coffee," she said.

Theo chuckled. "I make no promises."

#

The dining room was crowded by the time Elizabeth got back. Theo and Zoe were standing by the mudroom, and Michelle was eating breakfast with Kelly at the table. Everett was standing with Theo, speaking quietly to him. Everyone turned to Elizabeth when she came in, and she smiled nervously. "Sorry. Kelly, I'm just going to jump in the shower and then we'll head to school."

"'Kay," Kelly said.

Elizabeth looked at Theo and Zoe. "Everything okay?"

Zoe nodded. "I got a rental car and came out to let you know I was available for back-up today."

"Ah, I could use it. Thank you. I'll just be a few minutes." She headed upstairs and went into her bedroom to get her toiletries and a change of clothes. She closed the door and checked her cell phone. She had a text message, so she flipped it open.

"On the island. Be seeing you. W."

It wasn't unusual for Wade to stay out of sight even when conducting business. When texts could achieve the same result, why bother taking the risk of going out in public. Elizabeth had the feeling that Wade would only show his face if it was absolutely necessary, and if that happened, she would be happy to see him. She left the phone on her bed and gathered her things for her shower.
Chapter Twelve

Since the Miata only seated two, Michelle insisted that Zoe drive Kelly to school in her rental car. Kelly argued at first, but Michelle was willing to put up with it in exchange for having two people watching her daughter during the school day. Kelly sat in the front seat and Elizabeth got into the back, glancing at Kelly's outfit as Zoe drove. She wore a pleated skirt and a white button-down shirt. The bulletproof vest was hidden under a blue sweater today.

"Decided you don't want to start a trend after all?"

Kelly shrugged, already getting over her pout. "There's a thin line between trendsetting and getting pigeon-holed. I don't want to be 'that girl in the Kevlar vest' until I graduate."

"Good point," Elizabeth said.

Zoe said, "I was Accordion Girl for my whole middle school career. Didn't play it in the band or anything, I just really loved that damn instrument. Took lessons after school, carried it around with me everywhere I went."

Elizabeth chuckled. "I can't picture you as a nerd."

Zoe glared at her in the rearview. "Didn't _say_ I was a nerd. What were you in high school? The tough girl?"

"Nah," Elizabeth said, shifting nervously in her seat. "I was the Gay Girl."

" _The_ Gay Girl?" Zoe said. She hissed through her teeth. "Damn. That had to have been rough."

"I did all right," Elizabeth said. She glanced at Kelly. "So what are you? The Smart Girl?"

Kelly shrugged and wrinkled her nose. "I think I'm the Rich Girl."

Zoe chuckled. "There's worse things to be called, honey, believe me. Just don't let that name they give you describe who you are. You look at me, you see an accordion?"

Elizabeth thought about Zoe's abs, but decided not to say anything.

"You do not," Zoe answered herself. "But I got one at home in my apartment. I can still play the hell out of that thing, too."

Kelly laughed as they pulled into the school parking lot. Zoe, who'd apparently missed the start of their conversation, furrowed her brow as she watched the students moving between the rows of cars. "What the hell?"

Elizabeth looked and realized at least half a dozen students were wearing bulletproof vests. She glanced at Kelly, and both of them laughed.

"Shit ain't funny," Zoe said. She shook her head. "These kids're watchin' way too much CNN. Messing with their heads."

Kelly pointed out an empty parking space and Zoe pulled in. Elizabeth sighed as she looked up at the building, waiting for Kelly to gather her book bag and climb out of the car. She prepared herself for another dull day in high school as she followed Kelly and Zoe into the building amid the sea of Kevlar-vested middle school students.

#

Elizabeth took a tour of the school while Zoe stayed in class with Kelly. Due to the nature of being a school building, points of entry and exit were numerous. Half of them seemed to be locked during school hours. There were bathrooms in every hall, the two doors facing each other with a water fountain between them. Elizabeth knocked on the doors to make sure they were empty before she checked them out.

She was passing the front office when she spotted someone waiting in one of the plastic chairs in front of the secretary's desk. She slowed and examined the back of the person's head, changing her direction as she walked. She opened the office door and leaned in. The man glanced toward her, offered a polite smile, and resumed his waiting position; both hands on his knees, back straight, poised as if ready to rise from the seat at any moment.

Elizabeth said, "Give it up, Wade. Come with me."

He frowned and then said, "How'd you know?"

She motioned for him to stand up and follow her out into the corridor. He did as she instructed, muttering an apology to the secretary as he shuffling on the carpet as he walked. Once they were out of the office, he straightened his spine and picked up his feet. He squared his shoulders and again asked, "How'd you know?"

Elizabeth reached up and flicked her earlobes.

"Damn," Wade said. He self-consciously touched his ears as if surprised they were still there. The last time Elizabeth had seen him, Wade Ottis had a military brush cut and a bushy red beard. He'd been wearing aviator sunglasses and he'd been a good twenty pounds heavier. Now, standing in the Squire's Isle High School, he was completely bald, with a well-tended goatee. He'd lost the extra twenty pounds and then maybe thirty more on top of that, and he was swimming in his Goodwill clothes.

"Don't worry, Wade. I had my eyes peeled for threats, so you pinged on my radar. The ears just confirmed you were one of the good guys."

Wade stared at her.

"Well, at least you're not one of the bad guys in this particular instance. Why are you here?"

"To see if I could slip past you and get to the girl." He nodded toward the office. "I figured they wouldn't tell me where the girl was, so I told 'em my sister was here on some sort of visitation situation. I described you as best I could remember. Luckily you don't change much from year to year." He held his hand up, thumb and forefinger a hair apart. "I was that close to having them tell me where I could find you. And, through you, find the girl."

Elizabeth said, "I'll have to talk with them about that. Come on, walk with me." They started down the hall. "I assume you have some other things. It's been over twenty-four hours since I called, and twelve hours since you got the information texted to you. What did you find out?"

"Daddy's stepping out on Mommy," he said. "Hotel rooms on the mainland, once a week for the past, oh... year, at least. That's just as far as I went back."

Elizabeth felt the urge to sneer, but she knew it wasn't her place to be offended. According to Michelle, their marriage was basically over. They slept in different rooms. Having a girlfriend, while distasteful, wasn't the worst thing Everett Drake could have done.

"What else?"

"I checked out Drake's company."

"Legally?"

"Of course not legally," Wade said. "I had a long plane ride. I had to have some fun. Anyway, Drake has a mill up in the northern part of the state. A bunch of workers decided they were going to strike if they didn't get a big list of demands. Higher pay, fewer hours, safer working conditions. That sort of irrational thing."

"How heated did it get?"

"Not very heated at all. Board rooms instead of picket lines. Drake and the representatives came to some kind of agreement and everything got settled. Hunky-dory."

Elizabeth thought about that. "Okay. Maybe someone on the board didn't like catering to their demands and decided to take it out on Drake personally by targeting his daughter."

"Or maybe one contingent of workers won the lottery while another group got screwed," Wade said. "I'm still looking into it."

They reached the classroom and Wade peered through the glass in the door. "Which one is she?"

Elizabeth leaned against the wall and said, "Wade, I trust you. And you trust me. I mean, I know how to find you, and all it would take is one call to the police to let them know how you make your money. I live and let live because you honestly try to make sure no one gets hurt." Wade stared at her without emotion, waiting for her point to be made. "But I also know you. And I know that you might look at this situation and think no one is going to get hurt. Kelly gets grabbed, Daddy pays the ransom, and everyone walks away happy in the end, even in the worst case scenario. And if you were to find out who was trying to grab her and make them a counter-offer... it wouldn't go over very well."

Wade said, "You'd turn me in? I'm hurt."

"I wouldn't. But Theodore Hudson knows how to get in touch with you, too. Him? I think he would personally escort the cops to your door if you screwed us on this deal."

Wade rubbed his chin and looked down the hall. "Hundred grand, plus an all-expense paid trip to the Pacific Northwest... plus I keep on the good side of you and Mr. Hudson. Gotta say, it would be tough for a bunch of kidnappers to make me a better offer than that. Don't worry. I'll be a good boy."

Elizabeth looked through the glass. Kelly was sitting at the back of the room with her chin resting on her hands, listening as the teacher explained something at the blackboard. Zoe wasn't visible from where they were, but Elizabeth knew that she was between the door and Kelly's seat in case anyone tried to come into the classroom and grab her.

"That's Kelly Drake," Elizabeth said. "Make sure no one gets their hands on her, and you'll get your check."

Wade smiled and said, "Can't wait."

Elizabeth stepped away from the door and put her hand on Wade's shoulder to guide him away from the classroom. "Fortunately, she already has a three-man team watching her all day every day. Me, Theo and Zoe can handle that, you just keep digging. See if you can find out who might want to hurt her or the Drake family and keep me informed. And stay in the background. If there are people watching her, I don't want them to know about you until it's too late for them to retreat."

"Seen and not heard," Wade said. "I can handle that."

"I'm sure you can," Elizabeth said.

She escorted him to the front door and watched him walk out to the parking lot. He didn't stop at any of the cars, going instead to the sidewalk and jogging across the street.

Elizabeth started back to Kelly's classroom, but she was stopped short by someone saying her name. Grayson had just stepped out of the office and jerked his head to the side to get his hair out of his eyes as he approached. Elizabeth resisted the urge to groan, wishing she hadn't sent Wade away so quickly. It would be nice to let Wade put a little fear of God into the boy.

Grayson caught up with her and started to walk in a manner that Elizabeth could only call shambling. He had his hands in his pockets, swinging one leg out and forward before doing the same with the other. He was still dressed in a shabby chic manner, and he kept twisting his head to get the hair out of his eyes.

"Hey, Elizabeth, right?"

"Ms. Caine, if you don't mind," Elizabeth said. She looked down the hall. "And try not to shout out my name. I'm supposed to be unobtrusive."

"Right, right, sorry. Um, anyway, today is Friday. Right? And a bunch of us usually head to the mainland on Friday to hang out or see a movie or something. Unwinding from the week, you know? So, like, I really just wanted to make sure you were going to let Kelly come with us. I mean, I don't really wanna go if she's not going, so I need to tell some people so we can make our plans, right?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Uh, sure. Yeah. It's Kelly's decision. But if she goes, I'm going. I don't know if that'll interfere with your unwinding."

"Oh, no, uh-uh. That's totally cool, I was expecting you would probably have to tag along. That's not a problem. We don't, like, smoke pot or anything. Kelly doesn't like that stuff, so I quit when... I-I mean..."

"I'm not the drug cops, Aaron. It's fine."

He relaxed slightly and said, "Cool. All right. So let Kelly know that a bunch of us are going to head out on the ferry after school. Three forty-five." He pointed down a hall. "My class is that way, so I'm gonna go ahead and go. Thanks for being so cool, Mrs. Caine."

She didn't correct him on her name; she just waved until he went around the corner and then rolled her eyes. She could understand why Michelle and Everett didn't like the idea of Kelly dating him, but she couldn't understand the appeal for Kelly. He wasn't among the more attractive boys at the school, and he didn't seem to have any redeeming qualities that she could see. She finally decided that while Kelly might be advanced in some ways, but she was still susceptible to typical teenage girl blindness when it came to boys.

Elizabeth returned to the classroom and slipped inside in the middle of the teacher's lecture. She looked to her left and saw Zoe standing in the corner of the room by the American and Washington state flags, her posture casual. To an outside observer, she looked like a teacher assistant who was taking a break and watching the class for troublemakers. She nodded hello to Elizabeth and adjusted her jacket; Elizabeth could see the bulge of a gun under her coat, but an untrained eye would have missed it.

"Wade's here," Elizabeth whispered as she leaned against the wall next to Zoe.

"Wade Ottis?" Elizabeth nodded, and Zoe clucked her tongue quietly. "I've heard stories about that man."

"Assume the really bad ones are true and the just plain bad ones are watered down to protect the faint of heart."

"Trust him?"

"For now," Elizabeth said. "We'll take it on a minute by minute basis."

The teacher cleared his throat pointedly, and Elizabeth raised her hand in apology. Zoe covered her smirk with her hand, shaking her head to keep from laughing. Kelly twisted in her seat, stuck her tongue out at Elizabeth, and then made a shushing gesture.

Elizabeth nudged Zoe with her elbow. "Shut up."

"Bad girl. Gonna get detention."

"I have a gun."

Zoe pressed her finger to her lips and tried not to smirk as she tried to focus on the lecture.
Chapter Thirteen

Kelly agreed to Grayson's plan to visit the mainland, so after school Zoe drove them all to the ferry lanes. Elizabeth called Theo while they were waiting to let him know about the change of plans. Once they were aboard, Zoe stayed with Kelly while Elizabeth checked out the passenger levels. There seemed to be a standard amount of commuters and tourists, so she waved Kelly up and let her join her group of friends in one of the booths. Zoe and Elizabeth sat a few booths away, between Kelly and the entrance from the car level, and kept their eyes on the other passengers as the ferry disembarked.

Elizabeth scanned Kelly's group of friends and mentally gave them nicknames. Kelly had tried to introduce them while they were waiting for the ferry to board, but Elizabeth found it easier to associate faces with nicknames. There was Grayson; the Vulture Elizabeth had met her first day at the school; Grill, a boy with braces; Rainbow Brite, a blonde girl with freckles and a permanent smile; Raven, an Asian girl with extremely black hair; and a girl called Costello because of her thick-framed glasses.

Zoe draped her arm over the back of her booth and looked down the aisle to the other side of the ship. "Back when I was in high school, I'd have killed for something like this. It was the ratty old city bus or bikes."

"It's a fairy tale, all right," Elizabeth said. "Don't let it fool you. Some twisted shit happened in fairy tales before they got all bowdlerized."

"Didn't call 'em Grimm Fairy Tales for nothing," Zoe said.

"Well, that was the name of the guys who compiled the stories. But yeah, basically. The trees and the water might be pretty, but they can both hide a lot of really horrid things."

Elizabeth caught Grayson looking at her, his arm draped around Kelly's shoulders. Kelly was slouched against his side, laughing at something Grill had said.

"Does that make sense to you?"

Zoe looked at them and shrugged. "Show me ten couples and I'll show you at least six that shouldn't work on paper."

"You have a point there," Elizabeth said.

She and Zoe focused on watching the other passengers, taking special interest if anyone seemed to drift too close. Fortunately most people on the ferry didn't need an incentive to sit as far away as possible from a group of teenagers. Elizabeth turned to look out the window at the passing islands when she heard her name spoken by one of the kids. They'd spoken in a hushed voice, obviously trying to keep her from overhearing.

"Elizabeth Caine, right?"

"I saw her on the news. Well, her picture. She was fucked up."

Zoe looked down at the floor, pretending she couldn't hear. Elizabeth decided that the cover story of being Kelly's aunt had never really stood a chance.

"She has to follow you around everywhere?"

"I think she's hot." That from Grill, said a little louder maybe in the hopes Elizabeth would overhear. "She looks like that chick who was in _300_."

One of the girls said, "There was a chick in _300_?"

The rest of the group laughed, and Zoe chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "You do look like that chick."

"Never saw it," Elizabeth said.

The conversation strayed away from Elizabeth's real identity to what movies everyone had seen, and what movies were better on Blu-Ray. Kelly slid her feet up into the seat, climbed over the back of the booth, and stepped out into the aisle. She met Elizabeth's eye and motioned for her to follow. Elizabeth got up and followed Kelly down the length of the ship, expecting a bathroom trip or an excursion to get something to drink. Instead, Kelly led her to the observation deck at the bow of the ship.

Kelly sat on one of the benches and Elizabeth sat beside her. "What's up?"

"Sorry. I should have told you they all recognized you."

"It's no problem. There's really no cover story that would explain me hanging around your school all day. Are they worried about it?"

Kelly scoffed. "No, they all think it's cool. Mark has a crush on you."

"Mark... the one with braces?" Kelly nodded. "Well, that's adorable."

Kelly laughed and looked out the large slanted windows ahead of them. The ship was pulling around to visit another island, so it felt like they were moving backward. Kelly lifted her feet and placed them against the back of the bench in front of them.

"You said that I could tell you stuff without it getting back to my parents, right? Like a lawyer or something? Confidentiality?"

Elizabeth said, "Unless I think it affects your safety, I won't tell them anything I don't have to."

Kelly chewed her lip. "Last night I was talking with Grayson online, and he started talking about how we've been together for a really long time. And he said that by the time he'd been dating his last girlfriend this long, they'd... done some things."

Elizabeth winced. She looked around in case a gunman had appeared in the last thirty seconds. "Uh-huh."

"I think I want to do stuff with him. Maybe not, you know, the whole deal. But there's stuff I could do that would be all right."

Elizabeth said, "If you're thinking of it like a chore, don't even think about doing it. You have to want to do it, and the person you're with has to deserve it. It's not just something that just magically happens during a relationship no matter what TV and movies have you believe. The fact that you're asking me what to do proves that you're either not ready, or just not ready to do it with Grayson."

"But what if he doesn't want to be with me anymore?"

"Then the sex is all he's after," Elizabeth said. "Anyone who cares about you would be willing to wait as long as it took for you to be ready. Grayson is a..." She searched for the right word; despite Kelly's reluctance to take the next step, the twerp was still her boyfriend. "Grayson is a teenage boy. He's hormonal, and he's spending a lot of time with a gorgeous girl. Of course he's going to bring up sex. But if he doesn't accept that you want to wait, maybe the relationship has run its course."

Kelly nodded. "I guess. I just really like him."

"That doesn't mean you have to sacrifice something special just to keep him around."

"Yeah." She looked at Elizabeth and said, "Thanks for talking to me about this. I know it's really not in your job description."

"My job is to protect you. That includes keeping you from making bad decisions. You want to go back with the others?"

Kelly shrugged. "Can we just sit here for a while? I think I'm going to get my fill of them before the night is over anyway."

Elizabeth laughed. "Yeah, we can stay here if you want." She settled back against the bench and watched the ship move toward the dock of a new island.

#

Grayson had packed most of the kids in their troupe into his SUV. Kelly, Rainbow Brite and Raven rode with Elizabeth and Zoe in the rental car. Kelly warned them it would be a long ride, but an hour into the drive, Elizabeth was itching for something to do besides sitting and staring at the road ahead of her. After the ferry ride and the two-car convoy to Seattle, they finally arrived at the mall a few minutes after six-thirty.

Elizabeth did some mental math and decided they would have to leave around eight to get back to the island at a decent hour. "What time is your curfew?" she asked, turning in the passenger seat to face Kelly in the back.

"Usually ten, but it's more flexible on Fridays," Kelly said. "Eleven if I don't call, but twelve-thirty if I do."

Zoe whistled. "My Mom would kick my ass if I was out until twelve-thirty, no matter what night it was."

"So you didn't go out?" Elizabeth said.

"No, I got whupped a lot."

Elizabeth grinned. She had her window rolled down despite the chill and craned her neck to look back the way they'd come. Kelly said, "Are you trying to see the top of the totem pole? It's a bird or a raven or something like that."

"Yeah, it's cool," Elizabeth said, settling back against her seat.

Grayson drove slowly through the parking lot until he reached a parking garage on the western side of the mall. Elizabeth unfastened her seatbelt and twisted to look through the back window as they pulled in.

"What's wrong?" Kelly said.

"Nothing's wrong. Just keeping an eye on our tail."

They parked on the top level of the garage, and everyone stretched mightily as they got out of their vehicles. Elizabeth walked out past the trunk of the car and looked both ways before she rejoined the teenagers.

Grayson smiled at Zoe. "Nice driving. I was afraid I'd have to wait for you gals to catch up with me."

Zoe didn't crack a smile, and Grayson's quickly faded. He cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he looked around the group.

Kelly said, "So, um, how is this going to work?"

"Just do whatever you normally do," Elizabeth said. "The only difference is that I'll be following you and keeping an eye on you while you shop."

Grill coughed into his hand and said, "Narc."

"Only to your parents, Mark," Kelly said. "So don't try buying any porn this trip."

Grill's face turned bright red, and Grayson laughed. He put his arm around Kelly and pulled her to his side. "All right, we're gonna head up to Spencer Gifts."

Rainbow Brite said, "I need to get some shoes."

Vulture offered to go with her, and then said, "Is it all right if we, like, split up?"

"Yeah," Grayson said before Elizabeth could answer. "They only care about Kelly."

Elizabeth said, "I wouldn't exactly have phrased it that way. But Kelly _is_ the one we're worried about. The rest of you will be fine on your own."

The group began to disperse, and Elizabeth turned to Zoe. "I need you on the move. Don't get too far from us, but keep an eye on the entrances and exits. Let me know if there's anything I need to be aware of while I still have a chance to react."

"Got it," Zoe said.

Elizabeth waited until Kelly and Grayson were too far ahead to overhear before she spoke again. She lowered her voice and said, "Did you see it?"

"The brown pedophile van? Why do they even still make vans without windows in the back?" Zoe said. "Only about a half dozen times between Anacortes and here. Could be someone else from the island blowing their paycheck."

Elizabeth said, "Or it could be someone following Kelly. I was hoping they'd follow us into this parking garage, but I lost them at the totem pole."

"They went north," Zoe said. "But I lost track of 'em at the corner."

"Okay. I'll keep an eye on the kids inside; you see if you can find that van. If they went north, there should only be one or two garages where they could have parked. Maybe we'll get lucky and they parked in a fire lane for a quick exit."

"Here's hoping. Keep in touch." She tapped her ear.

"Will do."

Elizabeth moved faster to catch up with Kelly and Grayson as they entered the mall.

She didn't like the crowds, didn't like how many of the stores the two wandered into had such tight aisles. Elizabeth stayed in the open areas of the stores as much as possible, making sure she had eyes on Kelly at all times. They were wandering through a Game Stop when Wade Ottis suddenly appeared at a display of video games. Elizabeth moved to where he was standing and grabbed his elbow.

"What are you doing here?"

"Theodore filled me in on your little field trip. Since I didn't get one of those little earpieces the rest of you are playing with, I thought I'd tag along."

"Where'd you get the van?"

Wade shook his head. "That wasn't me. That was a heavyset guy in a Supersonics windbreaker. I mean, dude, come on, let it go."

"Describe him."

"Just a shade under six foot, thinning brown hair, jeans. Hands like ham hocks."

