aIam sorry, maaam,a the operator said a moment later, aMr. Wyatt has checked out.a aChecked out? Dida"did he leave a message for me, for Kate Donovan, I mean?a aOne moment please.a Kateas knees began to knock while she waited. aNo, maaam. No message,a the operator stated with certainty.

Kate twisted around and made a grab for the vanity, trying to hold her quaking body upright while Mitch.e.l.las mocking voice whispered in her ringing ears.aI want to be sure you donat have any false illusions about whatas going on between us. . . . It canat go any further than that. It would get much too complicated. . . . But I do intend to ravish you.a The sound of her own sobbing drowned out his voice, and Kate groped blindly for a towel, holding it tightly to her face, trying to m.u.f.fle her cries before Evan heard them. Desperate to get herself under control and to get out of there before Evan walked in from the garden, she threw the towel down and splashed cold water onto her face; then she opened the door a crack and saw that the living room was empty. With tears pouring from her eyes and blurring her vision, she grabbed her suitcase and garment bag, made an awkward dash for the door, and struggled with the k.n.o.b.

Her shoulders shaking with silent sobs, she nudged the door open with her knee and was halfway outside when Evan walked in from the patio. aKate, wait, let me help you witha"a aIam fine, stay there,a she called, keeping her face averted, but she couldnat stop her shoulders from jerking.

aWhat the h.e.l.la"?a His hands locked on her arms, turning her around. He took one look at her tormented face and pulled her against his chest. aWhatas wrong, honey?a aPlease d-donat be n-nice to me; I was l-leaving you for him, and heas gone.a aDonat worry,a he said drily. aI donat feel like being very nice to you right now. Why donat I take you home?a Kate nodded, too choked up to speak. aI have to pick up Max.a MAX BOUNDED ONTOthe floor of the taxias backseat and Kate scooted over into the center. Evan went around to the pa.s.senger side and opened the back door. aThis is going to be a tight fit,a he said, wedging himself in beside her. Once he was inside, his left thigh and leg were pressed against hers, and there was no room for his left arm, so he put it across the back of the seat behind her.

Theyad sat this way hundreds of times before, but now their proximity felt awkward, and having his arm casually resting there seemed all wrong. He felt it, too; Kate could sense his tension. He was wounded and angry at her betrayal. She didnat deserve his kindness or his compa.s.sion, and the fact that he was offering both right now, when she needed them most and deserved them least, made her feel so ashamed that she bent her head and tears gathered in her eyes. Max laid his big head on her knee, his unblinking, adoring gaze on her face, and she reached out to scratch his head while two tears ran down her cheeks. It belatedly dawned on Kate that she hadnat even given Evan the courtesy of an apology, and she swallowed twice, trying to drag her voice through the knot of emotion in her throat. aIam sorry,a she whispered.

aI know you are.a Wishing desperately she had a tissue, Kate felt in her purse, but there were none in there. His duffel was on the seat beside her, and she reached for the zipper on it while tears began streaking in earnest from her eyes. aDo you have tissues or a handkerchief or something I could use in here?a aI think so,a Evan replied. aPa.s.s it over to me and Iall look.a aDonat bother,a she said, already tugging on the zipper. aIall do ita"a aDonat opena"a Evan said, but it was too late.

Lying atop all the neatly packed masculine apparel in Evanas duffel was a thick, square, robinas egg blue Tiffany box tied with a cream ribbon. It was a ring box.

Kate stared at it through a fresh haze of tears, and for the second time in less than an hour, she covered her face and wept.

He hesitated, and then he lowered his arm around her shaking shoulders and curved his hand around her arm, drawing her close so she could weep against his chest. aI should be the one comforting you,a Kate whispered brokenly.

aIam beyond comforting,a he whispered.

aI hate myself,a she said fiercely.

He thought about that for a moment. aI hate you, too,a he said, but there was a smile in his voice.

