Baby in my arms
by
Madeline Harper

Madeline Harper is a pseudonym for Shannon Harper and Madeline Porter.
Their partnership is unique, since Shannon lives on the East Coast and
Madeline on the West, but with the help of faxes, phones and express
mail, they've written many books.

Shannon and Madeline love reading and writing mystery and suspense. And
it goes without saying that they enjoy humour and romance.  In Baby in
My Arms they have tried to combine all those elements for a special
book to celebrate the Christmas season.  Happy holidays to all!

DID YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK WITHOUT A COVER?

If you did, you should be aware it is stolen property as it was reported
unsold and destroyed by a retailer.  Neither the author nor the
publisher has received any payment for this book.

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the
imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone
bearing the same name or names.  They are not even distantly inspired
by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents
are pure invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in
part in any form.  This edition is published by arrangement with
Harlequin Enterprises
II B.V. The text of this publication or any part
thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the
written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of
trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated
without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or
cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar
condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent
purchaser.

Silhouette and Colophon are registered trademarks of Harlequin Books
S.A."  used under licence.

First published in Great Britain 1997

Silhouette Books, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,
Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

Madeline Porter and Shannon Harper 1996

ISBN 0 373 22400 1

46-9712

Printed and bound in Great Britain by Mackays of Chatham PLC, Chatham

To Bonnie Crisalli, for her advice, enthusiasm and support.

Chapter One.

Kate took a wrong step, swore to herself and slipped on the ice.

Regaining her balance, she came to a screeching halt.

"I'll never learn," she said aloud as she grabbed a parking meter and
held on, surveying the sidewalk ahead.  She hadn't noticed any patches
of ice.  But that was the problem; they were never obvious, especially
in Denver.  This was December weather unlike anything she'd ever known.

And that was under normal circumstances.  Today, besides her briefcase
and large handbag, there were a couple of unusual extras--the diaper bag
over her shoulder and the year-old baby in a stroller beside her.

"No one's going to believe this," she said as the wind came up and
whipped the scarf away from her face.  She lowered her head and pointed
herself and all her gear toward the office building ahead.

"Looks like you need some help, ma'am."  A rotund Santa appeared beside
her.  "You and your baby."

"She's not my baby--" Kate began, and then shrugged as Santa held the
door open wide.

She forged through it, muttering her thanks, and became enveloped in the
warmth of the glorious indoors.  But it was only moments before the
comforting he, at turned into an uncomfortable steamy blast.  So far,
this was what winter in Denver meant--wrap up to keep from freezing
outside and then strip everything off inside to avoid roasting.

Kat peeled her way out of the scarf, coat and gloves.  Then she crouched
beside the baby.

"Hat's off," she said, untying Amanda's hood and pushing it back.  She
smoothed the soft golden curls from the little girl's face and took off
her knitted cap.  "When we get upstairs, Tina can help you out of that
snowsuit."  Otherwis known as a straitjacket, she added to herself.

Amanda made a swip for her cap.  Kate pulled it away but not quickly
enough.  The baby's grip was amazing.  She looked up at Kate, bright
blue eyes wide.  "No?"

"No," Kate announced, then, "oh, well, why not?"  She released the cap
as she pushed the stroller into the elevator.  "Might as well chew on
that as some other things I can think of."  Besides, if Amanda didn't
have it she'd cry, and once she started crying, nothing could stop her.

The elevator was empty, and Kate gave a tired sigh as she leaned against
the wall.  Nothing in her twenty-six years had prepared her for instant
motherhood.

The doors opened on the third floor, and Kate stumbled out, pushing the
stroller ahead and dragging everything else behind--but, once again, not
fast enough.  The closing whoosh of the doors grabbed the diaper bag.

"Damn."  She fought the bag out of the clutches of the elevator,
kicking, cursing and pulling until she was victorious.  Then she looked
down to see that Amanda had dropped the cap and was staring at her, a
look of pure surprise on her chubby pink face.

"What's the matter?  Was it my curses?  Well, stick around and you'll
hear more," Kate said as she picked up the bonnet and pushed the
stroller through the glass doors into the offices of Executive Search
Services.

Her assistant, Tina Florio, looked up in amazement.  "You brought the
baby to work?"

"Please, Tina, I'm not in the mood for accusations-"

"It was just a comment," Tina assured her.  "Hmm," Kate replied.  "Then
let me explain this baby thing.  First, the sitter didn't show, and I
couldn't find her anywhere.  Seems she decided to go away for the
Christmas holidays without telling me.  Next, I called five--yes,
five--day-care centers.  Not a one had openings.  Then I called a nanny
service.  Shall I tell you what she said?"