Elizabeth relayed the description to Zoe and watched as Grayson played a game demo. Kelly tried to appear interested, but mainly scanned the rest of the store. She caught Elizabeth watching her, rolled her eyes, and gestured at the game. Elizabeth smiled.

"If you're offering help, I'll take it. Just hang back and keep an eye on Kelly. Keep an eye out for the Supersonic dude, too."

"I've been doing that second thing. He's in the food court. He got a taco."

Elizabeth figured it was as good a place as any to lie in wait; most people either passed through the food court or stopped to get something to eat at some point during their visit to the mall.

"All right. Go back to the food court and keep an eye on him. Zoe, food court. The Supersonics guy is there, according to Wade."

"What do you want us to do if he is there?"

"Nothing. I'll take care of him. I just want you and Wade in position."

Zoe said, "Copy."

Wade had wandered off in the middle of Elizabeth giving the order, and he headed toward the food court. Elizabeth assumed he was going to follow her instructions. Kelly came over and watched Wade walk away. "Hey. Who was he?"

"No one important," Elizabeth said. "But don't freak out if you see him around. He's one of the good guys."

"Okay. I need a bathroom break."

Elizabeth nodded and escorted Kelly out of the store. "There are usually restrooms by the food court, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I'm craving one of those giant pretzels." She looked to see Grayson was still preoccupied with his video game demo and said, "Just one thing. If at any point I tell you to go, just run. I'll be right behind you, but I may not have time to explain myself."

"You won't even get to finish saying the word, and I'll be dust," Kelly said.

"Good girl."

Kelly led the way to the food court, and Elizabeth followed, keeping her eyes peeled for a man in a Supersonics windbreaker.
Chapter Fourteen

Grayson caught up with them halfway to the food court and was promptly distracted by a kiosk selling cell phone cases. The food court was a sprawling space surrounded on all sides by restaurants. The center of the space was filled with white plastic tables and the occasional potted plant to break up the monotony. There were only a handful of people at the tables, but Elizabeth spotted the green and yellow windbreaker almost immediately. He had a taco, as Wade said, and was casually scanning the crowd. He was younger than Elizabeth expected and his right hand was resting on a cell phone.

His eyes swam past Elizabeth and Kelly, but there wasn't a glint of recognition or a giveaway narrowing of his eyes. Elizabeth put her hand on Kelly's elbow and guided her into the restroom area. There was waiting area between the two restrooms where people could wait for the bathroom. Elizabeth also saw a bank of payphones and tried to remember the last time she had seen one in the age of cell phones.

A few women were in the restroom when Elizabeth checked it, but none of them pinged on her radar. She let Kelly go inside and then stepped out to deal with the Supersonics guy. She had barely left the women's room when Grayson appeared, having caught up with them at last. "Whoa. Hey. Is Kelly in the little girl's room?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said. "Excuse me."

Grayson said, "Actually, I wanted to talk with you real quick. Without her. You know, Kelly's kind of young for our grade, you know? She's just sixteen. But I'm seventeen, and I'll be eighteen in March."

"I'm happy for you," Elizabeth said. She wanted to push past him, but he was leaning against the wall and blocking her way. She kept her eye on Supersonics. He was casually gathering his trash and pushing away from the table. "Is there going to be a point any time soon?"

"Well, I mean, if you ever wanted to take a little break and let that other lady watch Kelly for a while, maybe you and I could... hang."

Elizabeth said, "Hang what?"

Grayson chuckled. "Come on. You know. Hang."

Elizabeth stared at him for a second before she turned her attention back to Supersonics. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Excuse me."

She started to step past him, but Grayson put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, look, I know you're a little older, but you still have a hot body. You're trying to tell me you're not a cougar?"

Elizabeth brushed Grayson's hand off her shoulder and turned to face him. "Keep your hands to yourself, kid. I'm going to forget we just had this little exchange because, if I don't, I might have to pistol-whip you the next time I see your smug, smarmy face. Now back off."

Grayson looked stunned to be rejected and held his hands up in surrender. "Geez, what did I do?"

Elizabeth turned back to the food court and scanned for the green and yellow windbreaker. "Son of a bitch. Zoe, I lost Supersonics. You have eyes on him?"

Zoe said, "South of the food court, loitering near one of the kiosks."

Kelly came out of the bathroom, eyed Grayson, and noticed Elizabeth's tense body language. "What's going on?"

"Come with me, Kelly," Elizabeth said. Grayson started to follow them, but Elizabeth aimed a finger at him. "You stay."

Kelly looked around like a nervous cat who'd heard a dog, moving closer to Elizabeth. "What's going on?"

"I saw someone. I just have to be sure. Stay with me. Remember, I say go..."

"I'm vapor."

"Good girl. Zoe?"

Zoe said, "Supersonics is moving north toward your location."

Elizabeth guided Kelly to the north. The corridor branched off to the left and right, and Elizabeth randomly chose the left path. She lifted her arm and spoke into her shirt cuff out of habit, despite the microphone being built into her earpiece. "Zoe, there's a carousel in the mall. Meet me there."

"Copy. Supersonics is in pursuit."

"Copy," Elizabeth said. "Change of plan. You're not going to run, you're just going to go with Zoe. She'll keep you safe."

Kelly said, "Where will you be?"

"I'm going to have a conversation with someone. It's all right, it'll be fine."

"Grayson..."

"The people trying to grab you don't care about him. He'll be okay. Just go with Zoe and she'll keep you safe."

They reached the carousel and Elizabeth cut to the front of the line. She led Kelly around the security fence despite protests from the parents and kids who were waiting for their turn. Elizabeth jumped onto the carousel platform and pulled Kelly up. They moved between the carved animals, Elizabeth staying behind Kelly to make sure she didn't fall. The calliope music was nearly deafening, but Elizabeth heard Zoe's voice over the din. "I'm at the carousel."

"We're on the west side, on the platform. Meet us over there." She and Kelly began to move so that they remained on the far side of the carousel, unseen from the man in the Supersonics jacket. Elizabeth put her arm across Kelly's shoulders and pulled her close. "You all right?"

"Freaked out. What the hell is going on?"

"There was a man in the food court. He followed us from Anacortes. We were just being cautious, but it looks like he was definitely following us to get you."

"Holy crap," Kelly muttered. "Thank you."

Elizabeth was close to saying she had just done her job, that it was just an assignment, but Kelly didn't need to hear that. She squeezed Kelly's shoulder and said, "You're welcome, Kelly."

Zoe appeared within the fenced-in area. Elizabeth moved to the edge of the platform with Kelly. She helped Kelly down, and Kelly stumbled slightly. Zoe steadied her.

"Get her down to the car. Have the engine running. If you don't hear from me in ten minutes, drive back to the island. Don't stop for anything."

Kelly said, "Wait, we're not going to leave you."

"That's exactly what you're going to do." She was still walking along the edge of the merry-go-round, keeping out of sight. "Go, Zoe. Take her out of here, keep her safe."

Zoe had taken off her hoodie and draped it over Kelly's shoulders. She flipped the hood up to cover Kelly's head and guided her away from the carousel. Once she was gone, Elizabeth stopped walking and let the carousel carry her around to the place where she'd gotten aboard.

Supersonics was standing near the back of the carousel line, scanning the promenade in both directions for his prey. Elizabeth let the platform carry her closer to him before she jumped off and hit the ground running. Supersonics had his cell phone to his ear, and Elizabeth heard him say, "...lost her somewhere. Probably in one of these stores." He turned, saw her coming, and his eyes widened.

Elizabeth had nearly reached him with Supersonics lashed out with his free hand, swinging blindly at her before he spun on his heel and started running. Elizabeth ducked his blow, twisting to the side before she gave chase. She saw security officers in white shirts approaching from the east, most likely drawn to complaints from the parents she'd cut in front of at the carousel. She ignored them and started chasing Supersonics.

He had a few inches and a couple dozen pounds on her, but the man was fast. He weaved around kiosks, hoping that getting out of her sight would make it easier to lose her. Elizabeth moved to the opposite side of the promenade and kept her eyes on him, sacrificing proximity for visibility. Other shoppers ducked out of his way, and they started shouting by the time Elizabeth reached them.

"Ma'am, stop!" one of the security guards shouted behind her.

Elizabeth was very aware that she didn't have a badge or any real legal standing with law enforcement. She was freelance, as close to a civilian as the man she was chasing. She couldn't focus on that now.

Supersonics ran into Macy's, and Elizabeth was only a few steps behind him. The light was different inside the store, more subdued and calming. Elizabeth's eyes blurred due to tracking her prey's speed and the sudden change in lighting, but she followed the jacket through the winding pathways of the store. Supersonics reached up and slapped a mannequin's leg, knocking it from the platform and sending it crashing to the ground in front of her.

Elizabeth jumped the mannequin and nearly stumbled when she hit the ground. She bumped the side of a display case and pushed herself off, using it as a launching pad to give her an extra burst of speed. A clerk was standing at an intersection, looking after Supersonics with disbelief. She had a perfume bottle in one hand, the other poised to provide a free sample. Elizabeth snatched the bottle from her, and the woman yelped in surprise; she hadn't even seen Elizabeth at that point.

As she ran, Elizabeth tested the weight of the perfume bottle against her palm. It was about the size of an apple and half full, the amber-colored liquid sloshing against the curved sides as she ran. When they reached a straightaway, Elizabeth pulled her arm back and launched the bottle like it was a hand grenade.

The bottle cracked against the back of Supersonics head and shattered. He cried out and brought both hands up, slowing and eventually dropping to one knee.

Elizabeth caught up with him and put her hand in the middle of his back. She shoved him forward and shouted, "Down! Get down right now!"

Supersonics spread his arms out, palms down and lowered himself onto his stomach. "All right! God, what the hell did you hit me with?"

The stink of perfume hit Elizabeth then, making her eyes water. It was putrid, some mixture of flowers and honey that made her want to gag.

"Are you here alone? Huh? Tell me the truth or I'll drag you out of here by your hair."

"I'm the only one here."

Elizabeth was about to ask for his wallet when an authoritative voice behind her barked, "Why don't you just put your hands up and get off the gentleman, ma'am?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes and resisted the urge to curse. She looked over her shoulder and saw the two security guards standing a few feet away, two stun guns aimed at her back.

"Seattle PD is on their way, and they'll sort this all out."

Elizabeth said, "Look..."

"Seattle cops!" Wade said. He came out of nowhere, strutting past the security guards as if they were mannequins. His ratty jacket was gone, revealing a rumpled dress shirt open at the collar. He had a toothpick balanced on his bottom lip, and he used his teeth and tongue to switch it from one side of his mouth to the other as he moved. "Good! Be glad to have them here. See how the pros do it." He looked down at Elizabeth and said, "Are you okay, Agent Crane?"

Elizabeth considered her options; follow his lead or waste the rest of the night in jail? And if Supersonics happened to have a better story, he could just slip away.

"Just fine," Elizabeth said. "Sorry, officers. I didn't have a chance to warn you about this man's presence in your mall. I apologize for the oversight."

The stun guns wavered.

Wade turned on his heel, hands in his pockets. "Gentlemen, I'm Agent Thomas Quade of the Eff. Bee. Eye. This is my partner, Lisa Crane. This man is a fugitive we've been following for quite some time. Child molester."

Supersonics said, "Child mol--" Elizabeth shoved his back, and he shut up.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, I _sincerely_ hope you don't, but we've been looking for this man so long that I don't really want to risk handing him over to the locals just yet. We want to have him for ourselves for, oh, a couple of hours. Just to see what he can tell us about all the kiddies he's diddled."

The security guards looked at each other.

"So if you can tell the cops it was a false alarm, that'd be great. Okay? All right." He turned to Elizabeth and said, "Agent Crane, would you help the prisoner to his feet?"

Elizabeth hauled Supersonics up.

"If you don't mind, maybe we could use your office for the initial interrogation."

"Sure," one of the security guards said. "It's this way..."

They led the way, with Elizabeth and the prisoner in the middle. Wade brought up the rear. Once the guards had their backs turned, Elizabeth touched her ear and whispered, "All quiet on the western front, Zoe. Is Kelly safe?"

"Safe and sound in the backseat. A little shaken. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said. She turned and raised an eyebrow at Wade. "I got lucky."

Wade winked at her and stuck his hands into his pockets, almost strutting as he followed them out of Macy's and into the main promenade.

Shoppers lined both sides of the corridor, clerks standing in the entrances of their stores. The security guards assured everyone that the situation was under control and told them to go about their business.

As they passed a music store, Elizabeth saw Kelly's friends watching her through the glass. Grayson caught her eye, smiled, and gave her a big thumbs-up.

Wade said, "When did you get a boyfriend?"

"Shut up, Agent Quade," Elizabeth muttered, shoving Supersonics ahead of her through the crowd.
Chapter Fifteen

The security office was at the end of a long corridor that ran between two storefronts. It was a cramped, poorly-ventilated space, and the stink of perfume wafted from the man in the Supersonics jacket in waves. According to the driver's license in the man's wallet, his name was Thomas Agnew. He was hunched forward in his plastic chair, hanging his head as Elizabeth made a copy of his information using the office Xerox.

The mall cops reluctantly left them alone in the office to go deal with the local cops. Wade had produced a badge from somewhere, and Elizabeth didn't look too closely at it for fear she'd discover it was somehow real. It had just saved her ass, and she'd hate to have to confiscate it. She touched base with Zoe over the earpiece, and they'd agreed that she would take Kelly back to the island immediately. Kelly was shaken from the experience and just wanted to be somewhere safe.

Elizabeth sat on the edge of the mall cop's desk and looked at Agnew. "All right, pal. We know you were after the girl."

"Dunno what you're talking about."

"Cut the crap, punk, we know it was you." Elizabeth said Wade's name under her breath and he shrugged. "Just trying to help."

Elizabeth picked up Agnew's cell phone and scrolled through the dialed numbers. "Who were you calling? I heard you tell someone that you lost the girl, so I assume it was your boss."

"Lady, I don't know what you two are talking about. I was just talking about my girlfriend and how I was s'pposed to meet her here. I thought I saw her by the carousel."

"Then why'd you run when you saw me?" Elizabeth said.

"Running is good exercise." Agnew said. "Besides, you were coming at me like some kind of crazy woman. I didn't know who the hell you were."

Elizabeth clicked on the last dialed call and turned on the speakerphone. The buzzing ring filled the small office twice, and then there was a click.

"What the hell happened? Where'd you go?"

"To whom am I speaking?" Elizabeth said.

There was a long silence. Finally, the man said, "You're the one who called me."

"I'm here with your man, Thomas Agnew. He's not being very helpful to me, so I thought I would give you a chance. Did you hire this man to kidnap Kelly Drake? Don't worry, we're not the police and we're not recording this conversation. Nothing you say will be held against you in a court of law."

Another long silence. "If you aren't the police, then on what authority are you keeping my employee as prisoner?"

"The authority that he was stalking a sixteen year old girl for starters. If you don't answer a few simple questions, we'll be happy to hand him over to someone with the authority to make him answer."

Agnew suddenly spoke up. "Look, I'm sorry, Mister... uh, boss. She came outta nowhere. I thought she was just the kid's mom, but she ambushed me on the carousel."

"On the _what_?"

Agnew grimaced and hung his head.

Elizabeth said, "We can make this a very civil encounter, Mr. X. All I need to do is confirm you're the bastard who has been harassing Kelly Drake and we can go from there."

The man said, "All right. Let's say I am the person responsible. Are we supposed to negotiate now?"

Elizabeth glanced at Wade and then said, "Your man didn't succeed in grabbing Kelly, but Everett Drake has given me the authority to negotiate ransom."

Another silence, filled with the buzz of an open line.

"I'm not going to start bidding, Mr. X, so why don't you give me an idea of what you're hoping for."

"The money... is not the point. Although I shouldn't be surprised that his mind went directly to that. I'm not attempting to extort Mr. Drake or his company. So my ransom demand, whoever you are, is this. I want one dollar, delivered to me by the girl. Do you have the authority to make that deal?"

Elizabeth said, "I'm going to have to pass on that, Mr. X."

"Then I suppose we're at an impasse. Can Mr. Agnew hear me?"

Agnew nodded his head and then realized he was talking to someone on the phone. "Yeah, boss, I'm here."

"Consider yourself fired. Madam, you may do whatever you wish with him. Good-bye."

The phone clicked off and Elizabeth grimaced as she closed it. She pushed off the desk and handed the phone to Wade. "You can do stuff to that, right?"

Wade took the phone and put it in his pocket. "Track him down and find out which room in his house he was talking in. What the hell was that ransom talk? Paying without taking the girl?"

"Everett wants to limit the trauma for Kelly. He's willing to pay the ransom if these mooks succeeded in taking her, but he wanted to cut out the middleman." She looked down at Agnew. "Why didn't your boss take the bait? He just turned down a multi-million dollar payday."

"I don't know."

Wade said, "Maybe it's the principle of the thing."

Elizabeth looked at Wade. "Would you turn down a paycheck someone was offering to _not_ do your job?"

"Well. I wouldn't. But I'm lazy."

Elizabeth went to the office door and looked out. The mall cops were standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall, but they straightened when they saw her. She pulled the door open wider and gestured at Agnew. "We're done with him. Go ahead and hand him over to the local cops. The charge is attempted abduction of a minor."

"Those are big charges," Wade said. "Wait until the other inmates find out they got a baby molester in the cell with them."

"Wait, wait," Agnew said. "Wait."

Elizabeth leaned against the door and raised her eyebrows, acting bored.

"I was just doing a job, all right? I'm no baby molester. That shit is sick."

"Well, if you won't talk then we have to go with the information we have, Mr. Agnew."

Agnew's shoulders sagged and he sighed heavily, shaking his head back and forth.

Wade stepped forward and lowered his voice, somehow making the moment even more threatening. "Why don't you just tell us what you know so we can end this damn dance?"

Agnew looked at the mall cops and imagined the night he was about to spend inside a prison cell with a bunch of other people who thought he was some kind of pervert.

"I don't know a whole lot. I mean, I have a guy who throws me some work sometimes. I'm kind of like an outside contractor. So he had a job, and he called me, and he told me all I had to do was watch the ferry for this girl. If she went anywhere, I had to follow her. Then I was supposed to grab her if I could."

Elizabeth said, "Grab her and take her where?"

"Once I had her, I was supposed to call the boss. He would tell me where to go for the drop off or the pick up or whatever he was gonna do. That's all I know, I swear. I was just following my orders and doing a job."

Wade said, "And who cares if a teenager gets killed or raped, right?"

"No!" Agnew said.

"What the hell did you _think_ they were going to do with the teenage girl they made you grab?" Wade said. "Take her out for cookies and ice cream? Ask her to the sock hop?"

Agnew's shoulders slumped even further. "I didn't know. It was just a job. I didn't have to hurt anyone or... I thought it would just be easy."

Elizabeth motioned the mall cops in. "Give the local cops a non-abduction reason to take you into custody. I don't care what it is, just make sure it's something that'll stick."

Agnew woefully nodded his head.

Elizabeth turned to the mall cops. "Thanks for letting us use your office. We'll get out of your hair now, leave you with the prisoner."

Wade followed Elizabeth out of the office. The hallway was long and empty, and it gave Wade's voice a strange echo when he spoke. "I could've gotten it out of him if you'd let me."

"And what shape would he have been in when you got done?"

"He'd still have been in a shape. Just maybe not the one he was in when I started."

Elizabeth said, "He didn't know anything. He's just hired muscle. That phone is going to tell us more than Agnew did. Let me know as soon as you find anything."

They left the hallway and found that the mall patrons had gone back to normal. Elizabeth walked toward the food court and scanned the crowd until she spotted Grayson and the others. The girl in the thick glasses, Costello, saw her first and nudged Raven. Their conversation stalled, and everyone turned to watch her approach.

"Hey, what the hell happened? Where's Kelly?"

"She's on her way home," Elizabeth said. "She's fine, she was just shaken up. My friend is going to drive me back to the island, so the rest of you will have to pile into Grayson's truck."

"Cool," Grayson said. "Uh, are you okay, Ms. Caine?"

Elizabeth looked down at herself. Her clothes were rumpled, her blazer twisted askew to reveal her shoulder holster. She tugged the jacket down to conceal the weapon again and rolled her shoulders. "Yeah. I'm fine. I guess I'll see you guys at school on Monday."

She turned and walked away, and Wade fell into step next to her. "See you guys at school on Monday."

"I'm too tired for mocking, Wade."

He smirked, but he didn't say anything else as they left the mall. Once they were in the garage, she realized why she hadn't noticed him following them on the highway.

"Where did you get a taxi?"

Wade smirked. "I have my connections. Don't worry. I won't turn on the meter for you."

#

The drive back to Anacortes, and the ferry ride to the island, ate up another three hours. By the time they arrived back at the Drake house, Elizabeth was running on fumes from her adrenaline high. She was half-asleep when Wade parked at the head of the driveway. He leaned back, hand draped over the steering wheel, and looked into the backseat where Elizabeth was slumped. "I'll see what I can do on the phone. Should have something for you tomorrow."

"All right," she said. She opened the door and climbed out of the car. She stood by the driver's door and knocked on the glass. When Wade rolled the window down, she said, "Thanks for being there tonight. You saved my skin."

"It's why you called me. Take it easy, Beth."

She walked down the driveway, massaging her neck where it met her shoulder. She needed a long soak, a stiff drink, and someplace soft to lie down for about ten hours.

Zoe's car was parked off the driveway by the garage, and Theo's SUV was next to it. Elizabeth went through the front door without knocking, the interior of the house bright, warm and inviting. The first thing she heard was Kelly's voice, something between a shriek and a gasp. "Oh, my God, Elizabeth!" She caught a flash of movement from her left and was too exhausted to react as Kelly slammed into her.

The air was knocked out of her from the force of the embrace. She patted Kelly's back and said, "Hey, there. Guess you made it home safely."

Theo said, "They got back about an hour ago. Are you okay?"

"Tired," Elizabeth said. "The guy was just hired muscle. He didn't know anything. But Wade has his phone, and I spoke to the 'boss.'"

Everett, who was in the kitchen with Michelle, said, "That's great news. You spoke to him, which means you made him the, the ransom offer. Right?"

"I did. He turned it down."

Everett's smile faded. "He what?"