Kate closed her eyes. She couldnat let herself think about Mitch.e.l.l yet or she would shatter. Exhausted from the turmoil, and the struggle to keep thoughts of him at bay, she dozed as the old taxi jolted and b.u.mped along the short distance to the airport.

When she opened her eyes, she found that Evan had taken her hand in his and he was holding it. aWake up, weare here,a he said, and took his hand away. While she was sleeping, head slid the dazzling diamond solitaire from Tiffanyas on her ring finger. Kate stared at it and started to shake her head. aI canata"a aHere is what Iam aproposing.a a Evan clarified, aI need some time to get past whatas happened, and so do you. In the meantime, I suggest we announce our engagement in the newspaper.a aWhy?a He leaned close and whispered, aWell, for one thing, that ring will look very nice with whatever gown you wear to the Childrenas Hospital benefit Sat.u.r.day night. Weare one of the sponsors.a Kate looked at him in stupefaction as he took his arm away and reached into his pocket to pay the cab fare. aWhatas theother thing?a aThe Wyatt family will be there. Now,a he continued conversationally as he counted out money, aI donat know about you, but if I were in your place, Iad like it if Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt was forced to realize thathead been useda"a aUsed as what?a Kate asked bitterly.

He slanted her a sideways smile tinged with just a little regret. aYourlast fling.a

Chapter Twenty-nine.

BY FIVE-THIRTY, THEtide of tourists on the streets around Captain Hodges Wharf was receding rapidly. Cruise ship pa.s.sengers, carrying bags of duty-free bounty, were heading back to departing ships, and tourists staying on the island were returning to their hotels to nap before a long night of dining, gambling, and nightclubbing.

In a parked car, MacNeil phoned Gray Elliott to report again on Wyattas whereabouts. aWyattas still hanging around the wharf,a MacNeil said. aThatas the bad news. The good news is, I just checked with our contact at the airport. He said Wyattas plane is on the ramp at the hangar, fueled up and ready to fly. His pilots are waiting in the lounge, drinking coffee. So heas planning to leave soon.a aAll right, stay in touch,a Gray replied. aInterpol is on standby, prepared to conduct simultaneous searches of his apartments in Europe, but I canat give them the go-ahead until Wyattas plane is in the air. Otherwise, I run the risk that some doorman or housekeeper will phone him, and heall figure outheas the subject of our investigation. He has a telephone in the plane, but I donat think head give that number to underlings and domestics.a aIall call you as soon as heas on the move,a MacNeil said.

As MacNeil lowered his phone, Childress raised the camera and focused on Wyatt for another quick shot. aThe guy is a chick magnet,a Childress remarked a little wistfully, watching through the cameraas eye as a pretty blonde strolled into the frame.

aExcuse me,a a female voice said. aCould you tell me what time it is?a aItas five-thirty,a Mitch.e.l.l replied without looking at his watch or the woman. Head just checked the time, and his attention was now fastened on a new boat appearing on the horizon.

As the boat grew larger, it appeared to be about the right size and moving at about the right speed for a tourist boat. St. Maartenas coastline was dotted with marinas and wharfs, however, and most boats coming over the horizon appeared to be headed in his general direction at first, so Mitch.e.l.l kept a tight rein on his expectations. A few minutes later, the boat was still angled toward Captain Hodges Wharf, and Mitch.e.l.las pulse began edging up, notch by notch, while his gaze fastened on the boatas bow, willing it not to change direction.

The boat came nearer, grew larger, and Mitch.e.l.l began searching for a glimpse of shining red hair among the blur of pa.s.sengers on deck. A few minutes later, theIsland Sun had docked and the last pa.s.senger had filed past him. Mitch.e.l.l returned to his vantage point on the other side of the wharf and scanned the horizon for signs of another inbound tourist boat. Obviously the boyfriendas flight had been delayed, and head arrived an hour or two late, which was delaying Kate.