"No openings?"  Tina guessed.

"More emphatic--'ten days before Christmas--surely, you're not serious."
When I said I was perfectly serious, all I got was silence.

She thought I was insane."  Kate hung her ankle-length red coat in the
closet.

"You know what, Tina?"  She continued, answering her own question, "I
believe I am insane--for taking on motherhood with no preparation.  But
I had no choice.  Amanda was alone.  She had no one."  Kate blinked back
tears.  "I know she's terribly confused about all this."

"Kids her age are resilient," Tina assured her.

"I don't know about that, but she's certainly a little
fighter--especially when it's time to dress.  I spent nearly an hour
trying to get her into all this paraphernalia-diapers, undershirt, that
little embroidered blouse, the overalls, socks--and the shoes, which
were impossible.  She scrunched up her toes so I couldn't get the damned
things on.  As for the snowsuit--" Kate threw up her hands.

Tina's face wore the beginnings of a smile.

"Don't laugh," Kate warned.  "You haven't heard anything yet.  Have you
ever tried to feed one of these--" She was momentarily speechless.

"Babies?"  Tina offered.

"I'm only kidding.  She's some baby, but every mealtime is a war.  This
morning she refused to open her mouth for the longest time.  When I
finely got food down her she smiled at me innocently and threw up on my
blouse!"

Tina made a sound that was a near-laugh.  "Don't--" Kate said sternly.

"I won't," Tina promised, pressing her lips together.  "That's the first
thing they teach us at business school, not to laugh at our employers."

"Oh, sure," Kate said, "and you got an A, right?"  "You said it," Tina
replied as she picked up Amanda.  "Let me help.  I have four younger
sisters "She extricated the baby from her snowsuit.  "You're a little
doll, Amanda.  Look at those big blue eyes.  Absolutely adorable."

The baby made a grab for Tina's shiny black hair, but Tina eluded her.

"Forget the hair, kid."  Tina looked up at Kate.  "What are you going to
do with her during your appointments?"

"I don't have any today," Kate answered.  "This close to Christmas, no
one's looking for managerial staff.  They're too busy planning parties."

"All except for one."

Kate thought about taking off her boots and putting on heels, but she
couldn't muster the energy.  "What one?"  She asked.

"The guy in your office."

"Be serious."  There was no way she could handle appointments today, not
after a night with Amanda.  The baby had woken up at two in the morning,
and Kate had tried every trick in the book to get her back to sleep.
Failing that, and reminding herself that this baby was as traumatized as
she, Kate had played with Amanda, invented games, walked her around the
apartment, hoping she would tire.  She didn't; Kate did.

"I am serious," Tina insisted.  "The computer guy's in your office. The
one brought in to secure the system, remember?  So rival placement
services can't hack in and steal our client list.  He's the one you
stood up last week when you got hit by the car--"

"Oh, Lord," Kate moaned.  "That guy.  Just what I need, a computer herd
talking about bits and bytes and macros..."

"I'll be glad to deal with him," Tina offered, her brown eyes ingenuous.

"Umm.  Well..."

Tina headed toward Kate's office.

"No," Kate decided.  "I better handle it.  Could you look after Amanda?

There's a bottle somewhere in that bag.  If she takes it, maybe she'll
sleep for a while."

"It's only ten in the morning, Kate."

"She has day and night confused.  She was up most of the night, so
possibly she'll sleep...  "Her voice drifted off, and Tina shrugged, a
little unhappy, Kate thought.  "Okay, I know this isn't in your job
description-"

"I'll give it a try," Tina agreed.  "Just promise you'll call me if you
need any help with Mr.  Blackeagle."

Again, Kate saw the glint in her secretary's eyes: "Black eagle?  I
thought it was just Eagle--Eagle Security."

"That's the company name.  The man's a Native American.  And what a
native.  You'll see."

NOT STOPPING to figure out Tina's cryptic remarks, Kate went into her
office with the nerd image still in her mind--short, skinny and
bespeckled.

The man at her computer terminal couldn't be the nerd, not with black
denim pants hugging long legs, black leather jacket stretched across
broad shoulders, and certainly not with ebony hair pulled back in a
ponytail.  But there was no one else in the room so the herd was, in a
word, the hunk.  Ben Blackeagle.  "Mr.  Blackeagle?"  she asked.