Elizabeth said, "I told him that I was willing to open negotiations for the ransom, even though his man failed, and he said no."

"He... wouldn't even make an offer?"

Elizabeth decided not to reveal the offer in front of everyone, so she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I think we're just going to have to see what Wade finds out from the phone and go from there."

Everett sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, the important thing is that you kept Kelly safe. Tonight could have ended very differently if it wasn't for you."

Kelly's embrace had loosened slightly, but she was still latched onto Elizabeth's side. Elizabeth rubbed Kelly's arm and said, "Can I go into the living room?"

"Oh. Sorry." She pulled back and wiped at her cheeks, sniffling quietly as she followed Elizabeth to the couch. Theo and Zoe were standing between the living room and the kitchen, and Michelle was at the window looking out at the water with her back to the room. Elizabeth sat down on the couch, and Kelly sat next to her.

"You were so awesome. You weren't even scared, and I was just..." She swallowed hard.

"You were fine," Elizabeth said. "You did what you were told and you made my job a lot easier."

Elizabeth looked at Theo, and she knew he could tell how exhausted she was. He turned to address the room and said, "Okay, it's getting very late and we've all had more excitement than we expected tonight. So why don't we let Elizabeth recuperate from her evening and we'll regroup tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good to me," Everett said. "Ms. Caine, you earned your paycheck tonight. I want you to know that."

She smiled tightly and dipped her chin to him.

Zoe reached out and Elizabeth slapped her palm. "Thanks for the back-up, Zo."

"Any time, any place."

Theo and Everett left, followed by Zoe.

Kelly hugged Elizabeth, more gently this time, and then said, "You rock."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Thanks."

Kelly headed upstairs, and Elizabeth was left alone in the living room with Michelle. Elizabeth moved one of the throw pillows on the couch, slid down, and put it between her head and the back of the couch. She closed her eyes and let her muscles relax. The bath was upstairs, but it might as well have been back in Seattle for all the good it did her.

"Elizabeth." She opened her eyes and saw Michelle had moved to stand next to the couch. Her eyes were red from crying, and she was struggling to form words without her voice breaking. "Thank you for protecting my daughter tonight."

"Sure," Elizabeth said.

Michelle looked like she wanted to say more, but instead she just looked down at her hands and said, "Well. Goodnight."

Elizabeth said, "Sweet dreams."

Michelle stepped over Elizabeth's legs and walked to the stairs. Elizabeth twisted her neck to watch her go, following her climb the stairs.

When she was finally alone, she settled more comfortably on the couch cushions and quickly drifted off to sleep as the last of the adrenaline faded from her body.
Chapter Sixteen

Elizabeth received the call - "Withdraw Mountain now!" - and started her trek across the stage. It was an impossible distance, and each photographer became a sniper. Flashbulbs became muzzle flashes, and Elizabeth could feel the gunshots reverberate through her chest as she raced to the front of the stage. She put her hand on Dawn Sullivan's shoulder and turned her around, focusing on her instead of the President this time. Dawn turned and Elizabeth realized it was Kelly Drake. Elizabeth was so shocked that she put Kelly between herself and the audience. The bullets from the sniper entered Kelly's back, and her eyes widened with shock and pain and betrayal as she fell dead into Elizabeth's arms--

Elizabeth startled awake, a gasp choking in her throat as she sat up. She didn't know where she was an, for a moment, she thought the moon was a spotlight. Her skin was clammy, and her heart was pounding madly in her chest. She pushed herself up when she was certain her legs would support her and walked around the coffee table to the kitchen. She found the glasses in the dark and filled it with water from the sink.

She felt grimy, still in her blouse and slacks, but she lacked the energy to think about changing into more appropriate sleepwear. She glanced up to the second floor and saw the Kelly's bedroom light was still on. According to the microwave clock, it was nearly one in the morning.

Elizabeth finished her water and took off her shoes, padding upstairs in her socks. She paused by the bedroom door and knocked quietly. "Kelly? Are you still awake?"

"Yeah. You can come in."

Elizabeth opened the door and stepped inside. Kelly was sitting on the floor at the foot of her bed, an iPod sitting next to her. She only had one ear bud in, and Elizabeth could hear the tin sound of a woman's voice coming from the other. Kelly's eyes were red, and she wiped at them quickly before she turned to face Elizabeth. "Hi."

"Hey. You okay?"

Kelly sniffled and shrugged, and Elizabeth stepped further into the room. She shut the door and walked to the desk, pulling out the chair and sitting down.

"You had a really rough night. If you want to talk about it, I'm here."

"No, it's okay," Kelly said. "It's just... I don't want Mom and Dad to know. They're both walking on eggshells around me because of this whole stupid thing, and I don't want them to know that it's freaking me out so much."

Elizabeth resisted the urge to shake her head. Michelle and Everett were staying together for Kelly's benefit, and Kelly was crying alone in her room for her parents' benefit. "You've earned the right to be freaked out."

"I'm less freaked out now," Kelly said. "Thanks to you. What you did tonight was..."

Elizabeth's first response was to say she was just doing her job, but that sounded too much that sounded like Thomas Agnew's excuse for her tastes. "Do you know why I took three bullets for the President?"

"Because he was the President," Kelly said.

"Right. I didn't even care what his name was, my job was to protect him and his wife. So I stepped between him and a shooter, and I got three bullets for the trouble. But you want to know a secret? I didn't particularly like him. I didn't vote for him. And after I got to know him a little bit as a person..." An image of Egypt flashed through her mind, but she pushed it away before it could form. "I really didn't care for him. But I got shot trying to save his life because it was my job. You, though? I like you, Kelly. Nothing's going to keep me from protecting you. Whatever it takes."

Kelly had drawn her knees up to her chest, arms wrapped around them, and now had her head resting on her arms.

Elizabeth got up and bent down to kiss the top of Kelly's head. "Get some rest, all right?"

Kelly nodded.

Elizabeth started to the door, but Kelly suddenly said her name. Elizabeth turned and Kelly got up, crossed the room in a single step, and hugged Elizabeth tightly. "Thank you."

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Kelly wiped her cheeks again when she backed up. "You're going to end this, right? I don't know if I can put up with it much longer."

"You won't have to. I promise."

"I should get to bed. You'll be next door, right?"

Elizabeth said, "Actually, I'll probably be downstairs. No one's going to get past me."

Kelly smiled. "Even without a carousel to jump off?"

Elizabeth laughed. "I work with what I'm given. Good night, Kelly."

"Night."

Elizabeth left the room and headed back downstairs. There was a light on in the kitchen, the dim glow spreading out over the stove and across the center island. Elizabeth passed through the living room and stopped at the kitchen entry. Michelle was at the sink with her back to the room, filling a tea kettle from the tap. She was in the same robe Elizabeth had seen the night before, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Elizabeth lightly rapped her knuckles on the counter and said, "Mrs. Drake."

Michelle's shoulders jumped slightly. She turned off the water and turned with a weak smile. "Hi. I heard you talking with Kelly. Thank you."

"It's no problem," Elizabeth said. "She needed to talk to someone, and she feels like it would burden you. I'm happy to lend her a shoulder."

"Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you." Michelle walked to the stove and placed the tea kettle on the burner. Elizabeth watched her, trying to gauge her state of mind. "How are you handling it?"

Michelle laughed, shook her head and turned to lean against the kitchen counter. "I thought my worst fear would be trying to keep her away from boys and getting her into a good college. Turns out she's smart enough to handle that on her own, but she has to deal with goddamn kidnappers. Still, I was reluctant when Everett suggested hiring Mr. Hudson. But wherever he found you, it was a godsend."

Elizabeth looked away, uncomfortable with the praise she'd been getting.

"Your, um... associate. Mr. Wade?"

"Wade Ottis," Elizabeth said.

"Yes. He said that he would have the information from the cell phone by tomorrow, right?" Elizabeth nodded. Michelle looked upstairs and saw that Kelly's bedroom light had gone out. "I... might be able to give you the information you need."

Elizabeth frowned. "You know who is doing this?"

"No. I mean... I suspected." She sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging. She stepped away from the stove and joined Elizabeth at the kitchen island. "Since this started, I've had a suspicion but no real proof that I might know who is doing this. But I didn't want to believe it."

"If you have information that could help us, then please..."

"My husband cannot hear a word of this," she said. "If you confirm it's true then... then I can deal with it then. But for now it's just for your ears only."

"Of course."

"Keith Finch. I met him at the company's Halloween party on the mainland. It was after Everett and I started having our problems, but before we'd decided to sleep in separate bedrooms." The tea kettle started to whistle, and Michelle quickly returned to the stove and moved it off the heat. "Keith was charming, sophisticated. He said I was beautiful. He stepped in on a dance with Everett, and Everett walked away like it was a... relief. Back to a conference call with his company. So we danced, and then I kissed him. We were in costume, I could believe it was someone else. Everett and I had gotten a hotel room because we assumed we'd be too drunk to drive back to the island. I took Keith upstairs and we... made love."

Elizabeth said, "About how long ago was this?"

"Sixteen years ago. Give or take a few months."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and dropped onto a stool. "Kelly is his daughter."

Michelle stared at the tea kettle as she poured herself a cup. Finally, she nodded. "I've never let myself think about it. Everett and I were still intimate at that time, so I assumed there was at least a possibility. But the timing was just so awkward. Keith and Everett have similar features, so it was easy to look at her and see what I wanted to see."

"So I assume Finch found out about Kelly?"

"A few months ago," Michelle said. "Another party. Usually we would leave Kelly at home with a babysitter, but this year Everett decided she was old enough. It was a Valentine's party, all hearts and flowers. Keith finally met Everett's daughter and he did the math in his head. He took me aside and asked me point blank. I told him no. I lied and said I'd checked it out, that I knew without a doubt that Kelly was Everett's. I thought that was the end of it."

Elizabeth said, "And then someone started trying to kidnap her."

"I'm a master of self-delusion," Michelle said with a self-deprecating smile. "Everett immediately assumed it was just an attempt to extort him. It made sense to me. So I let him convince me that was all it was. But then the kidnapper turned down the ransom demand. I can only lie to myself so much, I guess."

Elizabeth looked up at the second floor. Kelly's door was still dark. "I didn't want to bring this up in front of everyone, but whoever I spoke to - Finch, I assume - made a counter offer. He asked for one dollar, hand delivered by Kelly."

"Shit," Michelle said. "It is him."

"We don't know that for sure. But it does seem like he's the most likely suspect. I'll call Wade and let him know we have a new angle to check out. What is Finch's connection to your husband?"

"He owns stock in the company. I guess that makes it ironic that you offered him ransom." Michelle tasted her tea, licked her lips, and then put the cup back down. "I don't think this is going to work. I'm not going to sleep tonight." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's killing me that this is all my fault."

"It's not," Elizabeth said. She walked around the edge of the counter, closer to Michelle. "This is some sperm donor who decided he's entitled to something because of an hour or two he had sixteen years ago. Kelly is your daughter, and Everett's. This whole mess is on him, not you."

Michelle looked at Elizabeth. "What are you, a bodyguard slash psychiatrist?"

Elizabeth smiled. "No, but I'm not blind either. I'm not willing to watch you beat yourself up over one indiscretion."

"Far from one. Keith was just the first of many. When Everett and I started drifting apart, I... took advantage. We were young when we got married. He was rich and powerful and he wanted me. So I let myself get swept away without really deciding if I wanted to be swept. So when Everett had his... I don't know. Buyer's remorse? I took it as an opportunity to explore. And now I'm paying the price."

"I don't think it works that way," Elizabeth said. "You deserved to be happy and fulfilled."

"Thank you," Michelle said. She put her hand on top of Elizabeth's and patted it. "I should call it a night. Thank you for dealing with my shit, and being a sympathetic ear for my daughter. You're really going above and beyond the call of duty."

"All part of the job," Elizabeth said. She was very aware that Michelle's hand was still on top of hers, but made no move to free herself. "Michelle..."

Michelle leaned forward and kissed Elizabeth's lips. Elizabeth kept her eyes open and her lips closed, and her fingers curled against the counter under Michelle's hand. Michelle pulled back quickly, touched her bottom lip with two fingers, and ducked her chin.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"I shouldn't have done that."

Elizabeth finally took her hand away, using it to rub the back of her neck as she subtly stepped away from Michelle. Michelle took another drink of her tea, finishing the cup before she took it to the sink. Elizabeth remained where she was, looking anywhere but at Michelle while she rinsed out her cup and put it on the rack to dry.

"I'm sorry."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I said it's fine. Don't worry about it."

"If it's fine, I'll want to do it again. And I really... shouldn't... want to do that. So I'll just offer my apology and then go back to bed."

Elizabeth thought about her encounter with Zoe and her reluctance to take the next step. Maybe it would be better to get back into a physical relationship with someone she didn't have history with. Michelle started to brush past her, but Elizabeth caught her elbow and squeezed gently. "Wait." She turned toward Michelle.

Elizabeth tilted her head slightly and brushed her lips against Michelle's. Elizabeth's heart was pounding as she parted her lips, her hand running up Michelle's arm to her shoulder. Michelle put her hands on Elizabeth's hips and held her. Elizabeth's brow furrowed as she parted her lips, Michelle following her lead, and they touched their tongues. It was electric, and Elizabeth couldn't resist a moan of pleasure.

Elizabeth tried to remember the last time she had kissed someone without complications. It had been too long, far too long. And kissing her client's mother was hardly a complication-free situation, but it felt so damn good that she couldn't make herself stop. Michelle broke the kiss, and brought her hand up to touch Elizabeth's face.

"Have you ever been with a woman before?" Elizabeth asked. If she hadn't, it would be a reason to back out. An excuse to not do what her body was urging her to do. She couldn't deal with the pressure of being someone's first.

"I have," Michelle said.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and kissed Michelle again. She couldn't imagine going back to sleep and opening herself up to another nightmare. She doubted Michelle would go back to sleep following her confessional. It could be that they both just needed a release. Michelle's tongue teased Elizabeth's bottom lip and then withdrew before she broke the kiss.

"What should we do now?" Michelle whispered.

Elizabeth looked into Michelle's eyes and then said, "I think we see where this goes."

"Sounds good to me," Michelle said, pulling Elizabeth to her for another kiss.
Chapter Seventeen

Elizabeth was very aware of the sounds in the house, prepared to back off if she heard a door open. She didn't care if she was making a mistake, but she didn't want Kelly to wander in on this. She deepened the kiss, pushing Michelle back against the counter and focused on feeling good for the first time in so long that it almost made her dizzy. The belt of Michelle's robe was loose and Elizabeth untangled the knot and pushed her hands inside, running her palms along Michelle's satin nightgown to pull her closer. Michelle dropped one hand, bracing it against the counter before she broke the kiss. "Help me..."

Elizabeth lifted Michelle up, sitting her on the edge of the counter next to the refrigerator. Elizabeth ran her hands down Michelle's body, running along the outside of her thighs until she reached the hem of Michelle's nightgown. Her fingertips brushed the soft, naked skin and Michelle gasped quietly. Elizabeth dropped her head and kissed Michelle's neck, moving her hand higher as her lips and tongue teased Michelle's neck and felt her rapid pulse. She slid her hand over Michelle's leg to the inside of her thigh, pushing her legs apart before moving her hand under the thin material of the nightgown.

Michelle ran her hands over Elizabeth's back, gripping and tugging on the material of Elizabeth's blouse. Elizabeth ran her tongue up to Michelle's ear, stepping closer between Michelle's spread legs as she twisted her hand to press her palm against Michelle's mound. Michelle gasped and lifted her right hand, bracing her arm against the cabinet behind her as she lifted her hips off the counter.

"You can't stop," Michelle suddenly gasped, as if that had been an issue.

Elizabeth sucked Michelle's earlobe into her mouth, crossed her fingers, and brushed two fingertips against Michelle's labia. She was already wet, the moisture spreading onto the pads of Elizabeth's fingers. With her free hand, she tugged Michelle's robe down off her shoulders.

Michelle twisted her upper body to get free and let the robe fall to the counter. She reached up and hooked her thumbs in the straps of her nightgown, pulling them down and letting the satin collapse to reveal her breasts. Elizabeth pulled away from Michelle's neck and looked down at her breasts, small but perfectly shaped. When Michelle arched her back, her nipples stood out proud and erect, and Elizabeth bowed her head to take one into her mouth. Her right hand skimmed Michelle's stomach, toying with her ribs, and the found the other nipple. She teased and tugged it, pinching the other between her tongue and teeth as her left hand moved under the nightgown with renewed passion.

Michelle put her hands on the back of Elizabeth's head, grabbing handfuls of her hair. She was panting now, lifting her hips to meet each thrust of Elizabeth's hand, her voice raw and desperate. "Elizabeth," she gasped, arching her back and tightening around Elizabeth's fingers. Elizabeth ran her tongue along Michelle's upper chest, kissing her shallow cleavage.

"Shh," Elizabeth whispered.

"I know," Michelle said. "I know, but God, don't..."

Elizabeth straightened her back and kissed Michelle's lips to silence her. She curled her thumb against her palm and used it to find Michelle's clit. "Then come for me. Let me make you come," she whispered against Michelle's mouth. Michelle's eyes were tightly closed, and Elizabeth's cheeks were burning as she moved her hand faster. Michelle grabbed the back of Elizabeth's neck, digging her fingers in as she thrust her hips against Elizabeth's fingers.

"Kiss me," Michelle grunted, and Elizabeth kissed her hard to stifle her moan. Michelle moved her hands back to Elizabeth's shoulders, holding her in place as she came. Elizabeth held the kiss throughout Michelle's orgasm, touching her tongue to Michelle's as she moaned and whimpered. Finally, Michelle broke the kiss and pressed her cheek to Elizabeth's with a sigh, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as Elizabeth slowly withdrew her hand.

"That was amazing," Michelle whispered.

Elizabeth kissed Michelle's cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Mm-hmm." She leaned back, her head resting against the cabinet as she slid her hands down the front of Elizabeth's body. She reached Elizabeth's waistband and said, "Your turn."

Elizabeth dropped her hands to Michelle's wrists. "I... I don't know."

"For everything you've done for this family since we met you, I want to. I want to thank you properly." She kissed Elizabeth again, lowering her resolve as her tongue slipped easily into Elizabeth's mouth again. Michelle's fingers unfastened Elizabeth's trousers and they sagged around her hips, giving Michelle room to push her hands inside and guide the pants down to her thighs. "I want to taste you," Michelle said. "Step back."

Elizabeth backed up away, and Michelle lowered herself to the floor. She kissed Elizabeth as the two of them twisted. Michelle began to kiss down Elizabeth's body, tonguing her nipples through her blouse and brassiere. She undid the buttons of the blouse and pushed it open, her lips wet against Elizabeth's stomach. Elizabeth leaned against the counter, eyes closed as Michelle knelt in front of her.

Her underwear was peeled down around her thighs, and Michelle lightly kissed her mound. Elizabeth grunted and bit her bottom lip, one palm flat on the counter while the other curled in Michelle's hair. She'd forgotten how it felt to have a woman kneeling in front of her, how it felt to have that tingle of anticipation just before their tongue touched her. She regretted that her shower with Zoe hadn't gone anywhere, but she could make amends for that soon. For now, she was focused on Michelle, who was brushing her cheek against Elizabeth's thick brown pubic hair before finally moving lower.

The touch of Michelle's tongue made Elizabeth groan, an unexpected shiver running through her body as she resisted the urge to grind herself against Michelle mouth. She'd been celibate for far too long, eschewing all but the occasional moment of self-pleasure during the year-long exile at the cabin.

Michelle had apparently told the truth about being with women in the past; she was no newbie to what she was doing. She teased and explored, alternating between the tip and the flat of her tongue to push Elizabeth ever closer to climax. She kissed the inside of Elizabeth's thighs, nipped at the skin with her teeth, and massaged the tight muscles until they were soft and relaxed. Elizabeth dropped her head back against the cupboard, her eyes barely open as she looked out into the living room.

She couldn't see the water from this vantage, but the moonlight flickered off the water and danced on the glass of the windows. Elizabeth focused on that sight, grunting and sighing as Michelle's tongue slipped inside of her. She reached down and found Michelle's hand, lacing their fingers together as she tried to hold off her orgasm for as long as possible.

When she couldn't distract herself any longer, she stroked Michelle's hair back from her forehead. She looked down and saw Michelle was staring at her, green eyes bright even in the darkness. "I'm going to come," she whispered, and nodded that it was okay.

Michelle curled her tongue and pushed it deep into her, and Elizabeth arched her back. When Michelle's tongue withdrew, Elizabeth whimpered until her wet lips closed around her clit. Elizabeth bit down on her bottom lip to keep from crying out, her body arched, standing on her toes as her orgasm washed over her.

Michelle wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's waist and pulled her close. She rested her cheek against Elizabeth's stomach, holding her until she stopped trembling. Elizabeth sagged against the counter, trying to catch her breath, stroking Michelle's hair.

Finally, Michelle leaned back and gave Elizabeth's stomach a final kiss. She pulled up Elizabeth's pants as she stood, standing in front of her with her head bowed as she carefully tugged up Elizabeth's panties and then fastened her trousers. She put her hand on Elizabeth's bare stomach and traced her navel with the pad of her thumb.

Elizabeth cupped Michelle's breast and ran her thumb over the nipple before she pulled the nightgown back up. They kissed tenderly, and then finally pulled apart.

"That was exactly what I needed," Michelle whispered. "It's been so long."

"For me, too," Elizabeth said.

Michelle said, "Come upstairs with me. We don't have to do anything, I just want... to be in bed with you. At least until I fall asleep."

Elizabeth didn't stop to think, knowing she would decide it was a bad idea and be forced to refuse if she did. So she just nodded, took Michelle's hand, and let herself be led upstairs.

#

Elizabeth kept her trousers on, but she took off her blouse before she slipped under Michelle's covers. Michelle took off her nightgown and curled against Elizabeth's side in the nude, her head resting on Elizabeth's shoulder. "Once I'm asleep, I'm out," Michelle said. "You can move me and free yourself whenever you want."