Smiling a little, he marveled, yet again, that neither he nor Kate had thought to exchange cell phone numbers. In the hours before she left this morning, theyad shared a sunrise, laughter, several stories, long kisses, and the most exciting, profoundly satisfying lovemaking of his life. They had not, however, shared their phone numbersa"which wasnat all that surprising on his part, Mitch.e.l.l thought wryly, because head lost the ability and the desire to concentrate on anything else when she was near.

After twenty minutes and another boat arrival, Mitch.e.l.l was no longer smiling. The sun was beginning to set, and as darkness loomed, his mind began conjuring unbearable images of Kate cowering in a corner from her enraged boyfriend or lying alone in the villa, injured or worse.

Once those possibilities had occurred to him, he was powerless to ignore them. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, and after being transferred to two operators, he was finally able to get through to the Island Club. At the last moment, he remembered Maurice was away, and he asked to speak to whoever was in charge instead. A male answered, identified himself as aMr. Orly,a and asked how he could be of service.

aThis is Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt,a Mitch.e.l.l replied, trying to sound less frightened than he felt. aMiss Donovan, in villa six, was feeling ill earlier, and she isnat answering her phone. Please send someone down to check on her while I hold on.a aMiss Donovan?a Mr. Orly repeated. aVilla six? Are you certain?a aVery certain,a Mitch.e.l.l snapped. aSend someone down there immediately.a aIam happy to be able to allay your fears, Mr. Wyatt,a Orly said cheerfully after a moment. aThe phone in villa six isnat being answered because the villa is unoccupied.a aWhat do you mean itas unoccupied?a aI mean that the party occupying villa six checked out at three oaclock today. Is there anythinga"a Mitch.e.l.l closed the cover on his cell phone, disconnecting Orly in midsentence, but his brain refused to process the obvious implications of what head heard. Paralyzed with disbelief, he stood where he was, gazing blindly at the horizon, his phone hanging loosely from his hand.

Not once since Kate had waved good-bye to him this morning had he ever considered that shead leave him standing there at the wharf. She was in love with him, and he was in love with her. Their feelings for each other were deepening with every hour they spent together. They were meant to be, and Kate had realized that even before he had. Kate wanted magic, and they had it in unbelievable abundance. She didnat have that with her boyfriend. She would never have checked out of the Island Club and gone home with him.

The obvious answer was that the boyfriend had checked out and gone home alone. Kate was probably on her way to Mitch.e.l.l right now, as eager to kiss him h.e.l.lo as he was to return her kiss. There was a way to find out. . . . Slowly, Mitch.e.l.l pulled his wallet out of his pocket and removed the slip of paper head put there yesterday with the veterinaryas address and phone number on it. Looking at it, he flipped his cell phone open again with his thumb, his heart beginning to beat with dread.

aThis is Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt,a he told the vet when he answered the phone. aI was wondering if Miss Donovan came by to pick up Max yet.a aYes, she did. She picked him up several hours ago, and he was very happy to see her. I had all the doc.u.ments ready that she needed to get him into the States.a aThatas good . . .a Mitch.e.l.l said, his chest constricting in pained disbelief. aDid she bring someone along to help with him?a aYes, a nice gentleman.a STANDING BESIDE THEIRcar, Childress and MacNeil watched Wyattas jet taxiing away from its hangar. Minutes later, it roared down the runway; then it lifted off and vanished swiftly into the darkness, its presence in the sky marked only by tiny flashes of light.

Chapter Thirty.

UNLIKE HIS TRADITIONALLYfurnished apartments in Europe, the interior of Mitch.e.l.las plane resembled a luxurious Art Deco living room, and the color scheme of silver, black, and chrome was enlivened with splashes of color from the period art pieces head carefully collected. A stylish oyster gray leather sofa, long enough for him to stretch out on, was positioned between a pair of round end tables with black granite tops and polished chrome lamps in the stepped profile of the Art Deco period.

Two oversize gray leather swivel recliners were across from the sofa. Beyond that was a Maca.s.sar ebony desk and credenza where he frequently worked, another row of seats, and a doorway opening into a compact but elegant bedroom-and-bathroom suite.

