"Wait, me first. Wow, talk about hidden. Was it supposed to be?"

a 53 a "What?" Annie asked, backing down and letting Sarah go by.

"Hidden," Sarah replied as she walked up the steps.

"Not at all, this was originally a stained glass studio. You should see it when the sun shines through the colored glass along the bottom of the big panes of glass. I had it remodeled as my studio when Mary and I moved in and had this and another sliding door put in. Noah, the brother who helped me with the bike, is an architect, and he designed both doors plus the remodeling of this studio."

"No, I meant the door is hidden. Where's the other door?" Sarah asked.

"In the master bathroom," Annie replied, laughing. "And I dare you to find that one."

"Oh, my God, how beautiful," Sarah said from the top of the stairs, staring at a large painting on an easel. "This is someone you know quite well, I presume." She turned and grinned down at Annie.

Annie came up behind her. "Presume away. That's Mary." They walked across the studio floor. Sarah stood quietly before the painting of a slender blond woman, sitting on the edge of a bathtub, draped only in a towel, bent over but smiling up at the artist.

"This is wonderful, Annie." Sarah stood motionless.

"I'll offer it to Mary, or hell, who knows? Maybe I should just burn the thing."

"Well, I don't think it should be burned. Look how it shines. It's radiant."

Annie looked at Sarah for a moment and then walked away. "It was painted over five years ago," she said, her voice flat. She walked to the shutters and knelt down, balancing herself on her good right hand.

"This is what I wanted to show you. I never close these shutters like this, and Mary normally wouldn't have come up here. There are two tiers of these things. The shorter ones cover the stained glass. The big ones cover the clear windows, and I open them when I paint so I can use the true light."

"Is there anything out of place here? Look around for me," Sarah said.

Annie started at the south end of the large room and walked slowly around the benches, desks, and paintings until she was back where she started. "Nothing, Sarah. I just have the feeling that things have been moved around."

a 54 a "Well, do this again tomorrow, just to be sure, especially with the business with the computer tonight. Maybe seeing it with fresh eyes in the daylight will help. By the way, is this tied into your alarm system?"

Annie shook her head. "I just didn't see the need." She looked momentarily lost. "I'm beginning to feel like my red bike, in a trillion pieces."

Sarah walked toward the steps. "Come on. Have one more beer, and you can tell me what you have against country music."

a 55 a a 56 a

ChAPTER SEvEN.

After her shower the next morning, Sarah went to Annie's office. She studied the wall, then the door for a few moments.

It really was ingenious. She went up the stairs and opened the big shutters for the extreme light Annie had talked about. The sunlight crept into every corner, and she turned, feeling like she was outside in the air.

She checked for skid marks, footprints, or anything she could find, and then she saw them. Slide marks scratched a thin layer of dust under the smaller shutters that were closest to the garage roof. A wooden crate holding pieces of framing had been moved.

"Not hardly small," Sarah said, taking a piece of framing and lifting the shutter. A pane of red glass swung out when she gently touched it with the wood. It had to be at least three feet wide and just as tall. She called the forensic team and asked them to come out again to dust for prints or anything else they could find. The team is going to love me if I keep this up, Sarah thought as she backed away, trying not to disturb anything anymore than she already had. She went to the painting that Annie had covered last night. She pulled the canvas flap up, admiring the painting once again, and thought about the two women. Her sources had said they were a striking couple. But it appeared they'd struck each other in a ten car pile-up. Relationships were a tricky ride.

She frowned as she went down the stairs. I'm just like Annie. Gone all the time. Someone would be left home by herself, and then I'd be alone, just like she is.

She looked around the office. The light gray walls with white trim set off the black-and-white photos on the wall. She stopped at a a 57 a picture of a young Annie with a fishing pole, but minus some front teeth. There was a wedding photo of Hannah and James Booker, along with other family photos. She looked closely at a picture of Hannah with what Sarah assumed were all four of her children when they were much younger. Two of the kids resembled their mother and two looked like James Booker. There was a large shot of a U.S. military tank with Annie standing in front with a microphone, but she couldn't tell what country she was in. Sarah paused at the state-of-the-art computers. At least one monitor was set up for video conference. Shelves with more books, photos, and statues, finished the area around the desk. Nifty, Sarah thought, I could work in here all day.

Wandering out into the large open kitchen, she found the coffee maker and coffee. Sarah leaned on the cooking island and looked out the wide French doors that led to the deck, the same graceful doors that were in Annie's bedroom. Lake Michigan was bright this morning, a blue that could fool you into thinking it was warm. The house was flooded with sunlight, and she was struck by the brightness, the space and color. Green plants sat on the counter and window ledges. It was like a breath of summer.