It wasn't long before Michelle's breathing steadied with slumber, but Elizabeth was reluctant to leave so soon. She ran her fingers up and down Michelle's naked back, getting used to the feeling of being in bed with another person again. She looked out the window, watching the shadows of trees move against the glass. The house creaked a few times, protesting as it settled. There was a tense moment when another door opened and someone moved stealthily down the hall. From the distance, Elizabeth knew that it was Kelly. She closed her eyes and held her breath until she heard the bathroom door close.

Elizabeth didn't relax until Kelly left the bathroom and moved back down the hall to her room. Michelle murmured in her sleep, and Elizabeth stroked her back until she quieted again.

Dozens of thoughts vied for attention in Elizabeth's mind, none of them ever gaining dominance over the others. She thought about Keith Finch, and Zoe, and Kelly. Egypt kept popping into her mind, and everything that came after Egypt. The mistakes that were made from that one conversation. She turned her head and kissed Michelle's forehead. As promised, Michelle didn't stir as Elizabeth disentangled herself from the bed. She pulled the blankets up over Michelle's shoulders, kissed her lips, and put her blouse back on before she left the bedroom.

She quietly closed the door and turned toward the stairs. She reached to start buttoning her blouse, turning toward the stairs when she heard a door open. She froze, her hand holding the top of her blouse closed as she looked over her shoulder at Everett Drake.

He had changed into pajamas, a pair of plaid pants and a white T-shirt. He looked at her, looked at her hand on the doorknob, and smiled ruefully. When he spoke, he kept his voice low. "Well. It's not like she can overnight at a hotel on the mainland, is it?"

Elizabeth cleared her throat quietly. "Sorry. I'll just..." She gestured toward the stairs.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "We... have a bit of an arrangement. I take advantage of it more than she does."

"Right. I should get back downstairs before Kelly wakes up and runs into it."

Everett nodded and Elizabeth turned her back on him. She slipped into her own bedroom and leaned against the door, closing her eyes as she silently cursed herself. She heard Everett go downstairs and into the kitchen. Her face grew hot as she wondered what would have happened if he'd gone for a midnight snack just an hour earlier. Would he have been so understanding if he'd actually walked in on his wife and another woman?

She undressed in the dark and went to the window naked. She looked down the slope of the roof to the lawn, the grass split into light and dark by the shadow of the house. While she was watching, someone walked across the lawn from the line of trees toward the northeast corner of the house. She tensed until she recognized Theo's silhouette.

Elizabeth went back into the dark bedroom. She opened her suitcase and put on a pair of sweatpants and an old T-shirt that reached her thighs. When Everett returned to his room, Elizabeth went into the bathroom and washed her face. She ran her wet fingers through her hair, resting her elbows on the edge of the sink as she tried to absorb the events of the day. Chasing a man through the mall, having sex with the wife of her client, finding a possible lead to who was trying to grab Kelly.

The thing she hadn't let herself consider, the main sticking point of the evening, was that her job had just gotten a lot harder. Keith Finch, if he did turn out to be the one behind the threats, wasn't going to just back down and he had made it clear that he wasn't willing to take the ransom and fade away.

She'd known people like Keith Finch before, and she knew that if she wanted to keep Kelly safe, it was going to come down to a fight. She just had to make sure she was ready when it came down to the moment of truth.

Chapter Eighteen

Elizabeth walked out of the house just before dawn, when the sun was just a slight discoloration over the water in the eastern sky. Theo was walking back up the drive toward his car, but he stopped when he heard the door open and turned to meet her halfway. "I seem to remember this from the last time we worked together," he said. "I'm still not convinced you sleep."

"I get what I need," Elizabeth said. She looked around the perimeter of the yard. "Anything worth noting?"

"I saw some rabbits," Theo said. He pointed toward the woods. "And I think I actually saw a fox. Have you ever seen a fox?"

"Sure, all the time around my cabin."

"Hm. I've never seen one in real life. Too much of a city boy, I guess," Theo said. "I thought it was a dog at first, but it had that tail. Just like a damn cartoon." He smiled, his teeth flashing white in the darkness. When Elizabeth didn't return the smile, he said, "Something on your mind?"

Elizabeth sighed heavily and shuffled her feet. "I screwed up, Theo."

"You slept with the mother?" She frowned at him, and he smiled. "When Zoe got back with Kelly, Mrs. Drake fretted and doted on her as much as you would expect. But as soon as it was clear Kelly was okay, all of Mrs. Drake's questions became about you. Where you were, if you were okay, if the guy might have hurt you... As long as whatever you do with her doesn't affect the job, I don't see what it'll hurt. I assume you've had relationships in the past with people close to the job."

Elizabeth looked at him to see if he was being cagey. "What do you mean?"

"With a job like ours, I know it's hard to trust an outsider. I know about you and Zoe, for instance."

"Right," Elizabeth said.

"What did you think I meant?"

Elizabeth looked past Theo to the road. "Michelle gave me some information earlier tonight. She thinks the person behind the attempted abductions is a man named Keith Finch."

"Who is he?"

"Stockholder in the Drake company, and biological father of Kelly Drake."

Theo whistled and shook his head. "Damn. How'd I miss that? Does Everett know?"

"No. Michelle wasn't convinced it was him until the thing with the ransom demand."

"I'll have Wade get on it. He's been digging into that phone all night, so he'll be glad to have a new angle to explore."

Elizabeth checked her watch and said, "I'm going to go back inside and try to get some sleep before everyone gets up for the day. I've got my earpiece in if anything happens."

Theo nodded. She started back to the house and Theo called her name. She turned and he said, "Whatever you thought I meant when I asked about past relationships. I obviously don't know what you were thinking about, so it obviously didn't affect your work. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Thanks, Theo. I'll try to keep that in mind."

They parted ways, and Elizabeth slipped silently back into the house. She glanced up to the second floor and saw all the bedrooms were dark, so she went to the couch and lay down. She propped her head up with a pillow, resting her hand on her stomach, and stared out the window until she began to drift off.

She woke slightly when Everett Drake came downstairs, lying still while he took something from the fridge and then went out through the mudroom. A few minutes later she heard his car going from the garage to the driveway, idling briefly before moving on. She assumed the pause was so he could speak with Theo and get an update about the night. When he was gone, she drifted again. Before long, sleep took her and she drifted back to a place she truly didn't want to go; Egypt, two months after Joseph Sullivan's election.

#

_Cairo, three years earlier_ -

The entire floor had been sealed off, with guards posted at the stairwell entrance and by the banks of elevators. The hotel was sweltering, a problem with the central air system, and the staff was working frantically to get it fixed. In deference to the heat, all of the Secret Service agents on the floor had abandoned their blazers and had their shirt sleeves rolled up. The President didn't mind, and he figured losing the coats would make their guns easier to grab in the event of an emergency. Elizabeth was patrolling the far end of the corridor when another agent scanned the hall and spotted her.

"Agent Caine. Mountain wants to talk to you."

Elizabeth frowned. "Me specifically?"

"He asked for the agent in charge of Minuet's security."

Elizabeth followed the agent back to the Presidential suite. As far as she knew, Dawn Sullivan was sleeping off their trip in her hotel room, the entrance flanked by two agents. There were also two agents inside the suite itself, forming a second line of defense between intruders and the bedroom. The President shouldn't have any issues with the arrangement, but she couldn't think of any other reason she'd be summoned.

The agent escorted Elizabeth into Sullivan's suite and guided her to the office next to the bedroom. Sullivan was standing by the window in a dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up like everyone else's due to the heat. He'd loosened his tie and undone the top button of his shirt, and she saw that he was speaking on a cell phone when he turned to face her. He waved her forward and then held up two fingers to ask if she'd wait.

Elizabeth nodded and clasped her hands behind her back, scanning the room while she waited for him to finish his call. She was very aware that she was, for the first time, alone with the most powerful man in the world. Whether she was a fan of his politics or not, it was hard not to be overwhelmed.

Sullivan finally finished his call and dropped the phone on the desk. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine, sir."

"What was your name? I'm sorry. I've heard two things, Lisa and Beth..."

"It's Elizabeth Caine."

He pulled out his chair and sat down. "Have a seat, Agent Caine. I'd like to speak with you about something that's incredibly sensitive. I need to know I have your discretion."

"That goes without saying, sir," Elizabeth said as she took a seat.

He nodded and clasped his hands in front of him as he considered his next statement. To Elizabeth, it looked like he was posing for a magazine cover. The President, Hard at Work. He pressed his lips together and then finally looked at her again. "It's concerning my wife. I mean, obviously, considering you're here. We've been under quite a bit of scrutiny since I announced my candidacy. Everything has been put under a microscope. So naturally some... perhaps unsavory things have been put aside. My smoking, for instance. I would take your gun and shoot out this window, rappel down the side of the building, and swim across the Nile for a nice Cuban cigar."

He flashed the smile that had gotten him so far on the campaign trail. Elizabeth returned it with a forced smile of her own.

"I assure you, sir, if there's anything Mrs. Sullivan requires, we can get it for her with the utmost respect for her privacy."

"I'm sure you could, I'm sure you could," the President said. "It's a little more sensitive than that. I was never exactly interested in settling down, but my polls showed that it was highly unlikely that an unmarried man could get elected President. Hell, I would have had a difficult time getting elected Senator without Dawn by my side. Our relationship is a business arrangement and nothing more."

Elizabeth cleared her throat and said, "Sir, I'm not entirely certain you should be sharing this with me."

He held up a hand to stop any further debate. "Please let me finish. My Secret Service boys are aware of my extracurricular activities. Instead of trying to keep me incognito at a strip club, they bring the strippers to me. You'd be surprised how little money it takes to ensure they keep quiet about who they're dancing for. The other woman cost... more."

Elizabeth looked past him to the window. She could see the Nile outside, and considered using the President's rappelling idea for her own escape.

"My wife prefers the company of other women. She doesn't need strippers escorted in through back doors and she doesn't need a different partner every night. But she has needs like everyone else." He leaned back in his chair. "She likes you. She has reason to believe that you would be open to such an arrangement, but she asked me to bring it to you."

"Why you?" Elizabeth asked. She then hastily added, "Sir."

He smiled. "She could have brought it to you herself, assured you that I knew all about it. But would you have felt comfortable confirming the information with me? Coming to me for permission to sleep with my wife?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and admitted he had a point.

"She didn't want to put you in the position of trying to keep a secret from me. Not that you would, of course."

"Of course," Elizabeth said.

"This way it's certain that I'm okay with it. And if you decide to say no, you and Dawn can pretend this never happened."

Elizabeth nodded. "I'm not sure what to say."

"You don't have to make a decision right now. When you've made your decision, it'll be between you and Dawn. There's no need for me to know." He smiled at her again, and Elizabeth's skin crawled a bit.

Elizabeth stood and said, "If that's all, sir?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, you can go. Think about it."

"I will, sir," she said. She left the office, unsure if she should believe that conversation had really just taken place. The President of the United States had just asked her to seduce his wife. Dawn was a gorgeous woman, but under the circumstances, she might as well be considered forbidden fruit. Accepting the offer would be career suicide, personal suicide. If anyone found out, and in the digital age it would be far too easy for anyone to find out, then it would be the end of everything. Her career would be over, and her personal life would become fodder for pundits and comedians across the country.

The First Lady's suite was next door to the President's, connected by a small anteroom in their living rooms. Elizabeth went through, the agents standing guard tensing until they recognized her as one of their own. Agent Dryden was the agent in charge when Elizabeth was gone, and she stood to give her report.

"Is she still asleep, Del?"

"I don't think so, ma'am. We've been hearing movement in there for about fifteen minutes. Michaels checked on her and everything is five-by-five."

Elizabeth nodded. "Okay." She took her earpiece out and let it hang over her shoulder. "I need to discuss something with her."

"We'll be just outside if you need us."

Dryden and the other agent left the suite, and Elizabeth went to the bedroom door. She knocked quietly and waited for the acknowledgement before she stepped inside. The curtains were drawn, casting an amber hue over everything in the room. Dawn was sitting on the edge of the bed in her slip, running a wet washcloth over her throat. Her hair was damp, and her skin shone in the dim light. She turned her head and smiled.

"Hi, Agent Caine. I guess I'm not very good at handling the heat. I miss Maine summers."

Elizabeth smiled nervously. "Well, I've always thought that a cool bath does wonders."

"I was just about to try that."

Elizabeth started to say something twice, but the words died in her throat. Finally she said, "Maybe I could wash your back for you."

Dawn's hand hesitated, the washcloth resting on her chest. The water glistened on her fingers, and Elizabeth was very aware of Dawn's body underneath her slip. The silence dragged on, and Elizabeth thought, _Shit. I just got myself fired._

"That's not exactly in your job description, Agent Caine..."

"I've been working all day. I could do with some personal time."

Dawn had been looking at the floor, but she finally smiled and stood up. "I'll go run the water."

Elizabeth watched Dawn cross the room, and she stopped in the open door of the bathroom. She kept her back to Elizabeth when she hooked her thumbs under the straps of her slip, lifted them slightly, and let the material fall. Elizabeth ran her eyes down the First Lady's naked back, the flare of her hips and the cheeks of her ass. After a moment, Dawn turned on the bathroom light and stepped inside, out of sight. Elizabeth heard the water begin to fill the tub and her trance was broken.

She took off her radio, dumping it on the foot of the bed as she passed. Her hand went to her collar and began to undo the buttons of her blouse as she joined Dawn in the bathroom.

#

Elizabeth woke in the Drake living room three years later, blinking at the morning sun coming in through the window. The sound that had woken her repeated, and she looked up to see Kelly's bedroom door was ajar. A few seconds later she heard the water start running in the shower.

Elizabeth sat up and rubbed her eyes trying to push the Egypt memory back to the far part of her memory where it belonged. She was still perched on the edge of the couch when Kelly came downstairs in a pair of ratty jeans and an oversized baseball jersey with Grayson's name on the back. "Hey," she said. "Did you sleep down here?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said.

Kelly shook her head as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. "I hope Dad's paying you a crapload for all the sleep you're missing."

Elizabeth had to smile at that. "Well, I don't know the dollar to crapload exchange rate, but I don't sleep that much even when I'm at home. It's fine."

She shook her head when Kelly offered to pour her a bowl of cereal, and Kelly brought her bowl into the living room and sat next to Elizabeth on the couch.

"So what's the plan for today?" Elizabeth said.

Kelly pondered as she chewed her first bite of cereal, staring at the ceiling with a look of utter concentration. Finally she said, "I don't know. We might go check out a movie in town."

"That would be 'we' including Grayson?"

"Yeah."

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow, but she didn't comment. "Just let me know when you're ready to go and I'll follow your lead." Kelly ate some more cereal and Elizabeth said, "Are you sure you want to go out today? After what happened last night, I kind of thought you'd want to hang around the house."

Kelly considered that and said, "Uh-uh. I'm going to lock myself in a room just 'cause some moron wants to kidnap me? Screw that. I'm not going to change who I am just because of some screwball."

Elizabeth smiled. "Atta girl."

Kelly's bravado faded slightly and she said, "I mean, as long as you'll be there."

Elizabeth held up her fist and said, "Someone wants you, they'll have to try and get past me first."

"I don't see that happening very easily," Kelly said. She tapped her fist against Elizabeth's and then went back to eating her cereal.

Michelle came downstairs in a knee-length dress and a white blouse. "Morning, sweetheart," she said. Her gaze lingered on Elizabeth and she added, "Good morning, Ms. Caine. Hope you slept well."

"Like a baby," Elizabeth said.

Michelle smiled and turned away so Kelly wouldn't see her blush. Elizabeth stood up and said, "I'm going to head up and take a shower, change into something clean. Let me know when you're ready to head out."

"Okay," Kelly said.

Elizabeth looked at Michelle once more before she left the living room and headed upstairs to wash off the night and prepare for the day ahead of her.
Chapter Nineteen

The street sloped up away from the harbor, the buildings seemingly given stadium seating so they could look down on the water. Elizabeth sat on a bench outside a convenience store, either end of the bench was shaded by trees that were surrounded by small black fences. Zoe was inside the store with Kelly, Grayson and the girl Elizabeth referred to as Costello. They had spent the morning wandering from one kitschy tourist shop to another, exploring three stores before Elizabeth realized that the shopping was for her benefit. Kelly insisted on buying Elizabeth a souvenir from her time on the island, and Elizabeth finally relented and chose a wood carving of an orca whale.

Elizabeth was grateful for the fresh air and the warm weather. The sun was just barely peeking around the clouds, happy to just make its presence known without turning the day into a scorcher. Kelly had been in the store for three minutes when Wade sat next to Elizabeth on the bench and made a sound of derision.

"Problem?" she said.

"This place makes me queasy."

"It's a perfectly nice place," Elizabeth said. "It's a _beautiful_ place. People are friendly and polite. What's not to like?"

Wade said, "You were listing things I should consider good, right?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "What do you have on Keith Finch?"

"Not a lot. I'll have you know I was seconds away from figuring out who made the call when you had Theo spoil everything. How'd you like it if I finished your crossword puzzle?"

"I don't do crossword puzzles."

Wade twisted his lips and looked up and down the street. "This place makes me itchy. All right, Keith Finch. He owns a landscaping company. A pretty big one from what it sounds like; offices in Seattle and Portland both. Residential and commercial properties. He owns stock in the Drakes company, so I guess that's what connects them. Why he decided he wants the guy's daughter but not his money, I don't know. Takes all types. I looked at his financials. He's bought some very expensive things in the last few weeks. I'm figuring hired child-snatchers."

"The money go to anyone you recognize?"

"A couple of old friends," Wade admitted. "Of course if they make a habit of this sort of assignment I'll have to reconsider doing business with them in the future."

"By which you mean you'll just charge them double."

Wade smiled. "Their ill-gotten gains will spend just as well in my pocket."

Kelly and Zoe came out of the store and Kelly nervously looked at Wade. Elizabeth said, "Don't worry, he's with us. And he was just leaving."

Wade pushed himself up and said, "Yes, I was just leaving. I'll let you know if I find out anything else." He looked at Zoe and smiled. "Detective Forrest."

Zoe glared at him until he had walked away, his hands in his pockets and his head ducked as he moved down the sidewalk.

"You guys have history?" Elizabeth said as she stood up.

"That's one way of putting it," Zoe said, watching Wade's back grow smaller. "I'm ninety percent sure he's the reason we picked up a John Doe about a year and a half back. No evidence, though, so we had to let him go. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you, Liz?"

Elizabeth said, "I was a little busy a year and a half ago."

Zoe winced and said, "Damn. I'm..."

"Don't worry about it," Elizabeth said. "Where are Grayson and Cost-- and your other friend?"

"They're still checking out, but I thought you'd be lonely," Kelly said. She had a white plastic bag hooked around her wrist. "We're thinking of going to the 12:15 showing. How's that work?"

"Works fine with me," Elizabeth said. "You want to grab some lunch first?"

Kelly said, "Oh! Sure." She scanned both sides of the street for a suitable restaurant. "Joe Lack's Pizza is just around the corner. We could go there and get a slice before we go to the theater. Do you need to check it out before we actually go?"

"I can check it out when we get there," Elizabeth said.

Grayson and Costello came out of the store with a bag each. Costello hurried to Kelly's side as if spending a few minutes alone with Grayson was more than she could bear. Elizabeth knew the feeling.

"We're heading over to Joe Lack's," Kelly said. "We should have enough time to eat and then catch the movie."

"Sounds like a plan," Grayson said, draping his arm across Kelly's shoulders. "I could go for a slice or two. Lead the way."

Kelly and Grayson took the lead, with Zoe walking on the street-side of the sidewalk beside them. Elizabeth walked behind Kelly, and Costello brought up the rear of their little group. They walked past the ferry lanes and turned onto the boardwalk. Joe Lack's Pizza was tucked away at the end of what Elizabeth took to be an alley, the entrance hidden behind a flight of stairs. The back door of a seafood restaurant was open, and two female chefs were sitting on the bottom step smoking cigarettes.

"You work here?" Elizabeth asked the chefs.

"Yeah. I'm Molly, this is Shane. What's going on?"

Elizabeth's shoulder holster was covered by her blazer, but the chef named Shane was looking at the bulge with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

Elizabeth ignored the question. "About how long does your smoke break usually last?"

"Actually we should probably get back to work," Shane said. She stood up and gave Molly a hand, pulling her up as well. They both glanced at the teenagers Elizabeth was with, and then disappeared into the kitchen again. Once the door was closed, Elizabeth motioned for Zoe to go ahead into the pizza parlor to secure the location.

"That was totally badass," Costello said. "You just, like, kicked them out of their smoking spot."

"It wasn't badass," Kelly said. To Elizabeth, she said, "They could have stayed. I know them. I see them here all the time. They're not kidnappers."

" _I_ didn't know them," Elizabeth said. "That's all that matters. I don't want you going into this place without a clear exit. They were blocking that exit."

"You didn't have to be such a bitch about it."

Elizabeth stepped closer to Kelly. "If I have to be a bitch to a stranger to keep you safe, I will. I don't care if I hurt their feelings. I care about making sure I know who is around you at all times. I might have to step on a few toes to do that. I'm not asking if you're comfortable with that, I'm telling you that it's how things are going to be."

Grayson and Costello were both stunned into silence, and Kelly was staring at the ground with fierce determination.

Zoe came out of the pizza shop and said, "Everything's clear if we still plan on eating."

"Kelly?" Elizabeth said.

"Yeah," Kelly said softly. She finally met Elizabeth's eyes and her demeanor seemed to soften. "Sorry. I just don't like the idea of being treated like this. You know? Like they have to leave because I wanted pizza."

"I know. But for right now, that's the way it has to be. Once we catch whoever is behind this, things will go back to normal."

Kelly seemed to consider something, her brow furrowed. "Yeah. I guess it will." She chewed her lip and said, "Sorry I called you a bitch."

Elizabeth smiled and put her hand on Kelly's shoulder, guiding Kelly into the pizza parlor. "I've been called worse for doing less. Come on. The smell of pepperoni is driving me _crazy_."

Grayson decided to order a large pizza for the entire table, half pepperoni and half sausage, and chose a booth in the back corner. A large mural of the island was painted on the wall across from the front door, and Elizabeth glanced at it as they sat down. The town of December Harbor was comically large on the map, blown up to show cartoon-like detail. There was another town, equally enhanced, on the northern part of the island.