Normally, when Mitch.e.l.l boarded for a flight of several hours, he went either to his desk or to the bedroom, depending on the time of day. Tonight, he went straight to the curved ebony bar near the front of the cabin and poured brandy into a crystal tumbler instead of a snifter.

From the sofa, he watched the twinkling lights of St. Maarten vanish; then he stretched his legs out in front of him and lifted the gla.s.s of brandy to his lips, eager for the fiery liquid to start dulling the ache in his chest.

Head turned off the cabinas lights and switched on a table lamp.

Slowly and methodically, he began reviewing the last three days, searching for some clue that should have alerted him to the fact that he was overestimating the depth of her feelings for him.

An hour later, all head come up with were haunting memories of an irresistible redhead with a heartwarming smile whoad kissed him and set him on firea"memories that all led him to the same unanswerable question: How could she have left with her boyfriend, without at least meeting Mitch.e.l.l at the wharf to tell him good-bye?

How could she have done that when shead been so candid and brave about her feelings: I think fate may have intended for us to meet the way we did and to become friendsa"that it was predestined. . . . I like you very much, and I think you like me, too. . . . If Iam going to be disappointed, I donat want it to happen with you.

Swallowing over the unfamiliar constriction in his throat, he drew a long breath and leaned his head back, willing himself into a state of pleasant numbness where he could think about her without this gnawing sense of bewildered loss. Instead, he remembered the quiet joy of sitting up in bed, drowsy and contented, watching the sunrise together, and the inexplicable pleasure of seeing her hand resting next to his on the table in the casino.

Shead made her decision to stay with her boyfriend, and thanks to his glib description of their arolesa that morning, he was stuck with that decision and bound by the very role head described and intended for her boyfriend to play: As soon as he understands youare serious about wanting to be with someone else, he is obliged to accept defeat gracefully and wish you well and then to get the h.e.l.l out of my way.

About those rulesa"shead askeda"What would you do if Iad vacillated just a little about breaking up with my boyfriend?

Under those circ.u.mstances, you would be required to telephone me to tell me that, and then I would simply switch roles with him.

On his way to the airport tonight, head phoned the Enclave to see if shead left a message for him there, but she hadnat.

Briefly, Mitch.e.l.l considered the possibility that her disappearance was a soph.o.m.oric attempt to prove she could make him jealous enough to come after her. If so, she wasnat the woman he thought she was.

He knew how to find hera"she wasnat lost to him. If she wasnat listed in the phone book, he could trace her through her fatheras newspaper obituary.

Several times he considered the possibility that something dire had happened that made her leave without a word.

Each time, he squelched that thought, along with the temptation to use it as an excuse to find her. Shead had the time, and the presence of mind, to pick up a stray dog at the vet. Shead intentionally left him to wait at the wharf.

The telephone on the table beside him began ringing and he ignored it.

aWHY ISNaT HEanswering the d.a.m.ned phone?a Matt Farrell asked his wife. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he turned and gazed out the living room windows of their penthouse apartment overlooking Lake Sh.o.r.e Drive. aI know heas on the plane.a Meredith laid aside the agenda she was supposed to be preparing for the next board of directors meeting of Bancroft & Company, a chain of luxury department stores founded by a Bancroft ancestor, and which she now headed. aHeas probably in bed,a she said, but Matt heard the apprehension in her voice, and he remembered something that made Mitch.e.l.las situation seem less grim. aSpeaking of that . . .a he said, and raised his brows, letting the sentence hang unfinished.

Meredith studied his expression but couldnat connect it with anything other than possibly a hint that they should go to bed, which seemed unlikely given his urgent need to contact Mitch.e.l.l and warn him that police on two continents were searching his apartments. aSpeaking of what?a she prompted finally.

aSpeaking of Mitch.e.l.l being in bed,a Matt provided unhelpfully.

aYes?a she said in smiling exasperation when he merely lifted his brows and left her hanging again, without any information.