This woman likes space and she likes to cook, Sarah decided, turning slowly. Even the floor tile looked Italian. There was a large round oak table with chairs and she wondered if it was handcrafted. She walked down to three comfortable-looking upholstered chairs around a low coffee table. There was a small fireplace beside the chairs and a tall, narrow window lined with stained glass chips. The glass looked old to Sarah, and she leaned forward to see if there were straw marks in it. Yes, the glass was wavy. She smiled. Annie valued old things too.

The stained glass threw colors onto the chairs, and a bonsai tree stood proudly at one end with several books lying in front of it. Curious, she picked up Kawabata's Snow Country and sat in the closest chair, browsing through pages bathed in the silent colors.

"Sarah?" Annie's voice penetrated the quiet.

Startled, Sarah looked up at Annie standing in the sunlight. It almost hurt to look at her, and she pulled in a breath. She held the book up so Annie could see what she had been reading.

Annie gave her a smile. "Stay there. I'll get us some coffee and join you."

a 58 a Sarah went back to the book and read until Annie put two cups on the table. Annie's sleepy face looked young as she smiled at Sarah.

"Don't tell me you read him too?"

Sarah reached for the coffee. "No, not since college. First Japanese to win the Nobel Prize. Late sixties, I believe. Is that right?"

Annie leaned back in the chair and nodded. "I usually take at least one of his books when I travel. About three years ago I had a doctor who was a bit of a Zen person, and she loved his books. She got me into them."

Sarah laid the book on the table and looked out at the open kitchen area. "This is beautiful, Annie. Reminds me of a place in Italy where my family stayed when I was young. Dad was taking some special training."

"It's my favorite room. Wait until you see it in the summer. It's like another house." She nodded at Sarah's cup, "Try the coffee. See if you like it."

It was bitter and sweet at the same time, but definitely tasted like coffee. "It's strong but delicious. What is it?"

"I have it ground downtown. Mary hates it. Says it makes her teeth ache." Annie gave a soft laugh and pointed at the book. "Those guys are a bit too masculine and sentimental for my tastes, but I love the haiku, so I read their work. Actually, I went to Japan and spent time in the area where Snow Country was located."

Sarah looked over the rim of her cup, peeking at Annie's face. She could tell Annie was somewhere else, so she waited. Finally, Annie's eyes moved back to her.

"That was an incredible place and I loved it. Do you know much about Eastern religion or living?"

"Bits and pieces."

"Look on the chair next to you."

Sarah spotted a tape on top of more books about Japan.

"Sometime, when you have a moment, look at that video. I followed his book and shot film. My own private documentary." She stood, holding her cup. "I'm going to shower and get dressed. Thanks.

It was nice waking up to the smell of coffee in the house."

Sarah nodded. "Did you go alone?"

"Well, I wasn't supposed to, but as it all fell out, yes, I did."

a 59 a Later, after the forensic team had come back to the house, Sarah and Annie sat in the living room with coffee, looking at the FBI computer.

"Not that I'll ever be in the house without one of you, but do you think I should go over this, especially now that you know someone was in here?" Annie asked. They looked at the computer, sitting close, and Sarah showed her where the FBI had located the electronic bug.

"The device that was put in here destroyed our memory, so we can't say who was here. Only that someone definitely was inside the house." Sarah punched a few more keys. "Also, the house alarm was tweaked but reset, and whoever did this has an excellent knowledge of electronics. Very smart."

"This is crazy. My hotel room was routinely searched in Baghdad.

I used to set little traps for them. Since there was nothing there that I cared about except the gin, it became a little game. But my home is not a game."

"I'm sorry," Sarah said. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but these guys are excellent with electronics."

Annie tucked her hair behind her ear, and the morning sun caught a flash of gold. Sarah cleared her throat. It was a wonderful morning to be around Annie.

"Right." Annie's hair fell forward as she studied the coffee cup in her hand. "I have to go to the clinic for my arm this morning, and I'm having dinner with my friend Rebecca and her kids tonight. What's the drill here?"

Sarah looked at her watch. "My backup, Scott Frazier, is on his way, and he'll go with you to the clinic. The task force has a six o'clock meeting tonight. It usually runs two or more hours, so he'll go with you to your friend's house. Have you told her?"

Annie nodded. "She knows. Sarah, this is my oldest and best friend. Do we have to have an agent with us, inside the house?"

Sarah sighed. This was always the hard part. "In view of what happened yesterday, I have to say yes."