They were the only customers in the restaurant, and Elizabeth took a seat that faced the entrance. Apparently the door was propped open at all times to let the smell drift out and draw people from the boardwalk into the store's Venus Flytrap. It was cozy and felt hidden away from the main drag. Elizabeth doubted she could have found it on her own, so she was grateful to have Kelly as her tour guide.

The pizza was as delicious as the smell had promised. Elizabeth ate one-handed, keeping her other hand free for her weapon. A few tourists came in while they ate, and Elizabeth did a quick visual scan of each group as they entered. The teenagers discussed their purchases as they ate their lunch. Kelly kept an eye on the clock, the group's self-appointed timekeeper to make sure they got to the movie on time.

A half an hour before show time, Kelly wiped the grease from her fingers and declared it was time to go. "I want to get there early so I can get a good seat. Tina, can you ask Joe if we can have the rest of the pizza to-go?"

Costello nodded and slipped out of the booth. She went up to the counter and waited for another customer to place their order so she could speak to the clerk.

"Okay, potty break. And since I'm five years old, I need someone to come with me." She looked between Elizabeth and Zoe.

Zoe said, "I'll go. I need to wash my hands anyway. Good pizza is bad for my fingers."

Elizabeth stood up and started gathering the discarded napkins, and Grayson slid to the edge of the booth to watch her. "Hey," he said.

Elizabeth said, "Hi."

"You know, Tina was right. Out there? You were totally badass getting those chicks to move."

"I didn't get them to move," Elizabeth said. "I was just making sure they weren't a threat."

Grayson stood up from the booth, sticking his hands into his pockets and trying to look casual. "Yeah, I know, whatever. But still, you're so kickass. You're awesome. Did you, uh, think anything about what happened last night?"

Elizabeth frowned, misinterpreting his meaning. Then it came back to her; his attempt to hit on her outside the mall restrooms. "Not even for a second, Aaron."

"C'mon. You know how many chicks your age would want a high school guy like me?"

"I got a good idea," Elizabeth said. "But why don't you go try and find one of them?"

"I like the one that's right here," Grayson said. He stepped forward before Elizabeth could react, lips puckered for a kiss. Elizabeth brought her hands up, sweeping his arms away from her before his hands could land on her arms. Her knee came up like a piston and Grayson yelped and collapsed inward with both hands over his crotch. Elizabeth put a hand in the middle of his chest and shoved, knocking him flat on his back in the booth he'd just vacated.

"Don't you _ever_..." Elizabeth barked.

"Liz?"

Elizabeth spun and saw Kelly and Zoe standing at the entrance to the restrooms. Zoe looked confused, but the only word for Kelly's expression was devastation. Grayson whimpered in pain, still cradling his injured manhood, and Elizabeth swept her hair out of her face with one hand. "Kelly..."

"You son of a bitch!" Kelly suddenly shouted. Everyone in the restaurant froze at the shriek, every eye locking on the group in the corner. Kelly lurched forward and Elizabeth moved to get between her and Grayson before she could do any more harm. Kelly, however, shifted her weight from her left foot to her right and pushed past Elizabeth's extended arm like it was a subway turnstile.

"Stop her!" Elizabeth shouted, but no one between Kelly and the door moved out of pure shock. Elizabeth broke into a run and the other customers broke their paralysis just long enough to bumble into her way. She shoved them out of her way as diplomatically as possible, sure that she sent one tourist sprawling against the glass countertop. That wasn't her problem, however. Kelly rounded the corner ten seconds before Elizabeth reached it, turning left and away from the part of town Elizabeth was familiar with.

She touched her ear and shouted Theo's name, desperately hoping he was somewhere in the vicinity. She reached the boardwalk and scanned the groups of tourists, looking for the baseball jersey or the trailing flag of brown hair. She ran to where the street turned north and found herself on a completely unknown street. Cars were parked along both sides of the road, and the sidewalk was regularly shaded by tall trees with leaves turning color.

"Elizabeth, what the hell is--"

"Hold," Elizabeth snapped as she ran forward. There was something on the ground, something she prayed was not what it looked like. She bent at the waist and snatched it up, her heart sinking as she recognized the baseball jersey Kelly had been wearing all day. She turned in a fast circle, looking toward the intersection and between the buildings. Tears burned in her eyes and she could barely breathe.

Zoe rounded the corner behind her and scanned the street before she locked onto Elizabeth. She closed the distance between them as Elizabeth turned and pounded her fist into the wooden facade of a tourist shop.

"What the hell is going on down there?" Theo demanded.

"I lost her," Elizabeth growled, her voice raw. Her face burned as she sagged against the wall. "Kelly's gone."
Chapter Twenty

Elizabeth couldn't think, couldn't focus on what was happening around her. A crowd had gathered, and Theo was orchestrating Wade and Zoe's movements. Wade ran off, and Zoe knelt next to Elizabeth to check on her. Elizabeth waved her off, focusing on the baseball jersey that had been lying on the sidewalk. She twisted it in her hands and stared at a spot ahead of her, eyes unfocused, blood rushing in her ears.

She felt a hand on her shoulder but didn't react to it. "Beth," Theo said softly. "This wasn't your fault."

"The hell it's not," Elizabeth said softly without looking at him.

"Finch doesn't want to hurt her. He wants _her_. He's not going to hurt her."

"You don't know that," Elizabeth said. "Finch isn't grabbing her himself; he hired those goons to do the dirty work for him. If Kelly resists or tries to get away or demands to be taken home, you don't know what he'll do."

Theo said, "And neither do you. Let's not panic until we have a better idea of what's going on here, all right?"

She closed her eyes and nodded, then rested her head against the wall. She was sitting on the sidewalk, knees bent to support her arms. She continued to twist the jersey, running her fingers over the stretched material like it was a string of prayer beads. Holding it was a tie to Kelly, a connection to her. As long as she had the shirt, she had a connection to Kelly.

Elizabeth opened her eyes when she heard two cars arrive at the curb. The police station was just a block away, so Theo's call brought a response within a matter of minutes. Theo and Zoe were standing nearby as the cops stepped from their cars and joined the group on the sidewalk.

The sheriff was a tall, older man with a shaven head. He looked down at Elizabeth, scanned the crowd on the street and finally focused on Theo as the man in charge. "I assume you're the man who called me. Why don't we start with the introductions; I'm Sheriff Cal Rucker, this is Deputy Randy White. I've been told you three are private protection."

"That's right," Theo said. "Theodore Hudson, Hudson Private Security. This is Zoe Forrest, and Elizabeth Caine. Everett Drake hired us to protect his daughter following several kidnapping attempts. The girl was grabbed approximately eight minutes ago from this general area. We've got a man at the ferry lanes in case whoever took her is trying to make an escape, and I was about to send Ms. Forrest up to the roof to take a look from an elevated position."

Rucker nodded and said, "I sent out my two other cars to canvas the area. We're not a big department, but it's not that big of an island. If she's nearby, we'll find her."

Elizabeth was only partially listening to their plans. She thought of Kelly, devastated and crying, and someone stepping out of a car and pulling her inside. _I can't lose her. I won't survive. I'll put my gun in my mouth and end it all..._

"Ms. Caine?"

Elizabeth looked up to see everyone was looking at her.

Theo said, "The police need the shirt."

"Right," Elizabeth said. She pushed herself up and released her grip on the shirt. The material unfolded from the twist she'd put it into and Elizabeth stood up to hand it over.

The sheriff took the shirt. "We don't have any official scent-tracking dogs, but there are duck hunters on the island. I can guarantee one of them has a dog that can help us out."

Elizabeth was staring at the shirt. "Kelly didn't get grabbed."

Everyone looked at her. "Pardon?" the sheriff said.

Elizabeth stepped back and scanned the crowd until she found Costello and Grayson standing near the corner. Elizabeth ran to them and said, "Costello, where is the baseball field?" The girl looked at Grayson, and Elizabeth put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I don't know your name, but I need to know where the baseball field is."

"Uh, it's a couple of blocks that way," she said, pointing. "About a block past the high school."

Elizabeth turned and went back to where Theo, Zoe and the police were looking at her. "Kelly's at the baseball field. I need a car."

Rucker said, "I'll take you."

Elizabeth climbed into the passenger seat of the sheriff's patrol car, tapping her foot against the floorboard as he walked around the front and got behind the wheel. When he pulled away from the curb, he turned on the lights but left the siren off. He still had Kelly's baseball jersey in his hand when he got into the car, and he placed it on the dashboard as he drove.

"Care to tell me why you suddenly think the girl wasn't grabbed?"

Elizabeth took the jersey and turned it so the back was facing Rucker. "This is her boyfriend's jersey. She ran because she caught him making a pass at me."

Rucker glanced at the name and said, "Aaron Grayson?" He chuckled and shook his head. "That kid's a walking hormone. All kids are at that age, to a point, but he's a real piece of work."

They passed the high school and a memorial park, and Rucker pulled into the parking lot of a sporting center. The baseball field was on the northern edge of the property, surrounded by a tall chain-link fence. The stands were blocked by a tall brick building, and Elizabeth unfastened her seatbelt as Rucker pulled up in front of it. "You sure she's here?"

"Yeah. This is something I need to do alone, Sheriff. Can you wait for me here? I should probably talk to her alone."

"Will do."

Elizabeth climbed out of the car and jogged to the edge of the fence. The stands were on the east side of the stadium, a tall row of bench seats that were shaded by a green awning. There was only one person sitting there today. Elizabeth felt the tension melt from her muscles as she went through the fence and crossed the field to the wooden steps that led up into the bleachers. She touched her ear and said, "Theo."

"Copy."

"I found her. She wasn't grabbed; she's safe."

"Thank God. Are you on the way back with her?"

Elizabeth said, "Negative. I'm going to have a talk with her first. I think she needs it. I'll let you know when we're headed back."

Kelly had her feet up on the bench in front of her, bent forward to rest her head in the crook of her arm. She'd been wearing a plain white T-shirt under her discarded jersey, and Elizabeth could see the bumps of her spine through the thin material. She took off her blazer as she approached and said, "You're probably cold."

Kelly lifted her head, eyes red from crying, and she turned away quickly to brush her face. "I don't wanna talk."

"Too bad," Elizabeth said. She draped the coat over Kelly's shoulders and, despite her protests, Kelly burrowed into the warmth. She held the lapels of the coat closed with one hand, the other still wiping at her eyes as she looked down at the field. Elizabeth sat down a few feet from Kelly, giving her space.

"Are you mad at me?"

"I am," Elizabeth said. She had to resist the urge to yell, to shake Kelly and tell her how stupid she'd been to run off like that. But she knew that being angry would just make her retreat further into her shell. "You put yourself into danger, and I'd be mad at anyone who did that. But we can deal with all of that later. Right now I'm just glad you're safe."

"Sorry," Kelly said quietly. "I just had to get away from... _him_. He's such a prick," she said, her voice breaking on the last word and setting off another round of tears.

Elizabeth looked out over the field, letting Kelly cry over the end of her first romance. The baseball field looked barren, with untended grass starting to turn yellow from neglect. On the other side of the chain link fence beyond center field, Elizabeth saw the occasional car or pedestrian breeze past. It was peaceful, and it helped her push away the anguish she had felt when she thought Kelly was in danger.

When she was all cried out, Kelly wiped her eyes on the sleeve of Elizabeth's blazer and sniffled. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Your parents mentioned that you played baseball over the summer. I figured this was probably the one place you've been lately that was all about you instead of Grayson."

Kelly laughed quietly. "Yeah. He came to all of my games at first, but then he was always just too busy. I didn't really mind. It was nice to have an afternoon where I didn't have to worry about being his girlfriend. Guess I won't have to worry about that at all now." She nodded at the diamond. "I play right field."

"Like Babe Ruth. And I guess that means you have to be fast, which explains how you got away from me back there."

Kelly blushed. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking. I'm also sorry for Grayson groping you."

"It's fine," Elizabeth said. "He touched me, I touched him back."

"I saw that," Kelly laughed. She sighed and said, "Grayson and I were so done. We weren't going to last even two more months. I just had been with him so long that I didn't want to start over, you know? It was scary thinking about just ending things and going back to being alone." Elizabeth tried not to think about how Kelly's parents were staying together for the same reason. "I wish I'd just dumped him when school started and saved everyone the trouble."

Elizabeth said, "You're in high school. You're allowed to make bad decisions about boys. In fact, I think it's a prerequisite. But right now we should probably get back to let everyone know you're all right."

Kelly sighed and wiped her face on the sleeves again. She stood up and followed Elizabeth out of the stands.

"Are you going to tell my parents I ran off?"

"I don't know. We may have to, just because the police got involved."

"The police?"

Elizabeth nodded. "We thought someone had grabbed you."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's all worked out," Elizabeth said. She put her hand on Kelly's shoulder and guided her from the stands. As they crossed the field to the parking lot, Elizabeth said, "Theo. The sheriff and I are heading back with Kelly now."

"Copy."

"Can you just take me home?" Kelly said. "I don't really feel much like being around a whole crowd of people."

"Sure," Elizabeth said. "Theo, change of plans. The sheriff is going to take us back to the Drake house. If you could have someone pick up Kelly's car; it's in front of the library."

Theo said, "Zoe's on it. Where was she?"

"Baseball field," Elizabeth said.

"You did good, Beth."

"No, I just made up for the mistake I made. I'll talk to you when we get back to the Drakes."

"Copy."

Kelly said, "That's so weird when you do that. Just talking into thin air like that."

Elizabeth smiled. "It lets me get away with talking to myself."

Sheriff Rucker was leaning against the driver's side of his car, and he straightened when they approached. He smiled and said, "Well, look who we have here. Caused quite a stir today, Ms. Drake."

"I'm sorry."

Elizabeth said, "You mind making an extra trip out to the Drake house?"

Rucker said, "I'd much rather be a taxi service than leading a missing person search. You might have to give me directions, though."

"No problem," Elizabeth said. She turned to Kelly and gestured at the car. "Want to ride in the backseat of a police car? Hopefully it'll be the only chance you ever get."

"Sure," Kelly said.

Elizabeth opened the back door for Kelly and then slid into the passenger seat beside the Sheriff. As he pulled out of the parking lot, Elizabeth closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat. She was coming down off the second adrenaline high in a thirty-six hour period and she felt like she was about to crash entirely. The relief of finding Kelly safe threatened to turn into pure exhaustion. Kelly directed the sheriff from the backseat, and Elizabeth let herself drift a little, lulled into a light doze by the motion of the car.

With her defenses down, Elizabeth's traitorous mind cast back to the moment when she'd decided that failure would equal suicide. If Kelly's disappearance had turned out to be the worst case scenario, she wondered if she would have gone through with it. A part of her insisted that she wouldn't have, but a more insistent part asked how she could possibly continue after a loss like that. Would she just take the bruise, wave goodbye to Theo, and head back up to the cabin to live out the rest of her days in silence and solitude? Would that be any better than just ending it all with a bullet?

Elizabeth woke up as Rucker pulled off the main road and onto the Drake driveway.

"Well, here we are. Home sweet home." He twisted in the seat to look at Kelly. "I think this worked out for the best for everyone involved, but try and keep these city-wide panics to a minimum. We're not a very exciting town, and we like it that way."

"We'll do our best," Elizabeth said. "Thanks for the ride, Sheriff."

Rucker shook Elizabeth's hand before she got out of the car. Elizabeth let Kelly out of the back seat, and she thanked the sheriff before she shut the door. Kelly put her arm around Elizabeth's waist as they walked to the house, a gesture that surprised Elizabeth, but she put her arm around Kelly's shoulder. "So you freaked me out, got Theo bent out of shape and got a ride home from the sheriff. Easy part's over."

Kelly said, "Easy part?"

"Now you have to face your mother."

Kelly paled and pressed closer to Elizabeth's side as they went into the house.
Chapter Twenty-One

"Grounded does not even _begin_ to cover it. Until this situation is resolved, you do not leave this house for any reason other than school, or unless Ms. Caine deems it necessary. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kelly said.

The girl was sitting on the couch with chin down and her hands in her lap, the picture of contrition. Michelle was standing in front of her, a volcano of maternal fury. Theo had called to fill her in on the situation, keeping her updated from the moment of Kelly's disappearance to her discovery at the baseball field. Elizabeth had tried to discretely step out of the room, but Michelle asked her to stay to make sure the punishment wouldn't interfere with Kelly's protection. Elizabeth stood awkwardly in the kitchen, grateful for the punishment; she was going to suggest restricting Kelly to the house just for her own protection. Being grounded would effectively take care of that.

Michelle turned to look at Elizabeth. "Anything you care to add?"

"No, I think you covered it all."

Michelle looked at Kelly again and dropped to one knee. She put her arms around Kelly and hugged her, and Kelly's arms went around Michelle. "Never do that again. You had me out of my mind. If anything had happened to you..."

"I know. I'm sorry, Mom."

Michelle held the hug a little longer than necessary before she let Kelly go. "Okay. You can go up to your room."

Kelly stood and veered from the stairs to the kitchen. She gave Elizabeth another hug and said, "Thank you for coming after me. I'll do my best to stop making your job so hard."

Elizabeth laughed quietly. "When the job is worth doing, you don't notice how hard it is."

Kelly released Elizabeth and headed upstairs.

Michelle waited until the bedroom door was closed before she exhaled sharply and pushed her hair out of her face. "Just when I start thinking I got incredibly lucky with a mature and intelligent teenager, she goes and pulls something like this. Thank God you were there for her today, Elizabeth." She walked into the kitchen and said, "I called Everett on the mainland to let him know what happened. He offered to come back, but I told him it wasn't necessary because you'd found her by then."

"He works on the weekends?"

"Oh, no, no. He's on the mainland for golf and... various other activities. Evening the score for last night, as it were."

Elizabeth tensed slightly. "Yeah. We should probably talk about that."

"We should. I got the feeling Everett knows what we did, so maybe Kelly found out, too. Did it have anything to do with Kelly running off the way she did?"

"No, it didn't have anything to do with that," Elizabeth assured her. "She, uh... she saw Grayson coming onto me."

"Oh, God," Michelle said. "How did you handle it?"

"I kneed him in the crotch."

Michelle rolled her eyes and said, "I probably shouldn't wish ill of my daughter's boyfriend, or a teenage boy, but thank God someone finally did it."

"Yeah. And you can probably refer to him as her ex-boyfriend."

Michelle's eyebrows shot up. "You're kidding."

Elizabeth gestured at the balled-up jersey on the living room table. "That's Grayson's. Kelly was wearing it, but she took it off when she ran. Dropped it on the ground and left it behind. It's one of the reasons I thought she'd been grabbed, but apparently she just didn't want his name on her back anymore."

"At least something good can come from this." She leaned against the center island and sighed. "Mr. Hudson wasn't exactly clear what caused her running off. I thought maybe she had seen or heard something."

"As far as I could tell, she doesn't know anything. Everett, on the other hand..."

"Right."

"Will it be a problem?"

"No, he'll be fine with it. He just doesn't particularly like to spend time with me the morning after a 'dalliance.' I don't blame him. I'm fine knowing he has affairs on the mainland, but I'd rather he not bring it home. I suppose I should have had a bit more discretion."

"Maybe we both should have," Elizabeth said. "Until Kelly is safe, my focus should be entirely on her." Which meant, she admitted, that she would also have to put aside investigating the President's death. She was more than happy to forget it for the time being if it meant she could better protect Kelly.

"Probably a good idea," Michelle said. "But afterward..."

"Afterward I'll be going home."

Michelle smiled sadly. "Ah. I didn't think it was going to last forever, but I wish I had known last night would be... it."

"It doesn't have to be," Elizabeth said, moving closer to Michelle. "Once Kelly is safe, I wouldn't be averse to a, uh... victory lap. Just to say goodbye."

Michelle's smile became hopeful. "I would like that."

Elizabeth kissed her softly. Michelle returned the kiss, her fingers resting lightly on Elizabeth's cheek.

Elizabeth heard a car approaching down the driveway and broke the kiss, pausing to stroke Michelle's hair before she stepped back. They retreated to the neutral sides of the kitchen island, and Michelle went to the fridge to retrieve a carton of orange juice.

"I feel like I've grounded you, too. As long as Kelly has to stay home, you're stuck here with her."

"I don't mind," she said. "It's easier to secure her here than random places around town. Trust me, I'll handle it."

Michelle nodded toward the living room. "Well, my laptop is on the desk over there if you want to kill time online."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said. The front door opened and Theo entered. Zoe and Wade were right behind him. Elizabeth pushed away from the counter and pointed at Wade. "Where exactly were _you_ this morning?"

Wade frowned at her.

"When Kelly ran, why didn't you have eyes on her?"

"I was doing what you asked me to do. I was looking into Keith Finch. I know I gave you the impression that I'm omnipresent and all-knowing, but I really only have two hands. No matter how it may appear sometimes. Sorry to disappoint you."

Zoe said, "You wanna point fingers, aim one at me. The girl was standing right next to me when she took off. I didn't grab her quick enough."

Theo said, "There's plenty of blame to go around, believe me. Let's just calm down. Today could have been a lot worse than it ended up being, so let's all just take it as a warning. No harm and no foul."

Elizabeth nodded and said, "Sorry, Wade. Zoe."

Zoe clapped Elizabeth's extended hand, accepting the apology, but Wade continued into the living room. He wasn't shunning her; he just didn't see the point in making a big deal of it. Their argument was settled. Theo followed Wade into the living room and saw Michelle in the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Drake."

"Hello, Mr. Hudson. Would anyone like something to drink?"

Zoe asked for coffee, but only if it was already made, and everyone else took water. Elizabeth, Michelle and Zoe sat on the couch and Wade stood with his back to the windows. Theo took his position in front of the coffee table and pointed upstairs. "The girl is in her room?"

"Where she'll stay for the foreseeable future, except for school," Michelle said. "And unless you guys decide she needs to move, of course."

"Good. Whether it's a lockdown or a grounding, this is where she needs to be. We can make a secure perimeter around the house and keep her safer than we could out in the world. Mrs. Drake, with the new information on who is targeting your daughter, I think we can cut down on protection for you. If you're comfortable with being out on your own, we won't require you to have an escort."

Michelle nodded. "I'll be fine."

Theo said, "Good. Wade, do you have anything to share about Keith Finch?"

"Not much we don't already know. I read the biography on his website. Interesting stuff. He went to college with a major in Botany and Plant Biology. I thought the only plant college students majored in was the kind they smoked. Anyway I checked out his financials."