Satisfied that she was fully engrossed in this new topic, he said, aWhen Zack called tonight to tell me Mitch.e.l.las apartment in Rome was being searched, he also mentioned that Mitch.e.l.l had phoned him earlier today from St. Maarten with a very interesting requesta" It seems that Mitch.e.l.l has met someone down in the islands, and since he needed to come back here to be with Caroline and Billy for a few days, he wanted to be sure the lady would have avery pleasant time cruising the islands on theJulie while he was in Chicago.a Tipping her head to the side, Meredith looked at him, puzzled. aThat doesnat sound particularly significant.a aThatas not the significant part. The significant part is thatMitch.e.l.l intended to fly back to the islands every night to be with her on the yacht. Hence,a he finished, with satisfaction at his wifeas look of surprised interest, athe connection between Mitch.e.l.l being in bed on the plane and this discussion. Iam thinking maybe sheas with him and thatas why he hasnat answered my calls. Her name is Kate, by the way.a Meredithas smile faded and so did Mattas, for the same reason. aI hope sheas on the yacht and not on the plane,a Meredith said, putting both their thoughts into words. aIt would be awful for him if sheas there and the police are waiting to talk to him when the plane lands, like Zack thinks is going to happen.a aZack may be leaping to conclusions,a Matt replied, walking toward the telephone.

aBut you donat think heas leaping to conclusions, do you?a aNo.a He hesitated, reluctant to worry her, but unwilling to lie to her.

Meredith wasnat certain what to expect. Years before, Matt had watched his friend Zack Benedict get wrongly convicted of murdering his actress wife, and the bitter experience had left both men intensely mistrustful of the criminal justice system. As a result, Matt had already arranged for his chauffeur to be ready to head for the hangar at OaHare with two attorneys from the law firm that handled both Mattas and Mitch.e.l.las corporate affairs in Chicago.

THE TELEPHONE NEXTto the sofa began ringing again, and Mitch.e.l.l ignored it, but very few people had the planeas phone number, and all of them were important to him for one reason or another. Since the brandy head been drinking had only made him sink deeper into a state of confused longing for Kate, he finally reached for the telephone to give himself a distraction. aWhoever you are,a he said aloud when he answered, ayouare persistent as h.e.l.l.a aItas Matt,a his friend said after a startled pause. aZack called an hour ago to say the police were swarming all over your apartment, searching for something. He also said your a.s.sistant in New York called because NYPD was searching your New York apartment.a Mitch.e.l.l straightened slowly to an upright position. aWhat are they searching for?a aYour a.s.sistant said the search warrant was for a manas outdoor coat or jacket, black in color, and any item of apparel with b.u.t.tons bearing a particular symbol on the back. The cops had a picture of the symbol. I have no idea what the Italian warrant was for, but Zack faxed me a copy of it.a aRead it to me,a Mitch.e.l.l said, as anger began to replace some of the desolation he was feeling. He listened to Matt struggle through the Italian words, misp.r.o.nouncing most of them. aThatas what theyare looking for,a Mitch.e.l.l said, halting Mattas recitation.

