"I heard a roaring sound, like a waterfall."

"Once something gets in there it spins around and around until something jars it loose."

"And, that's where they found her?" Glenn said.

"Not yet. Have to wait for the water to recede before they can dredge. Odds are, that's where she'll be," he said. "You're shivering."

She pulled the quilt around her tighter. "I liked it better when I thought there was an angel."

"Who's to say Justin Knight isn't an angel?"

"Oh, he'd just love to hear that."

"Oh, by the way, Terry's dying for you to see the footage he shot. He's out of his mind with happiness."

"There's no way Justin is going to let him screen that," she said.

"Haven't you read the Bill of Rights lately? Freedom of the Press, my dear."

"Yeah, right. Tell Terry to be careful. If he wants to keep that film he better make about a million copies, and put them some place safe. Believe me."

"He also said he wants you to come by the studio after the holidays."

"What for?"

"He seems to think the management at channel 25 might like to make you a job offer."

"But, I've never done e.n.g." She watched the same squirrel scurry back down the tree trunk. "Still, I guess it's worth going in for an interview. Nobody else is rushing to hire me."

"Well, Ter's the man at channel 25. They rely heavily on his opinions when it comes to camera work. All I know is, if he says you're in, you're in. And, I wouldn't mind having you around."

She turned, and slid her arms around him. "It's a real shame that you're totally not my type."

"I know, I don't much like you, either." He squeezed her tight. "Hey, you know what I was thinking? Maybe we should take Lois up on her offer to stop by. Eat some turkey, drink some eggnog, pick up a CD."

"Wait until you see what's on that CD."

"You've already looked at it? When? Oh, I know, when I fell asleep."

"Yep."

"Man, I can see it now, I'm going to have to keep my eye on you every minute."

"Yeah, it could be a real problem for you."

"I'll call Lois, and RSVP for tomorrow. You get back into bed."

"Not without you."

She looked up into his face, at eyes that blazed fiercely. Her heart pounded. This was not a man to trifle with. She knew that as surely as she knew that she had never seen him look more determined. She knew it as surely as she knew that his embrace was the warmest she'd ever known. She knew it as surely as she knew his kiss was making a promise that begged a response. This felt like the best Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years she'd ever had all rolled into one.

"I need you," he whispered, in her ear.

She nuzzled his neck. "What did you have in mind?"

"If you don't have any other plans for the next few minutes," he said, touching her cheek. "I'd like you to join me as I de-bug this place."

26.

On the day after Christmas they gave Justin Knight Phil's CD. In a strange way the veteran newsman was responsible for opening an internal investigation into a subversive branch of the agency. Glenn thought he would have liked that. The audio tape they had found in the tape deck did have Sadie's voice on it. There was nothing too incriminating, nothing that would hold up in court, but then again, it didn't have to.

Shane had been warned to stay out of it by Dave and Lou after they took him home from Union Station. But, he couldn't bring himself to do that as long as Glenn was in danger. Now he was providing what little information he had to the AFIB, along with Pip who was back on his feet. Lou was recovering from his gunshot wound, and Dave from his heroin injection. They weren't allowed to see either of them.

One day they went shopping. Glenn spent some time inFirst Look Photo daydreaming about new equipment. Technology had passed her by during the past couple years, and she had to replace almost all her gear. Everything was too expensive. They went to the mission district where she found a raspberry-colored parka with lots of pockets. It wasn't as roomy as her vintage overcoat, but it had a hood, and was only five dollars.

Terry Reeder brought the videotape to Geoff's house. Production values were awful. He'd been positioned too far away, lighting was negligible, and sound was nonexistent. All you could see were leaves and twigs and some ghosts in the distance. Terry swore the original print was clear. He didn't know what could have happened.

"A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I have nothing to show for it."

Glenn offered to help boost the image for him.

"That's just it," he said. "I can't find the original. I've misplaced it." He ran his fingers through his bangs. "Think anybody would buy this? Is it as bad as I think it is?"

"Well," Glenn said. "No legitimate news organization. However, you could peddle it to one of those pseudo-docu-drama shows. Tell them it's footage of Bigfoot."

"Or, Madonna skinny-dipping," Geoff said.

Terry laughed. "How about if I say it's Elvis?"

Glenn said, "Why not all three? I'll be Madonna, we can call Sullivan Bigfoot, and that makes Geoff Elvis. We're all three skinny-dipping at Civil War battle site. I can see the headlines now. Dude, you're going to be famous."

"That's some imagination you got there, girl," Terry said, smiling at her. "You are going to be huge in network news."

On New Years morning, as Glenn was waking up in the guestroom, Geoff came in wearing baggy sweat pants with the terrapin logo of the University of Maryland on them. His upper torso was bare, allowing her to see the black and blue marks on his chest and arm. He handed her a coffee mug, and a plate with two overstuffed, blueberry croissants, and sat on the edge of the bed.

She scooted up on her pillow. "You're spoiling me."

"That's the plan."

"It's not going to work, you know. I'm not going to change my mind."

"Hey, I'm perfectly happy with our living arrangement. You feel more comfortable sleeping here than in my bed, and I respect that."

She picked some crust off the pastry, and put it on her tongue. "As long as you understand that it's not about you."