"You can do that?" Michelle said.

"Not legally. C'mon, no one here is a cop."

Zoe coughed into her fist.

"Bless you," Wade said. "The guy has spent a shitload of money on temporary employees. Allegedly, their company is getting ready to do the end-of-quarter books and he's hiring accountants and bookkeepers and that sort of dull-ass nonsense. But I know some of these brokers he's going through. They don't hire number-crunchers, they hire bone breakers. He's definitely the guy who's sending people after Kathy."

"Kelly," Michelle corrected.

"Who's Kelly?"

Theo said, "He's joking, Mrs. Drake. The bottom line is that Keith Finch has enough money that he won't be bought off. We could wait him out; no matter how rich he is, he won't keep paying indefinitely."

"But you can't watch Kelly indefinitely, either," Michelle said. "What's to keep him from just keeping an eye on the house and coming back when you leave?"

Wade said, "The lady has a point. I can only think of one way to make sure he leaves this family alone once and for all."

Michelle said, "I won't condone violence. If it's a matter of life and death, then fine, do what you must to protect yourselves. But I won't have you send this madman to hurt or kill Keith Finch."

Wade said, "You still banging him?"

Elizabeth snapped, "Wade!"

"It's a good question," Wade said. "Have we determined she's not in contact with the guy anymore? She might have let it slip that Kelly's his daughter during their last tryst in a hotel."

Michelle said, "I want this man out of my house, please."

"Wade," Theo said.

Wade sighed and walked away from the window, crossing the room to go out through the front door. "I'll check the perimeter again. Everyone have a nice, civil conversation." He waved over his shoulder as he left the house.

Once he was gone, Michelle looked down into her cup of orange juice. "He has a valid point. I met Keith Finch at a company party, and that's where Kelly was conceived. It was the first and only time we had sex, but I'd seen him from time to time since then."

"And you never told Everett that you suspected Kelly might not be his?"

"I never let _myself_ believe it. Keith was such an abstract part of our lives that it never seemed necessary to cause ourselves anguish."

Theo said, "It's still not clear to me how Mr. Finch came to know of his paternity. You said that Kelly accompanied you to another company party a few months ago and he became suspicious."

"He became more than suspicious," Michelle said. "He flat-out asked me. I denied it, of course. He said he would tell Everett unless I agreed to have a DNA test done. I was scared. Having an affair is one thing, but discovering your daughter was fathered by another man... it would have destroyed Everett. So I convinced a doctor to help me out. We told Kelly it was just a routine check-up and got her cheek swabbed. I sent in the results and waited. A week later, I found out for sure."

Elizabeth said, "And you told Finch?"

"No. I don't know how he found out. He came by the house one day when Kelly was at school and demanded paternal rights. He wanted partial custody. I wasn't willing to budge. This man was a goddamn stranger. I wasn't going to let him have my daughter for any amount of time."

Zoe said, "Have we established why he wants her?"

"She's his daughter," Michelle said.

"He might think he has some sort of ownership rights over the girl," Theo said. "In his mind, the girl is his property and Michelle is keeping her from him. For some people that might be all--" He blinked and looked toward the window, and then faced the door. "Where did you get an earpiece?"

Elizabeth reached up and touched her earpiece, and Wade's voice came through the small speaker.

"--the house, she didn't say I couldn't eavesdrop. I just thought you guys might be interested in the real reason behind Keith Finch's sudden onset of Wannabe-Daddy Syndrome. When I was digging through his finances, I found a bunch of medical records. Dialysis. He's got a nurse who comes to his house to do the treatments. He's doing fine for the time being, but he needs a transplant. And soon."

Elizabeth leaned back on the couch. "He doesn't want Kelly. He wants her kidney."

Everyone in the room was quiet, absorbing the information. Finally Zoe said, "Is it out of the question?"

"It would have to be Kelly's choice," Theo said.

Michelle said, "Wait. What are you talking about?"

"Having Kelly donate a kidney to end this," Elizabeth said. "If that's all Finch wants, then maybe it'll be enough to make him leave her alone."

"No," Michelle said. "I... no, I won't let her do that."

"It might be the only option we have," Theo said.

Michelle put down her orange juice and rubbed her hands together. "Donating a kidney to someone you know is an extraordinary thing to do. Donating a kidney to someone like Keith Finch is... completely out of the question. He's terrorized her. He's made her into a prisoner in her own home. I won't trade one ordeal for another."

Elizabeth said, "Okay."

Theo said, "If it will end--"

"Kelly's a minor," Elizabeth said. "It's Michelle's decision. If she doesn't want to put Kelly through the surgery, then we have to respect that."

Zoe said, "She's right, Theo."

Michelle said, "I'm sorry. If it was the only possible way to end this, maybe I would consider it. But I won't subject Kelly to that. Not for someone who has only been a destructive presence in her life."

"Okay, then," Theo said. "Then where does that leave us?"

Zoe said, "Maybe Everett can offer to pay his medical bills. I don't care how rich Finch is, those treatments have gotten be taking a chunk out of him. He can't milk off his company forever. Maybe he'll settle for being kept alive a little longer."

"It's a possibility," Theo said.

Wade spoke up again. "I know someone who can sabotage the dialysis procedure. Poison him from the inside. It'll look like he just naturally went downhill. Finch dies, your problem goes away."

"Good God," Michelle gasped.

Theo sighed heavily. "We're going to pretend you didn't just say that, Mr. Ottis."

"That's your prerogative," Wade said.

Theo shrugged and stuck his hands into his pockets. "All right. We can't say we walked away from this empty-handed. We know who is going after Kelly, and we know why. We know he won't accept anything less than the girl and/or her kidney. All we have to do now is convince Finch to leave her alone." He looked around the room. "Any ideas?"

The room fell silent.

After a moment, Wade said, "I can't see. Is anyone raising their hands?"

Elizabeth, Theo and Zoe all pulled their earpieces at the same time, dropping them onto the coffee table next to their untouched drinks.
Chapter Twenty-Two

Elizabeth knocked on Kelly's bedroom door and stuck her head inside when there was no answer. Kelly was sitting on the floor at the foot of her bed, listening to her iPod. She had a notebook open in her lap, flipping through while she scanned the pages. Elizabeth knocked again, and Kelly looked over and took one of her earphones out. "Hey. I figured you guys didn't want me eavesdropping so..."

Elizabeth gestured at the floor next to the bed and Kelly nodded. Elizabeth sat down and rested her arm across her knees. "Yeah, we were talking about some stuff you shouldn't have to worry about. Right now the others are brainstorming ideas on how to end this whole mess for you, so I thought I'd come and check on you." She looked at the notebook. "What's that?"

"I met Grayson at the beginning of sophomore year. We had study hall together, and whenever I'd get up to go to the bathroom or get something out of my locker, I'd come back and my notebook would be open to a page at the back." She held it up so that Elizabeth could see the words 'your cute' written across the bottom three lines of the page in red pen. "I didn't know who it was for something like a week." She flipped through some more pages.

"People can go from sweetness to jerk in zero seconds flat," Elizabeth said. "You have to decide if his mistake is big enough to overwhelm the good parts."

Kelly said, "Oh, it definitely is. Sometimes I feel like he thinks I'm... I'm a... rope."

Elizabeth frowned. "Is that some new teen lingo I'm not up on?"

Kelly smiled. "No. I mean, like Tarzan. When he's swinging through the jungle, he holds onto one rope and then he swings to the next one."

"Ah," Elizabeth said. "A stepping stone. He's looking for the next best thing, but he doesn't want to move on from you until he finds it."

"Right, exactly."

"And Tarzan didn't use ropes. He used vines."

Kelly said, "Whatever." She looked up at her computer and said, "He's tried to IM me five times. I just keep hitting ignore."

"You can't ignore him forever."

"Oh, I won't. I'm just going to wait until he comes here in person so I can dump him face to face."

Elizabeth laughed. "I hope I'm around to see that."

"Well, no offense, but I hope you're long gone by then."

Elizabeth's smile faded. "Yeah. Actually I hope so, too."

Kelly flipped through a few more pages of her notebook.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Kelly nodded. "The first morning I was here, your Dad kept calling you something... weird. I don't remember what it was. Jennifer?"

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Juniper."

"What is that?"

"It's my middle name. Kelly Juniper Drake. Everyone on Dad's side of the family has a tree or plant or flower in their name, because of the lumber company. I got juniper."

Elizabeth said, "It's gorgeous. What's your Dad's?"

Kelly said, "Everett Green Drake. Ever-green."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Pretty inventive, I guess."

"I guess," Kelly said. The computer chimed again and she rolled her eyes. "Six times. Grayson's persistent, I'll give him that."

"Maybe he sincerely wants to apologize," Elizabeth said. "Maybe he sees the error of his ways."

"No. If he'd tried to kiss someone else, they might have let him. And then he would be cheating on me, and that's bullshit. I won't let that go, no way."

Elizabeth looked at her, wondering if she knew about the arrangement her parents had. She flipped to a new page in her notebook, and the computer chimed again.

"Oh, come _on_." She pushed herself up with an exhausted sigh and went to the computer. She logged herself out of the instant messaging program and hesitated with her fingers over the keyboard. "Hey. Um, do you want to see your Wikipedia page?"

"I have a Wikipedia page? What, did they just start putting everyone on there?" She stood up and moved to stand behind Kelly's chair.

Kelly laughed. "A worldwide roster. That'd be cool. But no. They put you on because... uh..."

"The assassination," Elizabeth said.

"Right. Hold on, let me just click..." The page came up, and Elizabeth was confronted with the photograph from her Treasury Department ID. She was just out of college, fresh-faced, smiling brightly into the camera. There was an American flag hanging over her right shoulder. "Jesus. I thought I burned that picture."

"You want to check it out," Kelly said, moving to abandon her seat.

"Sure," Elizabeth said reluctantly. Kelly stood up and Elizabeth sat down. The first section of the page dealt with her background and history with the Service, the time she spent protecting the First Lady. Then the article focused on the events leading up to the assassination. Elizabeth read the dry, professional account of the few hours leading up to the President stepping onto a stage he would never leave again, and then scrolled down to the next section labeled "Conspiracy and Controversy."

Kelly said, "Oh, crap. I forgot that was on there..."

"You've read this?" Elizabeth said.

Kelly hesitated and finally said, "I skimmed it a little. When Mr. Hudson told us you were going to be coming to protect me. I didn't, you know, buy into some of the stupid things people said about you."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, reading the section despite her mind screaming at her to ignore it. A black bag in her car with contents that hadn't been released to the press, a mysterious hotel reservation the night before the shooting, and her own suspect behavior in the moments before the President took the stage. The theories made her face burn, but she was ashamed to admit that much of what the article said was true. Looking back on the morning, it was easy to see how circumstances could look much different from the outside looking in...

#

Elizabeth sat on the edge of the hotel room bed, fastening the cufflinks of her blouse. The water in the shower suddenly cut off and, a few moments later, First Lady Dawn Sullivan stepped out into the main room. Her hair was smoothed down, resting on her bare shoulders. She was wrapped in a fluffy blue towel that left her legs exposed, and Elizabeth took a moment to admire them before she stood up. "Do we need to go over your schedule?"

Dawn sighed as she sat down in front of her vanity mirror. "Hair, makeup, wardrobe," she said. "Sometimes I think I should have just been an actress. It's more honest and I don't reflect poorly on America if I gain a few pounds." She ran her hand through her hair and met Elizabeth's eyes in the mirror. "Are you all business already?"

Elizabeth smiled. "I can straddle the fence if need be."

"Thank you for last night."

"My pleasure. Sincerely," she said.

It was a well-known fact among the protection detail that Mrs. Sullivan occasionally took personal time. She was snuck from the White House residence and drove to an undisclosed location. It was grudgingly allowed, but only if she took at least one Secret Service agent with her on the trips. Dawn was more than happy to oblige, and she specifically chose Elizabeth to be her escort for those ultra-secret evenings.

Elizabeth crossed the room and put her hands on Dawn's shoulders. She squeezed and Dawn closed her eyes, leaning back into the massage with a blissful moan. "What time is it?"

"Nearly seven," Elizabeth said. "We're running late as it is."

Dawn groaned. "Damn." She twisted, craning her neck to kiss the back of Elizabeth's hand. "There's never enough time, is there?"

"No," Elizabeth said. "Maybe we can go to Camp David some weekend. Spend a few days together."

"I don't think we could get away with that kind of extended absence."

"Yeah. Well. It's nice to think about."

"It is," Dawn said. "Did you pack our things?"

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at the black bag sitting next to the bed. The various accoutrements that Elizabeth had brought for their evening together. "They're ready to go."

Dawn reached up and covered Elizabeth's hand with her own. Elizabeth's other hand slid up Dawn's shoulder and she began to gently massage Dawn's neck with her fingertips. Dawn craned her neck to give Elizabeth more room to maneuver. "The hairdresser?"

"Should be here any minute. I should finish getting dressed."

"If you insist. If I had my way, you'd be able to protect me wearing nothing but a tank top and a pair of tight jeans."

Elizabeth smiled. "I think we could be sure anyone would be too distracted looking at me to try and hurt you."

Dawn said, "Oh, you think you're better looking than me now?"

"No. They'd be too busy trying to figure out if I'm a boy or a girl."

"Oh, stop," Dawn said. She turned in her seat and kissed Elizabeth's chest twice through her blouse. "Your breasts are absolutely perfect, and don't let anyone tell you different."

Elizabeth smoothed her hands over Dawn's hair and looked down at her. "I love you."

Dawn's smile faded. "Oh, Liz. Don't."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Dawn said. She turned her chair around to face the mirror again, forcing Elizabeth to drop her hands. "We've talked about this."

"It doesn't change how I feel."

Dawn picked up her hairbrush and then put it down. "I don't want to hurt you, Elizabeth. But I also feel if I don't say something, then you will be definitely be hurt one way or another."

"You don't have to say anything," Elizabeth said. She walked away from Dawn's chair and picked up her blazer. "I knew what this was from the beginning. But knowing a relationship isn't going anywhere doesn't stop me from wanting it to. It's my fault for saying anything."

Dawn was half-heartedly trying to do something with her hair, staring into the mirror. "How is Dana? That's your girlfriend's name, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said.

"Well. How much can you really 'love' me if you're still with her?"

Elizabeth adjusted her coat over her shoulder holster and then checked her gun's load. "Sometimes I need something simple. Sometimes I need to be with someone who won't cause a national scandal holding my hand."

"Sounds like a very fair arrangement for her. She does know about me, right? You're not still feeding her that line about duty and responsibility."

There was a knock on the door and Elizabeth whispered, "You made your fucking point. So shut the hell up." She crossed the room and checked the peephole before she undid the locks. She opened the door and allowed the hairdresser inside. He was trailed by two other Secret Service agents, her relief shift.

"How was she?" Agent Dryden asked.

"She's been worse," Elizabeth said. "I'm going to head out for a smoke break."

Dawn said, "Agent Caine. Don't forget my overnight bag."

Elizabeth returned to the bed and took the black bag off the floor. She slung the bag over her shoulder as she left the hotel room. She spent the rest of the morning putting aside her hurt and frustration as much as possible while Dryden and another agent escorted Dawn to the venue. She was given a fifteen minute break just before the speech was scheduled to begin, and she spent it in the bathroom crying. Then she'd splashed water on her face, put on her professional mask, and went back to work.

"Were you waiting for us, Ms. Caine?"

"Always, Mrs. Sullivan. This way."

They would turn out to be the final words they ever said to each other.

#

"Elizabeth?"

She blinked the words on the screen back into focus, frowned, and said, "Yeah."

"You're crying. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean..."

"No, it's not your fault," Elizabeth said. "It's fine." She clicked away from the page and rose from the chair. "It's just that it's the first time I've actually read a full report like that. It's a little more overwhelming than I expected. I need to get some fresh air."

Kelly nodded, her eyes full of concern as Elizabeth left the bedroom. Zoe and Michelle were downstairs, and they looked up as Elizabeth came down. "Sorry, I just... need to get outside for a minute," she said as she hurried through the foyer and out the front door.

She stepped out onto the porch and put her hands on her hips, breathing deeply. She had completely forgotten the bag was in her car the day of the assassination. There was no reason for her private vehicle to be searched under normal circumstances, so she put it out of her mind. Now she was glad she had avoided any and all media coverage when she woke from her coma. A bag with two strap-on harnesses and a handful of vibrators and dildos in a Secret Service agent's car, discovered the day that agent is shot by an assassin? God, she would have been a laughingstock.

And the other evidence, the hotel room booked in her name and her attitude following Dawn's rejection... it was no wonder there were conspiracies about her involvement in the assassination. She could only thank her guardian angels that the contents of the bag in her car were never made public.

Theo found her standing on the porch a few minutes after she stepped outside. He tapped his ear and said, "Zoe said you just ran out of the house like it was on fire. You okay?"

"The black bag that was in my car the day of the shooting. You took care of it. Didn't you? Kept it out of the press."

Theo looked down at the ground and said, "I don't think it's necessary to revisit that."

"Did you know I was sleeping with the First Lady?"

He exhaled sharply and said, "Beth..."

"Did you know?"

"The entire fucking Secret Service knew," Theo said. "You think you can keep something like that under wraps? It's our job to know what's going on with the First Family at all times. It made Mrs. Sullivan feel safer thinking it was some big cat and mouse game, so we let her believe it. And we let you believe it."

Elizabeth sagged against the wall. "My entire career was a joke."

"No," Theo said. "The First Lady would have been with _someone_ regardless. The fact that it was you she was sneaking away to be with... it made her safer. It's why so many of us looked the other way."

"My judgment was compromised."

"In no way, shape or form," Theo said. "Who were you standing in front of during the assassination? Whose bullets did you catch? If your judgment was compromised, you would have been standing in front of Dawn. And if I doubted your ability to put your personal feelings aside to do your job, I never would have brought you in on this job. The past is the past. It's time to focus on this girl. You can't save the President or the First Lady no matter how much you might want to, so move on. Make up for it by saving Kelly."

Elizabeth nodded and Theo put his hand on her shoulder. "You want to come inside, talk about our next move?"

"I think I need a little more air. I'll be in soon."

Theo nodded and moved past her to enter the house. Elizabeth sagged against the wall and closed her eyes, listening to the wind in the trees. The past was the past, and Kelly needed her full attention now. But just deciding not to dwell on the past wasn't the same as not learning from it. She wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.
Chapter Twenty-Three

Everett returned home a few minutes after four that afternoon. Michelle had decided to keep the kidney information from him, reluctant to admit that Kelly wasn't actually his daughter. He spent some time with Kelly to make sure she was all right before joined the rest of the group in the living room. He sat in his armchair, looking at the floor with haunted eyes before he finally leaned back and looked at the people gathered around him. "So this Finch person... he turned down my money. I gave him a blank check, and he basically threw it in my face. I-is it me? Does he want something personally from me? I don't even remember meeting him, I barely recognize the name."

"Whatever he wants," Elizabeth said, "it'll most likely be something you're not willing to give up. Even if you do give in to his demands, there's no assurance he'll go away quietly. Not after everything he's done. So we're going to have to convince him to back off without getting what he wants."

"How on earth do you propose we do that?"

"She didn't say it would be easy," Zoe said.

The front door opened and Wade walked into the living room. Everett was on his feet immediately, staring at the new arrival. "Who is this?"

"It's another member of our team," Theo said. "A silent member."

Wade saluted Everett and then turned to Theo. "We have a problem, boy and girls. Perhaps we'd like to step outside to discuss it, as it's a somewhat sensitive matter."

Everett said, "If it involves my daughter, you can damn well discuss it here."

"No, we'll discuss it outside," Wade said. "It'll save you from having to make unsavory decisions. And it might be necessary for you to deny all knowledge in a court of law. If it comes to that."

"My God," Everett muttered.

Wade gestured at the door. "Shall we?"

Elizabeth followed Theo and Zoe outside. She looked over her shoulder as she stepped through the door, and she saw Michelle kneel next to Everett's chair and take his hand. She shut the door and joined the others on the front lawn. The sun was already started to set, despite the fact it wasn't even five in the afternoon, and the sky was the pastel blue of a baby boy's nursery.

Theo said, "What's the problem?"

"The rules," Wade said. "So far, we've all been playing by them and the bad guys have, too. No weapons, no fighting. They ran when things got hairy and we didn't have to make any life or death type decisions. Everyone was happy. But that's all gonna change." He reached into his shirt pocket and withdrew a folded sheet of paper. "Printed that out a few minutes ago. It's a name I got from Finch's financials. One of the independent contractors he hired. It's a name I recognize."

"B. Wythe," Theo said. "What does the 'b' stand for?"

"Some say 'Brick,' but no one really knows. You know when you have termites, and you hire the cheap guy out of the back of the phone book, then the bugs are back in a week and you say, 'Oh, shoot, I should have just gone with the more expensive guy'? Well, Wythe is the most expensive exterminator in the book. I mean that literally and figuratively. You get in the way of him doing his job, he'll shoot you. No questions asked, no flesh wounds. He prefers to ask forgiveness than take the time to make sure you're a threat."

"You sound scared," Zoe said.

"I am scared. I'd also be scared if you asked me to lie down in front of a steamroller. Wythe is a bad dude, and coming from a bad dude..."

Elizabeth said, "Finch wouldn't risk Kelly being hurt."

"Doctors can transfer a kidney from a dead body as easily as from a living donor," Theo said gravely. "It requires a bit more recovery time and there are other issues involved, but it's nothing a transplant surgeon isn't trained for. Your driver's license has an organ donor option, right? A car accident or a bullet, it doesn't matter if Kelly's dead when this Wythe fellow delivers her kidney."

"Shit," Elizabeth said. She looked at Wade. "What are our options?"

"Hand over the girl."

Zoe said, "She meant the realistic options."

Wade held his hands out. "That's a realistic option. You want to die to save this girl some slight discomfort, then you go right ahead. But don't pretend that it's not an option. Once Wythe gets on this trail, he's not going to stop until he finishes the job. Either you hand over the girl, or you get willing to kill to protect her."

Elizabeth sighed. "Kelly got upset when two people had to move because of her. She's not going to like these options. In fact, the only thing I can see her agreeing to is the transplant."