aWhat is it?a aA manas black outdoor coat or jacket, and anything with b.u.t.tons bearing a particular symbol.a Standing up, Mitch.e.l.l ran his hand around the back of his neck. aI have no idea what this is about.a aZack and I both think itas related to the discovery of your brotheras body.a Mitch.e.l.l shook his head in denial. aMy nephew said the police already have a confession from an old drunk on a neighboring farm.a aThatas what the police told your nephew, because thatas what they wantyou to think,a Matt argued. aListen to me very carefully, because Iave been through this before, and I know how the police operate. The searches of your apartments are occurring immediately after the discovery of your brotheras murdered body, which undoubtedly means youave become a suspect in his death. If so, the police want you back in Chicago, where they can either question you or arrest you. I think theyall be waiting for you when your plane lands, and so does Zack.a He paused, waiting for that to sink in, before he continued, aIave phoned Levinson and Pearson and put them on standby to meet you at your plane. Joe OaHara is ready to leave with the car and pick them up as soon as you give me the go-ahead. Zack disagrees with this plan. He doesnat think you should land in Chicago at all. He thinks you should land somewhere else, out of U.S. jurisdiction tonight; hire criminal defense attorneys tomorrow; and then let them arrange with Cook County for you to voluntarily return. Zack is probably right.a Mitch.e.l.l stood up, walked over to the bar, and put his gla.s.s down on a tray. aIam not going to run for cover. Iall call Levinson and tell him to find out who is in charge of this fiasco. Levinson can then let this person know that Iam aware of whatas going on and that Iam still going to land at OaHare. That may not convince the police that Iam innocent, but it will at least give me the enormous satisfaction of embarra.s.sing them.a Despite the grimness of the situation, Matt Farrell chuckled. aAnd then what?a aThen the police can either rush out to grab me at the airport, or they can let Levinson arrange for both of us to stop by in the morning for a civilized discussion. Personally, I hope they choose the second option.a Mitch.e.l.l phoned Dave Levinson at home and told the attorney what he wanted him to do. He hung up, glanced at his watch, and realized it was still set for St. Maarten time. With his thumb and forefinger, he pulled out the stem to set the time back two hours, and reality struck him with painful force: less than sixteen hours ago head been lying in bed watching the sunrise over the Caribbean with Kate snuggled up beside him, telling him a funny story about how she got the adenta in her chin. Before head finally fallen asleep, head decided they would dine aboard the yacht tonight and go for a starlight cruise.

Instead of that, she was in Chicago with a man she preferred to Mitch.e.l.l, and he was trying to avoid being arrested for the murder of a brother he had loved.

Forcing Kate out of his mind, Mitch.e.l.l got up and headed to the bedroom to shave and change clothes. From now on, he needed to concentrate solely on dealing with the police and helping Caroline and Billy through the ordeal to come. Kate was gone. It was over. Finished. She and their brief affair had to be put away now. Mentally, Mitch.e.l.l forced her out of his consciousness and shoved her into a dark cubbyhole from which she couldnat escape or come back to haunt him. Compartmentalizing was one of his greatest talents; it was a survival technique head developed as a boy, and it had served him extremely well.

In the bedroom, he pulled off his shirt; then he went into the bathroom, opened a cabinet, and took out a razor and shaving cream. He smeared lather on his face, picked up his razor, and started shaving beneath his chin.

His traitorous mind conjured up an image of Kate from this morning. She was looking at him in the mirror, hiding a smile, trying not to look as if she was deriving pleasure from the casual intimacy of watching her lover shave. Beneath the lather, head been hiding a smile of his own, because he was experiencing a similar pleasure from having her watch him.

The razor slipped, and he swore as he grabbed for a tissue.

Levinson called back just as Mitch.e.l.l finished b.u.t.toning a fresh shirt and tucking it into his trousers. aI couldnat find anyone who knows anything about the search warrants or whoas in charge of the investigation into Williamas death,a he said. aThe investigation used to be headed up by a Detective MacNeil, but heas away on special a.s.signment. Since n.o.body seemed to know anything, I decided to go straight to the top and phoned Gray Elliott, the stateas attorney, at home.

aGray and I had an interesting chat in which I did all the talking and he did all the listening. In fact, I wasnat sure whether he knew anything about the investigation until the end of our conversation. Iam now convinced heas handling it personally.a aWhy is that?a Mitch.e.l.l asked, irritated by the lack of solid information.

aBecause at the end of our conversation, he said to tell you, aWelcome back,a and to have a pleasant evening and that heas looking forward to getting to know you better at eleven-thirty tomorrow morning.a aI gather that means Iam not going to be met by the cops when I land?a aComing from Gray, that could just as easily mean, aPlease continue to cherish your false sense of security, and land that d.a.m.ned plane at OaHare, where I can impound it.a Either way, you can count on being interviewed by the police at eleven-thirty tomorrow morning, with or without spending the night in jail first.a aIn that case, you and Pearson should meet me at the airport when we land,a Mitch.e.l.l said curtly.