He turned to look at her, and Kate tried not to stare.  It was
difficult.  His eyes were dark and penetrating, like a bird's, but not
friendly--more like a bird of prey.  His nose was strong and aquiline,
his cheekbones high and sculptured and his skin the color of pale
copper.  His chin was firm, squared and stub born.  She caught the gleam
of a gold stud in his left ear.

What she couldn't take her eyes away from was his wide, sensuous
mouth, which, as she watched, he drew into a tight, narrow line.  "Ms.
McNair?

How nice of you to come to your office," he drawled.  "I figured you for
a no-show again."

Kate decided to ignore the rude remark.  After all, he had a point,
which she didn't feel like getting into.  She offered a friendly smile
and her hand.

"Kate McNair.  Sorry about being late today.  As for our first
appointment..."  She decided to let that one go.  He could finish it
however he chose.

He didn't respond but took her hand With a grasp that was brief but
powerful.  She had just enough time to notice that his hands were strong
and sinewy, with long lean fingers.

He dropped her hand and looked at her with his almost black eyes.  They
fixed on hers.  "Our first appointment," he repeated.  And then he
waited, expectantly.

"Well..."  She was usually sure of herself, able to talk with anyone,
never intimidated.  What was happening here?

He didn't shift his gaze.  It demanded a response.  But wait a minute,
she thought.  I'm employing him, not the other way around.  I don't owe
this guy an explanation.  Then, suddenly, she was explaining.  "Ten days
ago, I was on my way to the office, and I got hit by a car--" He looked
at her skeptically.  "You recovered quickly.  Nothing serious, I see."

"Maybe not set  in medical terms, but it's all
relative, and I was very badly bruised and shaken," she said
defensively.  "I was taken to the emergency room and later sent home. It
took me several days to recover.  Then the baby came--"

"Wait a minute.  You had a baby--at home--just days after being hit by a
car?"

She laughed.  "No, no.  I--well, I kind of inherited the baby, my
cousin's daughter.  Libby--and her husband, Derek--are, that is, they
were--the baby's parents They were in a commuter plane crash "She
swallowed hard.  He was silent, politely quiet and serious.  "They were
both killed."  It was still difficult for her to talk about.

"Sorry," he muttered.  She nodded.  "As the closest relative, I kind of
inherited the baby and we're both trying to adjust."  As she completed
her explanation, she crossed the room, assuming a more businesslike
demeanor, wishing she'd changed into her other shoes.  Ben leaned back
against the computer table and crossed one ankle over the other, eyeing
his potential employer.  Kate McNair, manager of Executive Search
Services, was like many of the career women he'd met.  Nothing about her
was unusual or unexpected.  Her brown suit was well tailored and severe,
her blouse cream-colored and understated.  Like her office, she was neat
and professional.  But something was different, Ben thought.

It could be the red hair.  It wasn't the expected strawberry-blond red,
but red-red.  He thought of the flumes of a plains fire, whipping up
against the harsh white snow.  There wasn't another red quite like that,
**skip**and he'd never seen it in a woman's hair.

A few wisps of that fiery hair slipped away from her French twist, and
there was something--it looked like a stain--on the lapel of her
dress-for-success blouse.  This young executive on the way up, he mused,
somehow missed the mark and became a real person.

Ben considered himself an expert in two areas--computers and women.  In
both cases, he knew when they were accessible to him and when they
weren't.  Kate McNair was not his type, although the statistics seemed
right: about five feet six inches, slender, small nose, full sensual
lips, green eyes.  But something didn't work.  He could see it in the
tired took in her eyes.  Parenthood could do that to a person.  She was
attractive, he decided, but a career woman with a baby was definitely
not for him.

"I've never known anyone who inherited a kid," he remarked.

"Neither have I, actually," she said, adding, with a sigh, "I'm as
surprised as anyone.  I didn't expect--" She caught herself.  "But we're
not here to talk about babies."

"You're right about that, Ms.  McNair."  His voice was cool, uninvolved.

"Call me Kate, please."

"Sure, Kate.  I'm Ben.  Your home office, back in New York, wants this
computer system to be hacker-proofed.  Have you experienced any
problems?"  he asked in a voice that she found suddenly brusque.

"Not yet, but I've only been in the Denver office about six weeks." She
dropped her briefcase on the desk and turned back toward him.

Ben's six-foot-two-inch frame and broad shoulders seemed to fill the
room.  It was too early in the morning to be faced with somne so...  so
overwhelmingly male.  Even though she hated to admit it, Kat thought, he
was incredibly sexy.

What was it?  Easy, she told hslf, it was the great body, the dark
hungry eye, the husky, growling voice.  No wonder Tina had wanted to get
into the office with him!