"Her mother doesn't want that," Theo said. "And we can't give Kelly all the information without revealing the truth about her paternity."

"Damn it," Zoe muttered.

Wade said, "If Finch goes away, everything else goes away, too. The man is already on death's door, right? He's toast if he doesn't get the kidney. So why not just speed things along?"

"Murder a man in cold blood," Theo said.

Wade jabbed the paper in Theo's hand. "A man who sent a cold-blooded killer after Ward and June Cleaver's daughter in there. This family doesn't have a single gun in their house, no burglar alarm. I bet half their fucking doors have never been securely locked. They live in Mayberry and they're about to have a nightmare knocking on their door. They're not going to come out of this without a little blood spilled. I'd actually prefer if none of it was theirs."

Elizabeth said, "The Drakes won't go for it." Wade sighed, but she stopped his argument with a raised hand. "That's why we shouldn't tell them."

Theo said, "Pardon?"

"They hired us to protect Kelly. We're doing that, and protecting them at the same time. If Finch doesn't get Kelly, he dies anyway. We let Wade speed up that time table to give the family peace. Finch dies and this whole thing goes away."

Wade said, "If a guy was running up at Kelly with a loaded gun, you wouldn't hesitate to fire. And you'd go for the kill shot. Well, he's got a loaded gun, and its name is Wythe. I'm your kill shot."

Theo folded the paper and handed it back to Wade. "You said you know someone who can poison Mr. Finch's dialysis?"

"I can make a few calls," Wade said. "It might take a while to get the wheels in motion. Monday, maybe Tuesday at the latest, Mr. Finch will be a bad memory."

Theo stepped away from the group, his hands on his hips as he looked out at the trees. Elizabeth knew he was struggling with the morality of what he was about to do. She was struggling with the same issue; there was a huge chasm between stopping a person who immediately meant you harm and killing someone who was on an entirely different land mass. He finally walked back to the group.

"Do what you have to, Mr. Ottis."

#

The Drake family decided to prepare dinner together, and the three of them gathered in the kitchen. Elizabeth knew it was as much for the comfort as anything else. She left Zoe to watch over them and went outside to find Theo. He was standing at the edge of the Drakes back lawn, with his shoes just beyond there the grass gave way to mud and rocks at the shoreline. Elizabeth walked up behind him, giving him a few feet of space.

"Hey, Theo."

He looked over his shoulder, smiled, and then looked at the water again. "If I lived out here, I could get a lot of thinking done."

"But probably not a lot of work."

His shoulders shook as he laughed quietly. "You have a point there. It would be hard to tear myself away from such beauty for the monotony of paperwork."

Elizabeth walked past him to a particularly large rock with a flat plane angled toward the water. She tested its stability with her foot and then half-leaned, half-sat against it to look back at Theo. "I'm sorry for freaking out back there."

"Apology accepted. And I suppose that I could have been a bit more diplomatic." He looked over at her. "Do you think I made the wrong decision?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Is Theodore Hudson actually second-guessing himself?"

"I told a madman to set up a hit. I effectively ordered him to kill a man I've never met. Couldn't identify on the street if he walked up to me with a name tag. All for the greater good."

"You did everything in your power to stop a man from harming a teenage girl who had never done anything to him. If you want it to be black and white, Finch is the bad guy. He's endangering Kelly's health and well-being to give himself a few more years. I don't like it any more than you do, but Wade has a point. We need to end this before that Wythe character shows up. If he came here, there's no telling what kind of damage he would do to get Kelly."

"You're right," Theo said. "And I know you're right. But that doesn't make it sit any easier. I'm not Catholic, but I think I'm going to have to visit confession for this one."

Elizabeth nodded and looked out at the water. "And thanks. I shouldn't have yelled at you when you essentially saved my ass after the shooting. If the press found out what was in my car..."

"You know the story," Theo said. "Dawn Sullivan's wild child days, the parties and the drunken liaisons. But the campaign made a big deal about how she had reformed and changed her ways. She was redeemed in the eyes of the public. It was, of course, all hogwash. Our job was to protect the President. Not just from gunmen or bombs, but from bad press. So we protected Mrs. Sullivan. We kept her secret to protect Joseph Sullivan from the backlash."

"And everyone went home happy," Elizabeth said.

Theo said, "It worked for a while. I couldn't help but notice you were a bit standoffish the day of the shooting. What happened?"

"I went too far," Elizabeth said. "I told her I loved her."

"Ah," Theo said. "You wanted her to leave her husband, run away with you? Have a white picket fence and--"

"No," Elizabeth said. "I just wanted her to know how I felt. I didn't think about what I said, I just... said it. I've never felt like that for anyone. I know it was dumb. I know that if Colin Pine hadn't been in that arena, my relationship with Dawn would have ended anyway. I know all of that. But I don't regret saying it. All things considered, I'm just glad that she knew."

Theo nodded and then looked over his shoulder. "I should go help Zoe keep an eye on the road. Want to walk with me?"

"No, thanks," Elizabeth said. "I think I'll stay here until the sun goes down."

"All right." He took a few steps before he looked at her again. "Beth. I'm sorry things worked out the way they did. With Dawn, I mean. You deserve happiness. You deserve to tell someone you love them and hear it back."

Elizabeth didn't look at him, afraid she wouldn't be able to keep her composure if she did. So she nodded and kept her eyes on the water until she heard him walk away. The mudroom door closed, and Elizabeth twisted on the rock to look toward the house. Her prediction that the living room window would turn the house into a stage had proven correct; in the dying light it looked as if a huge television screen had been mounted on the side of a black box.

Michelle was standing in the dining room, silverware in one hand and the other hand setting places around the table. She was facing the window, but she had her head down. The parallels were unavoidable; Everett and Michelle had the same sort of arrangement Joseph and Dawn Sullivan had. Even if she stayed on the island, even if this whole mess was resolved well for everyone involved, she couldn't see herself entering into a long-term relationship with Michelle. It just wasn't feasible, and she couldn't do that to Kelly.

But Zoe was a different story. They had history. They knew each other's flaws and failings. From the moment they met, they agreed it would just be a casual relationship. They didn't want strings. There would be no jealousy. They'd taken breaks from each other for other relationships and found each other again when those relationships ran their course.

Maybe it was time to rethink things between them. She trusted Zoe more than anyone else in the world, except maybe Theo. She couldn't see herself gaining that amount of trust in another person. Not after everything she'd been through.

Elizabeth stood up and brushed off the seat of her pants, putting aside thoughts of Zoe and relationships for the time being. No matter what she decided, she was in no position to do anything about it. But it was definitely something to think about.
Chapter Twenty-Four

The Asian teenager wore a hoodie with the name Chin's Chinese Restaurant written on the back in a stylized font. He had put down his bag and stood in the Drake foyer with his arms stretched out to either side while Theo patted him down. Everett stood just beyond the foyer, scratching his temple and looking chagrined. "Sorry about this, David."

"Are you kidding?" the deliver boy said. "This is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me on this job. 'Course, you could have let her do the frisking." He nodded toward Zoe and winked.

Zoe laughed. "Only in your dreams, kid."

David shrugged and allowed the pat-down to be finished without further comment. Theo declared he was safe, and David bent to pick up the bag of food Zoe had already inspected.

Everett stepped forward and handed David a pair of twenties, covering the dinner plus a hefty tip for the inconvenience. With all the events of the day, Michelle hadn't had a chance to even think about what to do for dinner and ordering out seemed like the easiest option. Elizabeth had come inside in the midst of the frisking and stood near the dinner table with Kelly while the delivery boy left.

Michelle, Elizabeth and Theo distributed the white takeout containers to the appropriate places before everyone took their seats. Zoe ate with chopsticks but everyone else took advantage of the silverware provided. Wade had been invited but he chose to stay outside and watch the road, to everyone's relief.

After the meal, Michelle handed out the fortune cookies and they took turns going around the table and reading them.

"Plan for many pleasures ahead," Zoe said. She glanced at Kelly, then met Elizabeth's eyes and decided not to add 'in bed.' But both women smiled at the familiar game.

"Good luck is the result of good planning," Theo read.

Kelly cracked her cookie open and read, "He who throws dirt is losing ground."

Michelle's cookie was 'Any rough times are behind you,' and Everett's was 'The smart thing is to prepare for the unexpected.' The two fortunes read back to back caused the mood to darken a bit, but Elizabeth unfolded her fortune and saved the mood by reading, "There is no such thing as an ordinary cat."

Zoe frowned. "What in the world does that even mean?"

Everett said, "It makes me question if what we just ate was really chicken."

Michelle groaned, and the rest of the group sat back in their chairs. Theo said, "I'm going to check on Wade."

"I'll go with you," Zoe said. "I can relieve him if necessary."

The two of them left, and Kelly stood up from the table. "I'm going to go watch a movie in my room. Do you need to come with me, Elizabeth?"

"No, I think I'll just help your mom with the dishes."

Everett said, "I'll escort her safely to her door. I need to make a few calls anyway." He put his arm around Kelly and guided her to the stairs. Elizabeth and Michelle gathered the plates and carried to them to the sink. Michelle watched her husband and daughter head up to the second level and then touched Elizabeth's hand.

"Thank you for offering to help with the dishes."

"My pleasure," Elizabeth said. "I'm kind of getting the hang of it, I think. I'll stick to drying, though. Probably be best if I don't have dishpan hands just in case."

"Makes sense," Michelle said.

They started rinsing off the plates, letting the silverware soak for a while. They worked in silence, and Elizabeth tried to decide if she was frightened by the domesticity of the moment. It wasn't the sink or the chore that made her uncomfortable; it was who her partner was. If she were to try it with someone she truly had a future with, it might not be so frightening.

Theo came back inside when they were almost done, and he glanced toward Kelly's open bedroom door. "Zoe's outside watching the road. Wade went off into the woods to do God knows what. All quiet on the Western--"

"Elizabeth, Theo, we have incoming."

"It's not my fault," Theo said. He touched her earpiece and said, "Details?"

"A car is slowing near the Drake driveway. Hold."

Theo and Elizabeth moved to the front door. Theo pushed aside the curtain on the window beside the door and saw Zoe cautiously approaching the car that was idling on the road. It was turned toward the driveway but had stopped just short of pulling in. Zoe stood a few feet in front of and to one side of the open driver's side window, a hand on her gun, bent at the waist to see into the car.

"Evening, gentlemen. How can I help you?"

"Get Kelly," Elizabeth said. Theo headed up the stairs.

Zoe straightened and touched her ear. "Aaron Grayson and his father, Kevin. The kid is here to talk to Kelly, apparently."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and stepped back from the window. Theo was at Kelly's bedroom door and said, "False alarm. It's her boyfriend. Kelly!"

She came to the door and Elizabeth motioned for her to come down.

"Grayson's here for his face-to-face. You feeling up for it, or should I tell him to take a hike?"

Kelly sighed heavily and said, "No. I should get it over with. Thanks, though."

Elizabeth said, "Let 'em in, Zoe."

Elizabeth opened the front door as Zoe waved the car forward. She followed it up the driveway and, when Grayson got out of the passenger seat, Zoe knocked on the side of the car. "Sorry, Mr. Grayson. We're going to have to take a look at your car."

"What? Why?"

"Just a precaution."

"For crying out loud..."

The father got out of the car as Grayson stepped nervously onto the porch. He was holding a cardboard carrier with five tall cups of coffee, and he extended it toward the door as if he was a supplicant offering gifts. "Peace offering," he said to Elizabeth. "Kel told me that you guys sometimes stay up all night, so I thought I'd bring by some coffee."

Elizabeth was gratified to see his hands were shaking just from being near her again, so she gave the kid a break. She took the container and handed it to Michelle, and then took a cup for herself and one for Theo. "Thanks, Grayson. Theo, are these from that place you told me about in town?"

Theo looked at the label and said, "Oh, hell yes."

Kelly stood near the stairs, arms crossed over her chest in a standard defensive pose. She refused to look at Grayson as he came into the house. "Uh. Hey, Kelly."

"Hey, Aaron. What's wrong, did every other girl on the island turn you down?"

Grayson looked around at everyone in the foyer and said, "Can we do this privately?"

"Nope."

Elizabeth said, "One of us would have to be with her wherever you went. It's not that we don't trust you, but you're not a very trustworthy guy." She made a show of sniffing her coffee before she put it on a side table.

"Look, I made a mistake. I can admit that. But I was distracted by... a beautiful woman."

Kelly said, "Oh, well, since she's the last beautiful woman you'll ever see, I guess we can get back together." Elizabeth lifted her coffee to hide her smirk and, since Grayson wasn't watching, went ahead and took a drink. Theo was right; it was good. Kelly continued her rant. "God, Aaron, you're so stupid sometimes. And what about the other time, huh?"

"Other time? Tina told you?"

Kelly smirked. "Nope."

Grayson realized he'd been tricked and closed his eyes. "Shit. I mean, sorry, Mrs. Drake. Look, Kelly, I'd do anything to make you see that I'm sorry. I mean, I really like you."

Elizabeth's glee at seeing Grayson grovel was starting to make her uncomfortable. She picked up her coffee, sniffed it again, and took a drink. Theo caught her eye and made a face, nodding his chin at the kids. Elizabeth assumed he was implying it was good they didn't have to go through teenage relationship hurdles anymore, but Elizabeth wasn't so sure the adult version was any kinder.

"You're the first girl I've really, really liked. And I was just thinking that we could spend sophomore year together and maybe more. You know?"

"Yeah, I know," Kelly said. "But you screwed it up, Aaron. I'm not going to throw away my sophomore year waiting for the next time you have a moment of weakness. So why don't you and your dad just--"

Michelle collapsed in the kitchen.

Theo was moving first, shoving Grayson out of the way to get to her. "Mrs. Drake?"

"What's wrong? Mom?" Kelly said, her voice bordering on panic.

Elizabeth put up her hand to stop Kelly from going into the main room. The slight movement made the room spin, and she closed her eyes to steady herself. "Whoa... I..." Her legs weakened and she fell forward, grabbing the banister to slow her fall before she landed facedown next to Kelly's feet. She rolled onto her back, her mind filling with fog as the front door swung open and the man she thought was Grayson's father entered the house with a gun drawn.

#

Elizabeth was brought out of her stupor with a punch to the face, her head lolling violently toward her left shoulder. She grunted, winced, and struggled to bring her hands up only to find them restrained. She was sitting in one of the armchairs from the living room that had been placed at the dinner table, her wrists tied to the arms. She tested her feet and discovered they were tied up as well. The man she'd seen getting out of Grayson's car was standing in front of her, dressed casually in a turtleneck and jeans. He appeared to be waiting to make sure Elizabeth was awake, and then punched her again.

The chair nearly toppled, and Elizabeth forced herself to right it before she fell over. She saw Michelle Drake sitting across from her, also tied to a chair. She was still unconscious, her chin resting on her chest. Theo was sitting next to her, his lips bloody and his right eye swollen shut. Apparently whatever was in their coffee hadn't been strong enough to take him down all the way. Everett was at the head of the table, not bruised but unconscious.

Elizabeth looked up at the man and said, "B. Wythe, I presume."

"Hello, Sheila," he said, his voice twinged with an Australian accent. "Still feelin' a little woozy? I thought about lettin' you sleep, but you looked so damn familiar I had to ask. Do we know each other?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said. "Y'might na recognize me wiffout m'gun. Hand it here, I'll show ya."

Wythe grinned and said, "Clever. Not smart." He punched her again and Elizabeth felt something tear. Her teeth had cut her cheek, and her mouth filled with the copper taste of blood. She twisted her neck to look toward the foyer. Kelly was sitting on the bottom stair, her hands wrapped around the banister and cuffed together. Grayson was sitting next to her, bent forward with his hands clasped behind his head while he rocked back and forth. Kelly was sobbing uncontrollably, her face red from crying. Elizabeth tensed her muscles and tried to break through the ropes again.

"Don't blame the boy," Wythe said. "People will do all sort of thing when their family is in danger. Ain't that right, son? You just didn't want to see me cut your little sis into dog treats."

Grayson whimpered and turned toward the wall, pressing his head against the drywall. Elizabeth cursed herself for assuming his anxiety earlier was because of her. Stupid mistake, stupid fatal mistake.

"Terrible thing that happened to the Drake family, though. Having a nice little family get-together when... boom. Gas leak. One little spark and the whole place went up like a tinderbox. Shame. Momma. Daddy. Even the girl."

Elizabeth frowned, and Wythe nodded at her. She looked down and saw that her blouse had been replaced by a light blue baseball jersey.

"All the poly-blends and crap they put in those uniforms, I'm hoping it survives the fire. You and the girl are built pretty much alike, so the cops won't think twice about usin' the shirt as ID. Now I hope you understand why I'm doin' this. My client, he's... a bit desperate. He's gotta make sure this isn't a game of Capture the Flag. Don't want the lot of you coming back to take what he so rightfully stole."

"The cops know we're here, idiot," Elizabeth said. "When they find the bodies, they'll know..."

"There's what the cops know and what the cops can prove. They'll go with the easy answer. Family tragedy. No lost girl to track down. Case closed. Easy as pudding." He stepped around Elizabeth's chair and went into the kitchen. Elizabeth heard him toying with the stove and, a few seconds later, a hiss filled the air. Elizabeth had long known sounds could be evil, but she'd rarely heard a sound as insidious as that.

"House will fill up soon, and then all it'll take is a spark. I'll let that happen naturally, make it easy on the fire department." He walked to the foyer and freed Kelly's wrists. She found him, but he easily overpowered her and refastened the cuffs. "C'mon, girlie. And boy, you're comin' with us until we're nice and safe off the island."

Wythe grabbed Kelly's arm and guided her out of the house, letting Grayson lead the way. As soon as they were gone, Elizabeth began fighting at the ropes that held her to the chair with renewed vigor. She wanted to call for Wade and Zoe, but she had no idea if the earpieces would produce a spark when used. Any spark, however small, would be the end of everything.

The chair was sturdy, and the wooden arms were carved into a curled design. Elizabeth didn't see any way to break the arm away from the body, and the entire contraption seemed very well-built. It didn't budge, even when she applied the full force of the strength on pulling it apart. She stopped trying and looked at the table as the air slowly filled with the rotten-egg smell of spreading gas.
Chapter Twenty-Five

Elizabeth tensed both arms, gritting her teeth as she pulled at the ropes around her wrists with both arms. The chair refused to give in, so she relaxed and sagged forward. The drug was affecting her ability to think as well as her strength, and the gas filling the air choked her. With all of her straining and tugging, she'd only gained a few centimeters of wiggle room in the bonds that held her wrists, and the chair was too strong for her to break.

The thought of Kelly's tear-stained face spurred another attempt to break the ropes or the arms of the chair. Kelly was in danger, the bad guys had her, but the game wasn't over yet. She remembered glancing at the ferry schedule her first day on the island. She couldn't remember exactly when the last ship headed out, but she assumed Wythe would have timed it with the least amount of waiting.

She couldn't lose another protectee. She couldn't lose _Kelly_.

Elizabeth stood on her toes, the only way she could stand, and lifted the legs of the chair off the floor. It would have been easier to scoot, but she wasn't going to risk any kind of spark. When the back of the chair hit the kitchen island, she took three quick breaths and then pressed her back against the seat. She planted her feet on the ground and pushed up and back, using the island to keep the chair from moving backward. She hunched her shoulders, ignoring the pain as the ropes tore at the flesh of her wrists.

She pictured the bullets ripping into Dawn's chest.

Her right hand slipped slightly and she felt a trickle of blood spill down her palm. The blood was good; it would help lubricate the ropes.

She thought of Kelly, trapped in the backseat of a madman who had just made her watch while he set up the murder of her family.

Elizabeth twisted her right hand, shouting now at the pain and exertion, her body rigid in the seat as she continued to pull. When she thought she'd used the last of her strength and would have to give up, her right hand swung up and nearly slapped her in the face. She stared at it, the bloody palm and the spot where her wrist had been rubbed raw, and then used that hand to free her left arm. She made short work of the ropes on her ankles and rose from the chair on legs that proved to still be shaky from the drug.

She went to the stove and saw that Wythe had broken the gas line. She found a dishtowel, still wet, and wrapped it around the break. It wouldn't stop the leak, but hopefully it would slow it down. She ran back to the table and slapped Theo's cheek lightly. "Theo... come on, wake up, you son of a bitch..." She searched the table until she found the knife that Kelly had used to cut her broccoli and began sawing at the ropes around Theo's wrists.

"Beth," Theo said, finally coming to.

"Yeah," she said. "Hold still." She freed his right arm, and then his left before dropping to free his legs. "It was Wythe. He used Grayson to drug us. Now he's going to blow up the damn house with us in it."

"Kelly?"

"He's... he got her. Help Everett." She went to Michelle and used the knife on her. Theo's ropes had all but destroyed the knife's edge, so it was harder to cut through her bonds. When she finished, she scooped Michelle into her arms and checked Theo's progress. He had all but Everett's right foot free, so Elizabeth carried Michelle out through the mudroom door. She laid Michelle gently on the grass, already wet with dew, and checked her vital signs.

Once she was out in the fresh air, Michelle started to come around. She blinked her eyes open and focused on Elizabeth. "Where... _Kelly._ "

"I'm going to go get her. I'm going to bring her back." She turned as Theo exited the house with Everett, who was awake and stumbling along against Theo's side.

"Call the fire department," Elizabeth said as she stood and ran around the side of the house to the front lawn. The car Grayson and Wythe arrived in was gone, but there were two bodies lying on the grass near where it had been. Her heart clenched at the thought of what that meant. The front of the house was too dark for her to tell which was which, so she dropped next to the first body she saw.

Wade was lying motionless, his eyes closed and his lips parted. His chest was so drenched with blood she could barely make out the two small bullet holes near the collar of his shirt. Elizabeth touched his throat for a pulse, and Wade suddenly closed his hand around her wrist. She gasped and tried to pull her hand back, but his grip was uncanny. "Cell phone."

"What?" she said.

"Wythe. Get Wythe's... cell phone. Important."

Elizabeth nodded and Wade's grip fell away from her. She stood and ran to the other body, dreading what she would find. She rolled Zoe onto her back, eyes burning with tears as she saw the blood spatter on Zoe's face. She touched Zoe's cheek and then pressed her hand to the wound on her chest. She heard someone approaching and turned to see Theo running across the lawn toward her. He slowed when he realized what she was kneeling next to. "Oh, hell."