TOMITCh.e.l.laS SURPRISEthere was only one vehicle waiting for his plane when it taxied to the hangar, and it was a limousine with Pearson and Levinson in the backseat and Mattas chauffeur at the wheel.

aMy chat with Gray obviously convinced him that youare not going to try to evade being questioned,a Levinson said as they pulled onto the expressway ramp.

In the front seat, Joe OaHara was watching the rearview mirror. aWeare being tailed,a he said. aTwo cars. Do you want me to try to lose them?a aAbsolutely not!a Pearson said.

Chapter Thirty-one.

aBE NICE TOhim, Lucy,a Kate murmured sleepily. aMax doesnat know the bed is for cats only.a Reaching out, she pulled the hissing cat away from Max, whoad unknowingly violated Lucyas territory by resting his head on the comforter. She settled the gray cat on the pillow next to hers and turned her face toward the nightstand. The clock stared back at her. It was eight-thirty.

Kate closed her eyes, trying to return to the peaceful amnesia of sleep, but a few minutes later she gave up, shoved back the covers, and climbed wearily out of bed. aHow did you sleep?a she asked Max. He wagged his tail in response, and she smiled, ruffling his fur. aYou have to learn to get along with Lucy and Ethel,a she said as she paused to scoop Ethel off her dresser and give the tabby a hug.

Max followed her into the kitchen, and she let him out into the fenced yard of the little house she rented in an old, partially restored Chicago neighborhood near where she used to work. He trotted outside onto the frozen ground and sniffed the snow; then the unfamiliar cold penetrated beneath his fur and he beat a hasty retreat back to the house.

Kate pretended to ignore him as she made coffee. aPlease let him be easy to housebreak,a she prayed to no one in particular. Her belief in the power of prayer, which had undergone fairly wide swings throughout her life, was at a record low after her night on the beach with Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt.

Watching him swimming toward her under a blanket of bright stars and sensing her fatheras presence so close to her had been the most moving, mystical experience of Kateas lifea"proof at last that there really was a Divine Presence, a Grand Plan, just as her uncle, the priest, had always insisted. Maybe he was right, Kate decided as she listlessly spooned coffee into a filter. If so, then based on her own recent experience, the Divine Presence had a cruelly perverse sense of humor and His Grand Plan needed drastic revision.

While she contemplated those weighty matters, coffee brewed and Max went out into the yard again, where he made use of all three catalpa trees. Kate let him back inside and congratulated him on a job well done with as much enthusiasm as she could muster; then she poured herself a cup of coffee.

A very early riser as a rule, she usually took her coffee into her tiny living room, opened the drapes, and curled up in a chair beside the front window to watch the neighborhood slowly come to life. This morning, however, she was three hours too late to watch the ashowa and she was in no mood to do anything except go back to bed, crawl under the covers, and try to get warm.

After stopping in the hallway to turn up the thermostat, she carried her coffee into the bedroom, put it on the nightstand, and got back into bed. Trying to encase herself in a safe coc.o.o.n of sheets and down-filled comforter, she propped pillows against her headboard, drew her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. Ethel hopped off the dresser and curled up at her feet; Lucy settled deeper into the pillow near her hip.

By nine oaclock, shead already drunk the hot coffee, but she was still shivering inside from the aftermath of everything that had happened in Anguilla and St. Maarten. She decided to call Holly and tell her she was back, and engaged to Evan, and maybe ease into the story about Mitch.e.l.l after that. Hollyas hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays were from noon to ninePM , and since Holly lived only twenty minutes away, they might even be able to get together.