Annie tried to negotiate, saying she didn't want to alarm the children, but Sarah stood her ground.

"What are you talking about?" she teased. "Almost everyone in the office has children. Do you think we'll pull our guns and shoot up the place?"

a 60 a "No." Annie managed to keep a straight face, but her mouth tipped up at the corners. "I just wanted a normal private visit."

"Actually, you shouldn't even be leaving the house, Annie, but for tonight, let's do it this way."

Annie studied her a moment. "It was worth a try, and of course, you're right."

v "Whoa," Annie yelled. "We missed the driveway." Snow blew through the dark winter night into the car's headlights as Agent Frazier steered the SUV into a U-turn and plowed through a sizeable snowdrift.

He turned the car into the opening in the tall brick wall marking the driveway to Rebecca and David's home. The soft lights in the windows looked so inviting that Annie sat for a minute, relishing the scene and forgetting her driver entirely.

The front door opened, and Simon, Rebecca's oldest, came running out. "Annie!" he yelled, grinning.

"Simon, where's your coat?" Annie hugged him tightly, "Oh boy, have you grown!" He was almost as tall as she was. "You look like your mom," she said as he put his arm around her shoulder. "Bet you're fighting off the girls." She grinned at him.

"Oh no, Annie, I love 'em," he shot back, looking all of his sixteen years. God, Annie thought, I'm talking girls with Simon.

She heard footsteps running down the hall and turned just in time to catch her eight-year-old namesake. "Annie," Shelly yelled, blond hair flying and blue eyes sparkling. Annie held her tight and gave her a kiss on the top of her head.

"Behave, Shelly Anne," Rebecca said, hugging Annie too. "About time you got here. Put that child down before you hurt yourself worse than you already have." Rebecca pointed at Annie's arm.

"Just a scratch, Slider." Annie grinned, hugging her hard. "I've missed you."

Agent Frazier had waited patiently in the entryway, and Annie introduced him. Rebecca pointed up the stairs. "Go ahead. There's four bedrooms, a bath, and an office up there. Simon, why don't you show him where everything is?" Rebecca and Annie grinned at each other, knowing how this would fascinate any sixteen-year-old.

a 61 a "Why do you call her Slider?" Shelly asked as they walked toward the dining room.

"Long story, and I'm not sure your mama wants me to tell it,"

Annie said raising her eyebrows at Rebecca.

"Uh, well." Rebecca and Annie smiled at each other. "How about over dinner? Are you up to my famous lasagna? Or you can eat a peanut butter sandwich."

"Oh no, the dread lasagna," Annie said as they started to laugh.

Lasagna was the first meal Rebecca had learned to cook, and they had eaten it at least once a week for almost a year.

"I'm going to ask Agent Frazier to join us for dinner," Rebecca said, "and then put him in front of the TV in the den."

Scott and Simon came down the stairs and went through to the back porch. Simon was speaking seriously to the FBI agent. As they passed by, Scott turned and grinned at them, endearing himself to Annie. He was enjoying Simon as well. The minute they left the room, both women started to laugh.

"Where's David? Back in China?" she asked over dinner.

"Yep," Simon answered.

"How was the trip home, and what did the doctors say about your arm?" Rebecca asked.

"The trip home was long." Annie really didn't want to talk about it right now. "Doctors did the scan thing this morning, and it looks like I'll need minor therapy, but it's healing."

"When are you going to stop going over there?" Rebecca grumbled.

"How long for the sling?"

Annie made a face at her. "Don't know yet. More to come tomorrow." She changed the subject by asking the kids about school.

Later, they sat the table while the kids cleared the dishes. Much to Annie's surprise, Scott had gotten up to help also. "Coffee?"

"Coffee. You've got the lasagna down to perfection, and yes, I know I've lost weight. Lack of edible food will do that to you."

Rebecca patted her stomach. "I, on the other hand, have to do thirty minutes on the treadmill from hell just to maintain weight." Turning, she yelled into the kitchen, "Kids, time for bath or homework. Tomorrow's a school day." Two groans floated back at her, and she turned to Annie with a truly evil grin. "Don't you like the way I managed to get out of the Slider story? I haven't lost my touch."

a 62 a Annie laughed. "I'll get the coffee and you get Scott into the den.

I know there's basketball on the TV."

Alone at the dining room table, Annie looked at Rebecca over her coffee cup. "Okay, what's up? I can see your mind practically doing cartwheels."

"There's a job opening at the university next year, and before you laugh at me, think about it. You've been playing around with this crap long enough. You're going to get yourself killed and leave me to fend my way though life without you. I don't think I can deal with that."