"Put pressure on this wound, Theo..."

Theo knelt next to Elizabeth and did as instructed. "Ambulance and fire department are already on the way," he said. "Police, too."

Once Theo was taking care of Zoe's wounds, Elizabeth stood and started running toward the garage.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"The ferry lanes," Elizabeth said without turning. "There's a chance Wythe is still on the island." The keys were hung on a rack near the garage door, and Elizabeth grabbed the Miata keys as she passed. She had the engine roaring as soon as she was behind the wheel, and the tires squealed a protest as she backed up and drove down the driveway.

On the way to town, she passed a fire engine and two police cars heading in the opposite direction. Their lights painted the trees on either side of the road in red and white flares, turning the night into a discotheque. She sped past them, pushing the car up to eighty, gripping the wheel with both hands as she prayed the ferry hadn't come in yet. Even if it had, there must be some way to beat it to the mainland or stop it once it was there. Wythe couldn't get away.

Elizabeth only slowed when she reached the town proper, knowing she couldn't help Kelly if she got sideswiped. She finally reached the ferry lanes and climbed from the car, the engine still running and the car door standing open, and she stared in dumb shock at the ferry lanes. She'd thought her worst fear would be to find them empty, but this was worse.

There were ten lanes full of cars, all of them dark and motionless. There were security lights, but they only made it impossible to tell a white car from a gray one. None of them looked like the car she had glimpsed outside the Drake house. Somewhere in that sea of vehicles was B. Wythe and Kelly Drake, but she had no idea how she would even go about finding them. And if Wythe spotted her looking, he could just slip away and keep out of sight until he could board the ferry and blend in with the rest of the crowd.

Her mind raced, and then she thought of a possible way out. She cupped her hand over her mouth and shouted, "Juniper!"

The word echoed, carrying out across the cars before being bounced back to her off the waves. She turned slightly to her right.

"Juniper!"

#

"Juniper!"

Wythe lifted his head and glanced out the window. His arms were crossed over his chest, waiting for the infernal boat to arrive to take him back to the mainland. His check was waiting there, the other half of his payment. The girl was in the backseat, handcuffed and still sniffling. At least she had finally stopped sobbing a few minutes ago. The boy, on the other hand, was still curled up with his hands over his head trying to be invisible.

Wythe checked his watch and wondered if the Drake house exploding would delay the ferry. It was unlikely.

"Juniper!"

"Who the fuck is Jennifer," Wythe muttered.

The girl suddenly slammed into the back of his seat. Wythe cursed and slapped at her, and she reached forward and pressed both palms against the horn. She threw her weight forward and the horn gave a long, sustained honk that echoed across the cars around them. Wythe managed to untangle the girl's arms and she fell back against her seat with a grunt. He twisted and knelt the driver's seat, pulling the knife from his belt.

"Little whore. Lucky the client didn't say anything about keeping the package in one piece."

A sneaker smashed into Wythe's hand, and he dropped the knife. He looked at the boy with shock, arching an eyebrow as he tried to decide if he was furious or impressed that the kid had actually shown some spine. "Not bad, kid," Wythe said as he picked up the gun off the passenger seat. "But you know I can't let shit like that go."

The driver's side door of the car was thrown open, and Wythe was pulled from the car before he could even turn around to see what was happening.

#

Elizabeth was running before the car horn died out. She weaved between the parked cars, eyes locked on the area where the sound had come from. Her search narrowed even further when one of the cars began to rock back and forth, someone in the front seat twisting to struggle with something in the back. Elizabeth took only a heartbeat to confirm that it was Kelly and Grayson in the back before she threw open the driver's door and grabbed the collar of Wythe's shirt.

She hauled him out of the car and tossed him against the next parked car. He had a gun in his hand, so Elizabeth kicked his wrist and the weapon fell to the pavement with a clatter. She grabbed the front of his shirt with one hand, and punched him in the face with the other. Wythe brought both hands up and closed them around her throat, squeezing as she pummeled him. Her air cut off as his thumbs pressed against her windpipe.

Elizabeth pulled Wythe forward and twisted, dropping him to the pavement. His grip relaxed slightly and she drew a deep gulp of air before she placed her knee on his chest and pinned him to the ground. He tried to get another grip on her throat, but Elizabeth hit him in the face again. Blood was pouring from his broken nose by now, and the latest punch knocked his head against the asphalt.

Wythe's arms fell, his eyes rolling back in his head as he finally went limp. Elizabeth kept him pinned to make sure he wasn't faking, and then to make sure he was still breathing, and then she got to her feet. She stumbled and fell against the car she'd thrown Wythe against, her head swimming. The drug was still in her system, and the gas and asphyxiation hadn't helped. Kelly had scrambled over the front seat of Wythe's car, the back doors apparently locked, and nearly jumped from the car and into Elizabeth's arms.

"Mom and Daddy?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"They're okay," Elizabeth said. She stroked Kelly's hair and held her, using the car for support. "They're fine, I got them out."

"Is it over?" Kelly asked, her voice meek and hopeful.

Elizabeth looked down at Wythe and knew that Finch would just send someone else, someone meaner and stronger, until he got what he wanted. She closed her eyes and held Kelly as more police sirens filled the air. She assumed they'd just gotten a couple dozen calls from the other people in the ferry lanes. She didn't mind. Waiting for the cops gave her an excuse to not move for another few minutes. She focused on Kelly's arms around her, her hand stroking Kelly's hair. She'd saved Kelly. She'd succeeded against all odds.

Whatever Finch threw at her next, he couldn't take that away from her.

#

The Drake house was lit up like dawn, with spotlights and the sirens from emergency vehicles throwing light on the building and the trees in the vicinity. All the doors and windows of the house were open, and an industrial fan blocked the front entry. A trio of firefighters stood between their truck and the house, waiting for the gas to disperse before they checked to make sure the house was safe.

Michelle and Everett were sitting in the backseat of a police car wrapped in blankets. When Elizabeth arrived, Michelle spotted her and started running before the car Elizabeth was in had even stopped. Everett followed, still woozy from the effects of his drugging. Kelly stepped out of the car and into her mother's embrace. "Thank God, my baby. Thank God." Michelle looked over Kelly's head and met Elizabeth's eyes. "Thank you," she mouthed. Elizabeth nodded as Everett reached them and put his arms around them both. Elizabeth walked away and let the family have a moment of privacy.

Theo was leaning against the trunk of a police car and watching the firefighters. He saw her coming and said, "They're both going to make it."

Elizabeth stopped walking and resisted the urge to drop to her knees in thanks.

"They both lost a lot of blood. They're both going to be in the hospital for a while, so we're going to be down a few people for the next time. And there's going to be a next time. You know that, right?" Elizabeth just nodded, too exhausted to speak. "The next person Finch sends will be just as mean as Wythe. Worse, probably."

Elizabeth took Wythe's cell phone from her pocket and turned it on, scrolling through the menu. "Wade told me to get this. Told me it was important."

"Maybe we can use it to prove that he was in contact with Keith Finch."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know. Even if we can find the call, Finch can probably just explain it away. He'll just say he was talking to Wythe about having some work done on his lawn or something. Nothing damning."

"We can ask Wade to explain the phone when he wakes up. For right now, we have to keep an eye on that little girl. This isn't over."

"I know," Elizabeth said softly. She walked to the back of the police car and dropped into the backseat. "But maybe we can pretend like it is. Just for a little while."

Theo dropped to the ground and sat with his back against the car. "That sounds like as good a plan as any."

Elizabeth put her feet up inside the car, laid her arms across her knees, and put her face against the crook of her elbow. She closed her eyes and almost immediately fell asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Six

The back part of the house had been converted into a combined home office and hospital ward. Elizabeth was escorted from the front door by a nurse, taking note of the fact that the living area hardly looked lived in. Apparently Keith Finch hadn't been able to venture out of his sick rooms for quite some time. The corridor ended in a window that looked out over the back lawn, and a guard or butler was standing in front of the glass as they approached.

"Mr. Finch has a guest," the nurse said.

The butler said, "He's not seeing guests at the moment."

Elizabeth said, "Tell him it's Elizabeth Caine representing Hudson Private Security. He'll want to see me."

The butler sighed and stepped into the office next to the window. Elizabeth clasped her hands behind her back while she waited and scanned the artwork in the hall. There was a portrait identified as Keith Finch, and she was impressed by what an impressive figure he cut. He wore a three-piece suit, his dark hair swept back out of his face, and his bright blue eyes angled so that they seemed to be judging her even from the canvas.

Elizabeth stood in front of the painting without flinching. The damage on her wrists had been bandaged, but otherwise she was none the worse for wear after her ordeal two nights earlier. Zoe and Wade were both recovering in the hospital, and the Drakes were safe at home after staying in a hotel just to be on the safe side regarding the gas. It was almost like everything was back to normal, except for the fact that Finch was still going to send people after Kelly Drake.

The butler returned with his face pinched into a scowl. "Mr. Finch will see you."

Elizabeth smiled and stepped past him into the room.

Windows made up the entire northern wall of the room, providing a view of the Cascades. Elizabeth wondered how far away her mountain was and felt a pinch of homesickness. Keith Finch was sitting upright in an elaborate hospital bed, the mattress around him covered with papers, notebooks and a laptop computer. He had a cell phone clipped to the edge of his blanket. Elizabeth was shocked by how much he had deteriorated from the man in the portrait. He was gaunt, and his skin looked pale and gray despite the light coming in through the window. His hair was dark and thinning, and his hands trembled as he shut his laptop.

At first Elizabeth thought it was odd he would hang the painting where anyone visiting him could see it, but she realized the truth when she looked over her shoulder. When the doors were open, the painting would be visible from his bed. The painting was there for his benefit, not for guests. Elizabeth looked back at the vain, dying narcissist in the bed and forced herself to smile. "Good afternoon, Mr. Finch. You don't look well."

"I'm a dying man, Ms. Caine."

"Oh, I know. I'm aware of a great many things about you. The fact that you had a brief tryst with Michelle Drake sixteen years ago. That a daughter was conceived that night. And I know that you're desperate for that girl's kidney. Desperate enough to hire killers to go get it for you. Am I wrong with any of that?"

Finch said, "Killers? I'm afraid you lost me there. But I did have a relationship with Michelle Drake, however brief. How is she?"

"None of your concern," Elizabeth said. "You see, I have a friend. Well... not really a friend. He's not the kind of person I would include on my Christmas list. But he comes in handy from time to time. He's a bad man and, for the right money, he can be convinced to do some pretty illegal things. In fact, he knows someone who would be willing to poison your dialysis. He could have killed you and made it look like natural causes."

Finch attempted nonchalance, but he glanced nervously toward the machines standing sentry at his bedside.

"But I don't like working that way. A murder to prevent a murder... and especially someone as weak and frail as you. I fear I'd have a hard time living with myself if I did that. So I asked my friend to give me another option, and that's what he did." She took a cell phone from her pocket. "This phone belongs to a man named Brody Wythe. My colleague told me to be sure I got it, that it was very important, but I couldn't figure out why. So he explained it to me.

"When someone takes an illegal job, they like to cover their bases. Most of them are sure they're too smart to get caught, but they know accidents happen. So they take precautions. They keep documents, they verify information... and when they do business on the phone, they record their calls." She scrolled down the menu on Wythe's phone and pressed a button. "Let me put it on speaker for you."

Keith Finch's voice came through the phone. "Whatever you have to do. The clock is ticking on this, Mr. Wythe."

"It might be easier to just take the bodyguards out at the beginning."

"Like I said. Do what is necessary to end this. I want that girl here by Monday morning."

"You want the family dead, too?"

"I said I don't care." Finch's voice was almost manic now. "Kill the family, kill the bodyguards, just get the girl here."

Elizabeth closed the phone and looked at Finch. "Damning," she said.

"I'll be dead before they even pick a jury," Finch said. "You think prison is frightening for me?"

"No," Elizabeth said. "But if the FBI finds out you've been buying hit men and mercenaries, they'll start an investigation immediately. I have a friend there, Agent Donald Garrett. I spoke to him about this and he assured me that they'd open a file the same day we provided the information. Now, you might not be around for the verdict, but they would also freeze your finances. All your money would sit useless in a bank. And all of this..." She waved her hand at the medical supplies. "That would go away."

For the first time, Finch actually looked afraid. He swallowed hard and said, "Don't."

"What?"

"Don't do that. Please."

Elizabeth said, "Maybe we can make a deal, then. The phone call will remain just between you, me and the wall, and in return you will never bother the Drakes again. As far as you're concerned, Kelly Drake is just one of thousands of teenage girls in this state who have nothing to do with you. I'm authorized to offer you the same, original deal we spoke about after I first came onto the job. A pre-ransom to ensure you keep your promise."

Finch nodded, his fists gripping the blanket. "Fine. Two million dollars, and they'll never hear from me again."

"No."

Finch's eyes flashed with anger. "You just said..."

"The original deal, Mr. Finch. We offered you a blank check, and you filled it out." She touched her earpiece. "Bring her in."

The office door opened and Kelly Drake walked into the room. Theo was walking a step behind her, his gun out and held by his side. Elizabeth took out her own gun and tracked Kelly to Finch's bedside.

"One dollar, hand-delivered by Kelly Drake," Elizabeth said. She nodded at Kelly.

Kelly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small canvas bag. She undid the tie and poured a hundred pennies onto the foot of Keith Finch's bed.

"Everett Drake is my father, you son of a bitch," Kelly said. She tossed the canvas bag at him and fled the room. Theo nodded to Finch and followed her out.

"I believe that concludes our business, Mr. Finch. Have a nice day." She holstered her weapon and walked out of Keith Finch's bedroom. When the nurse offered to escort her to the door, Elizabeth smiled and said, "I'll show myself out, thanks. It's a lovely home." She nodded to the butler and walked down the long corridor to the front of the house.

#

The night Kelly was taken, after the dust settled and the family had been placed in a hotel, Michelle confessed the entire story to Everett and Kelly. There were tears and shouting matches, but eventually the drama ended and the family came together even stronger. Kelly, as predicted, was willing to consider the donor option to put an end to everything, but Elizabeth wanted to try Wade's idea - whatever that was - before they did anything drastic. When he woke up and explained about recording incoming calls, Elizabeth knew they had their trump card.

Theo was reluctant to bring Kelly into the same room as Finch, but Elizabeth assured him it would be safe. Once the ransom was dropped off, they caught the ferry in Anacortes for the long ride back to the island. Elizabeth went up on the deck, since the day was warm enough that the wind off the water wouldn't freeze her. She had just rested her elbows on the railing when Kelly came outside and found her.

"Hey," Kelly said. "Can I join you?"

"Of course you can." Kelly crossed the deck and leaned on the railing next to Elizabeth. The wind picked up her hair and blew it away from her face, and Elizabeth looked at her. She could see traces of Michelle, definitely in the eyes and the smile. But of Keith Finch, she didn't see a single trait. "How are you doing?"

Kelly shrugged. "At first I thought it was this huge deal. Like my whole life had changed. But it didn't. My Dad is the same guy he's always been. I just came from somewhere else. It's kind of creepy, though, knowing how you were conceived."

"I'll bet," Elizabeth said.

"The kidney thing that he had. Mr. Finch. That's not genetic, is it?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "It can be, but I did some reading. Mr. Finch's illness was caused by overuse of painkillers after an operation. He got addicted, abused the drugs for a long time..." She waved her hands. "So stay away from drugs."

Kelly chuckled and rested her hands on the rail. "I looked around a minute ago and I didn't see you. It's weird. You haven't been around all that long, but it was like when I was little and I lost track of my mother in the store."

"You'll have to get used to it, I'm afraid. No point in keeping me around."

"I'm going to miss you."

Elizabeth put her arm around Kelly and said, "I'll miss you, too. You're a good kid. I was worried I would get tied to a brat princess."

Kelly grinned. "You lucked out, I guess." Her grin faded and she said, "How are Mr. Ottis and Ms. Forrest?"

"They're recovering," Elizabeth said. "They'll be released from the hospital next week. Have you spoken to Grayson since this whole thing?"

"Oh, yeah. The cops made sure he got home okay and that his family was safe. He's coming back to school on Thursday, same day I'm going back."

"So I guess you guys are talking again. I heard he was pretty heroic in the car."

"He kicked that Wythe guy's knife. But just because he saved me from one crazy dude isn't going to change my mind about him."

Elizabeth nodded. "Might be nice to just be alone for a while."

"Alone is going to feel kinda weird after this week. But I think I'm up for it."

Elizabeth laughed. "I know you are."

They were passing a small wooded island with a pair of men standing on the shore with fishing lines. They waved as the ferry went by, and Elizabeth waved back. Kelly said, "My parents are getting divorced."

Elizabeth said, "Yeah."

"They told me last night, when I was getting ready for the trip. I mean, Mom's been sleeping in another room for years, and now Dad finds out he's not really my father. I guess it was just time to stop pretending."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I liked the pretending," Kelly said. "But it's probably better for them to just admit it's over and move on."

"Probably," Elizabeth agreed.

"Would you date Mom?" Kelly said.

Elizabeth frowned. "What? Why would you ask me that?"

Kelly shrugged. "You guys seemed to get along really well. And I think my mom likes women. I don't know. It's just that if I have to deal with my mom dating, it would be easier if she was dating someone like you."

"You've never seen me in a relationship," Elizabeth said. "I'm a bad girlfriend."

"Maybe you've just been bad because you've been with the wrong girlfriends."

Elizabeth put her hand on the back of Kelly's neck and gave it a playful squeeze. "Are you on the debate team?"

"I will be next year."

"Good place for you."

Kelly snickered and rested her hands on the railing. She shivered a bit and pulled her hands into the sleeves of her jacket.

Elizabeth said, "You want to head back inside?"

"No, I'm fine. Can we stay up here a little while longer?"

"Yeah. We can stay out here as long as you want."
Epilogue

Elizabeth knocked on the doorframe and stepped into the hospital room. Zoe looked up and smiled before she picked up her jacket. Her right arm was in a sling, so Elizabeth helped her put the jacket on. "Thank you," Zoe said. "Have you seen Wade?"

"My pleasure. And no, Wade is in the wind. His room is empty and the nurses say he left against medical advice in the middle of the night. I figure he's across the country by now."

Zoe said, "I wouldn't be surprised. But he came through for us."

"He did. To everyone's shock. You want some help with your bags?"

"Yes, please." Elizabeth picked up the bag on the bed, slinging the strap over her shoulder. She let Zoe lead the way out of the room.

"So I never asked how your bosses felt about extending your vacation time. They alright with you doubling your vacation with sick leave?"

"I had enough saved up that it's not really an issue. It's without pay, but an extra fifty grand on top of my check from the Drakes kind of makes it a non-issue."

Elizabeth said, "Yeah. If I'd known there was hazard pay, I would have jumped in front of Wythe's gun, too."

"Where is Wythe?"

"He's in the jail here. The sheriff is trying to figure out which of the jurisdictions asking for him has precedence. Four states and two countries are fighting over who gets him first."

Zoe said, "I vote for whichever one has the harshest penalties. Son of a bitch had me completely fooled." She had explained the chain of events when she finally woke up. She'd called Wade to do the pat-down on the man she thought was Aaron Grayson's father. When Wade showed up, Wythe pulled a Derringer from his belt and shot Zoe, then shot Wade. He used a silenced 9mm to keep them down before he went into the house to earn his paycheck.

"Could have happened to anyone," Elizabeth said. "I drank spiked coffee, so we all have something to be ashamed about."

"Yeah, I suppose."

They stepped out of the hospital and Zoe looked over the parking lot. "So what now?"

"I was going to meet Theo. He has my paycheck."

"I meant for you," Zoe said. "Job's done. Wade and I are going back to our real lives... what about you?"

Elizabeth exhaled and looked toward the harbor. "I honestly don't know. I thought I was happy on the mountain, away from everything, but this past week showed me what I was missing. I think I might stay here on the island for a while. See how the other half lives before I go back."

Zoe smiled. "Stick around for a while, huh? Would that have anything to do with the former Mrs. Drake being suddenly single?"

"That might have been a factor in my decision," Elizabeth said. She put her hand on Zoe's elbow and stopped her from walking to her car. They turned to face each other and Elizabeth straightened the lapels of Zoe's jacket. "I've been thinking about you, too. What we mean to each other. Maybe if things don't work out with Michelle, we could rethink our arrangement."

Zoe said, "Yeah?"

"It's a thought."

Zoe stepped forward and kissed Elizabeth's lips. "I'd be willing to open negotiations with you on that front, Ms. Caine."

"Have a safe trip back to Chicago," Elizabeth said.

"I'll try. Be safe, Elizabeth. And if you stay with Theo's agency and you ever need a hand again, you give me a call. I'll come running as soon as I'm able."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Zoe paused in the open door of the car and looked her up and down. "It's nice to have you back, Liz."

Elizabeth smiled. "It's good to be back."

"Need a ride somewhere?"

"No. I think I'll walk."

Zoe smiled and got into the car. Elizabeth stepped back and waved as Zoe drove away, taking a moment to listen to the small town noises of the island before she went to the edge of the parking lot and looked out at the little town. The land sloped down toward the water, and she could see the sunlight glistening off the gentle waves beyond the buildings and through the tops of the trees. She hadn't exactly lied to Zoe, but she hadn't told the entire truth, either.

Her time on the island had truly opened her eyes to what she had been missing in her life. She was going to try and make it work with Michelle. She was going to work for Theo on a freelance basis. But her time on the island had also shown her that there was much more to the Sullivan assassination than she'd previously believed. There had to be a reason Colin Pine shot the way he did. Dawn's death wasn't an accident, and Elizabeth planned to do everything in her power to find out the truth.

But for the moment, all she had on her itinerary was a meeting with Theo at a restaurant near the ferry lanes in two hours. She slipped her hands into her pockets and started to walk. She had plenty of time to get there.

About The Author

Geonn Cannon lives in Oklahoma. He is the author of several novels, including the Riley Parra series which is currently being produced as a webseries for Tello Films, and an official Stargate SG-1 tie-in novel. Information about his other novels and an archive of free stories can be found online at geonncannon.com.