She was already reaching for the phone when it began to ring.

aKate,a a cordial, but unfamiliar, male voice said, athis is Gray Elliott. You probably donat remember me, but weave met a few times when youave been with Evan.a aYes, of course I remember you,a Kate said, wondering if aChicagoas most eligible bachelora was actually that una.s.suming, or just pretending to be.

aI phoned Evan this morning, and he told me how to reach you and that youare engaged now. I hope youall both be very happy.a aThank you.a aI know this is short notice, but I was wondering if you could drop by my office at ten-thirty this morning.a Kate sat up abruptly and swung her legs over the side of the bed, dislodging Ethel in the process. Apparently, being engaged to a successful young attorney with the right social connections had some definite perks. Before this, she could barely get the detectives handling her fatheras case to call her back. Now, the stateas attorney himself was calling her voluntarily. aIs this about my fatheras case?a aIndirectly.a aWhat does that mean?a aIad rather explain that in person.a There was something about his voice that unsettled her. At first his tone had been affable, but the invitation to his office sounded businesslike. aShould I bring a lawyer along?a she asked, trying to joke.

aYou may bring anyone you wish,a he said warmly, and just as Kate began to chide herself for being edgy about his call, he added, aHowever, I donat think youall want Evan to be present.a Kate hung up the phone and immediately dialed Holly. aHi,a she said when Holly answered. aI got back late last night. Gray Elliotta"the stateas attorneya"just called me and asked me to come to his office at ten-thirty. It has something to do with my fatheras case. I could use a little moral support if you have the time.a aIall make the time,a Holly said. aIall pick you up in forty-five minutes, and you can tell me about your trip on the way there.a Exactly forty-five minutes later, Holly stopped in front of the house in her sporty SUV. She smiled as Kate got inside, then she sobered. aYou look awful. What happened down there?a she asked as she pulled away from the curb.

Kate was so glad to see her that she immediately fell into their time-honored habit of turning even bad events into material for lighthearted banter. aLetas see, what happened down there? I fell in love with a new guy and got engaged.a aTo Evan, or the new guy?a aI got engaged to Evan. Max is my new love.a aThen everything is perfect, right?a aRight.a aThen why do you look so . . . unhappy?a aBecause I also took your advice and went to bed with someone.a Holly shot her a long, amazed glance and had to slam on the brakes to avoid running a stop sign. aHow did that go?a Kate leaned her head back and closed her eyes, trying to force her lips into a smile. aNot very well,a she whispered.

aIt couldnat have lasted more than a couple of days. How bad could a thing like that go in a couple of days?a aIt could go really bad. Really, really,really bad.a aLetas hear the details,a Holly persisted.

aLatera"on the way back. Evan was wonderful about it, though.a aYoutold him about it?a aHead brought a ring with him,a Kate said, opening her eyes and smiling more naturally. aLooka"a Holly reached out and took Kateas outstretched fingers. Holly was wearing faded jeans, scuffed boots, a white turtleneck, and a bulky navy peacoat that had seen better days. Her long blond hair was scrunched into a big tortoisesh.e.l.l claw clip at the crown to keep it from falling into her face, and she was wearing no makeup. aVery impressive,a she said sincerely. aA little over four carats, E in color, nice proportions.a Holly was the errant daughter of wealthy New York socialites. She knew her jewels. She had a trust fund, which she refused to touch, and which she said was obscenely large. She also had the knack of looking delicate and feminine when she was dressed like a lumberjack and the extraordinary ability to morph herself into a haughty former debutante on a momentas notice and hold her own in any social situation.

She rarely talked about her family in New York except to say laughingly that she and her sister both felt honor bound to atone for their robber-baron ancestors by serving the less fortunate. Holly took care of animals; her sister, Laurel, was a lawyer who worked pro bono on cases involving women and children.

Chapter Thirty-two.

aTHANK YOU FORcoming by on such short notice, Kate,a Gray Elliott said after shead introduced him to Holly. aLetas sit over there,a he added, gesturing to a sofa with a coffee table in front of it and a pair of chairs facing each other at opposite ends.