"I understand." He pulled the round end off one of the croissants, and ate it. "You want to be respectful of my parents, I get it. And, you want to go slow this time. We've been over this a hundred times. I'm fine with it. As long as you let me pamper you a little. That's all I ask. I like the idea of knowing you're under the same roof with me, even if it is two floors away. And, I especially like our little breakfasts in bed."

"Okay, climb in."

"Don't rush me, wild thing. Gotta go get my coffee first. I'll meet ya in the middle."

When he returned, he plumped up a pillow, and got under the covers. "That was my mom calling just now from sunny Jamaica. She said to tell you 'hi'."

"I thought I heard the phone ring. Are they having a good time?"

"Wonderful. Weather is perfect. They were thinking of extending their stay a week. But, they decided to come home tomorrow, as planned."

"Then, I can finally go home."

"Hey, don't bogart all the food, chick. Pass that over here before it's gone." He took another bite, and another swallow of coffee. "I do appreciate you keeping me company."

"My pleasure. It still blows me away that a big, rugged guy like you is scared to be alone."

"I trusted you with that. Now don't go throwing it in my face."

"I'm not. I think it's cute, and very reassuring, to find out you're not so perfect after all."

"Whatever turns you on." He sighed. "Before you leave, will you go with me to the cemetery?"

She stared at him a moment. "Okay. Why?"

"To see Bobby...to say good-bye. I still haven't been able to bring myself to do that. New Years seems as good as day as any to take care of last year's debts."

As they stood before a bronze grave marker that readRobert Burns Duncan , all she could think of was how embarrassed Geoff was going to be spending eternity under a plaque that had his middle name on it. She pictured it,Geoffrey Chaucer Duncan . If she was walking through a graveyard, and saw it she'd think he was somebody unusual, somebody special. Geoff talked to his brother as if they were standing beside each other. He told him how difficult it was letting go of him. How could he stop missing him without erasing him from his heart, and mind?

"I'm really scared, Bobby. How can I open myself up to anybody when I know how awful losing them feels?"

He stood with his hands in his pockets, and his eyes closed. Glenn thought he might be praying, and wondered if she was supposed to join him. Silently his hand moved to take hers.

"Are you going to marry me?"

Glenn squeezed his hand. "Your brother kind of predicted this. The last time I talked to him."

"How's that?"

"He ordered me to go home, and find someone like you to have a life with."

"And, did you? I've got to know. Be fair. Tell me now. Even if it's 'maybe'. There are so many things we have no control over. Committing myself to loving you is something I can do. Otherwise, I have to start letting go."

"Have you thought about what we'd tell our kids when they ask how daddy proposed to Mommy?"

"No problem, you'll just make up a lie anyway. Is that a 'maybe'? I think I heard a 'maybe'."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Gosh, you're annoying."

He twined his fingers through hers, and pulled her close. "That'll probably get on your nerves in about forty or fifty years."

"Or sooner." She smiled.

"Yep," he said, searching her eyes. "That definitely was a 'maybe'."

"Look," she said. "I agree that we could have the foundation for something. I'd even go so far as to say that it could turn out to be lasting. But, I have to learn how to be part of the human race, before I can even think about being a wife. I've never been a daughter, or even a sister before. And, I'm pretty darn sure neither of us is ready for marriage. Especially you, young man."

"Okay, so I'll try to grow up."

"Just as long as you don't grow up too much. We can't possibly have a successful relationship whereI'm the mature one. That's way too scary."

"Positively chilling." He put her hand in his coat pocket. "You want to tell Bobby good-bye?"

Glenn nodded, and looked down at the grave. She wasn't sure she could say it out loud without falling apart. The image of his dead face still haunted her on occasion, and probably always would. She had found ways to come to terms with it. But, she suspected she'd never cease to ache just a little bit whenever she thought of him.

"How about," she whispered, to Geoff, "if we just say, 'see ya later'?"

"Perfect. That's my girl."

There was something different about Glenn's apartment when she returned to it. She combed her hair with the fingers of both hands, and went to the bedroom for clean clothes. She pulled a red cotton sweater over her head, and looked through her hamper for her favorite stretch pants. When she couldn't find them she went to look in the bathroom. While she was there she scrubbed her face, cleaned her teeth, and brushed her hair. Then, she remembered her pants were on the other side of her bed. On the way back she saw something out the corner of her eye, something she should have noticed as soon as she came in.

The last time she saw her camera bag was on Burnside Bridge. Now it was in her living room. Nothing to fear. The government agents had returned it. All she had to do was call, and confirm it. Her eyes moved from one side of the room to the other. She wet her lips, and walked to the front door. She picked up the Louisville slugger, and rested it on her shoulder. It wasn't a big apartment. The only area she hadn't searched yet was the bedroom closet.

She crept up to the door, and flung it open. It was the same disorganized mess it had always been. She went back to the living room. Had she checked the shower? In half a minute she was standing in front of it trying to summon up X-ray vision to see through the curtain. She swung the bat, chipping the porcelain.

"YO!".

She screamed, and swung the bat, missing Jacqmel's chin by a hair.

"Whoa!" he yelled, jumping back. "What did I do?"

Glenn dropped the bat, and threw her arms around him. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Yeah, well, I did asked Santa for a concussion, but how did you know?"

"I'm a little jumpy. Have you been around? Did I have any visitors?"

"Not exactly. I caught somebody sneakin' out your back door a couple days ago."

"Did you see who it was?" Glenn asked.

"It was too dark. Seemed small like, kinda girlish. I thought it might be you."