Kat tripped the latch of her briefcase, opned it and looked at him over
the raised black lea the top.  "I hear that some of the other offices
have been raided by rival placement services.  They hack in and steal
client lists--"

"Applicants looking for jobs?"

"No, they usually hit the corporat lists, the com-panic that hir staff
through ESS," she told him.

He turned back to the computer, his fingers moving quickly over the
keyboard.  In is than a minute,

a list of ESS corporate clients appeared on the sren.  "How'd you do
that?"  she asked.

"If I told you, then you wouldn't need my services."  He grinned.  "The
fact is, your system is much too easy to crack even without your
password.  But in this case, I had the word."

"Who told you?"

"No one.  I guessed.  On the third try--DOS."  "How--"

"You'd be surprised how many people use computer terms like mac, doc,
dir--and DOS."

"Well, it was so easy to remember, I thought..."  Her voice drifted off.

"Don't worry.  Just about any three-letter password can be broken.

Besides, that's not the only way for hackers to get in.  I'll block
access wherever possible, but first, I'll set you up with a five-letter
password that'll be more difficult to access."

"Don't make it some crazy combination of consonants that I won't be able
to remember," she asked.

"That's the problem with you people.  You take this so lightly."

""You people" isn't really me.  I'm not a computer type," she explained.
"That's Tina's area.  I guess I'm not what you call "computer
friendly.""

"But you do use the computer?"  "Yes, sometimes, but--"

"Then you need to become "friendly,"" he insisted.

Kate silently fumed.  She'd had an awful night.  Night?  She'd had a
horrible ten days.  Now some computer jock was lecturing her.  Through
gritted teeth, she asked, "What can I do to help you get started?"

"Have breakfast with me."

"I'm sorry?"  She wasn't going to be put on.  "Let's have breakfast," he
insisted.

He'd gotten on her case for missing one appointment, being late for
another and not being computer friendly.  Now he wanted to have
breakfast with her!  "I can't do that.  I've missed too much work.

First there was the accident.  Then Amanda arrived "She was repeating
herself.  And besides, why did she think she had to explain to the man
hired to solve a few computer problems?  She added pointedly, "We can
send out for coffee."

"But I want more than coffee.  I want a real breakfast.  Eggs.  Hash
browns.  Biscuits.  I was out late last night--on a special project." A
sly smile played around his lips.

Sure, she thought.  There was no way his special project had anything to
do with computers.  "I don't have time," she said stubbornly.

"Look, I'm going to breakfast.  If you come with me, we can get all the
talk about the system over with.  Then we can both go back to work. You
do your thing; I do my thing, and I'm outta here by five o'clock, my job
over and done."

"No, I--"

"Suit yourself.  It's up to you."  He spoke in a voice that was pleasant
but firm.

Kate sighed.  Ben Blackeagle was obviously going to do things his way or
no way.  She was too tired to argue.  What did an hour more or less mean
in a life that was totally out of control anyway?  Besides, she was
hungry, too.

"I suppose I could bring the baby--"

"The baby's here?"

She nodded.  "Maybe Tina will watch her."

Ben raised a skeptical eyebrow.  "Your secretary doesn't look like the
baby-sitter type."

Kate couldn't help laughing.  He was right about that.  With her long
legs, high boots, short skirts, moussed hair, perfect features augmented
by fabulous makeup, Tina had her own agenda.  Baby-sitting didn't figure
in it.  In fact, ESS was only a stopping-off place on her way to a
modeling career.

But she had all those little sisters, Kate remembered.  "I'll ask," she
decided.

Abruptly she went through the door into the outer office where Tina
appeared to be huddled over her computer; in fact, she was huddled over
Amanda.  She looked up, her finger with its salon-manicured fingernail
touching her lips.

"Sssh," she whispered.  She'd lowered the back of the stroller, and
Amanda was sleeping.  "She's beat."

"Who isn't?"  Kate asked.  She followed up quickly with another
question.  "Since she's down-and-out, would you watch her while I have
breakfast with Mr.  Blackeagle?"

Tina raised a perfectly sculptured eyebrow.

"He's hungry."  Getting no sympathetic response, she added, "And my best
bet is to work with him over breakfast."

"Understood," Tina said.

"Then you'll watch the baby?"

"Of course.  I'm not going anywhere," Tina replied.  "But bring me back
coffee and a Danish."

"You've got it," Kate said.  "And it's my treat."  She reached for her
coat on the wall hook, and suddenly Ben was there, holding it for her.

"Well, Little Red Riding Hood, met any wolves recently?"  he asked.

Kate glanced quickly at Tina and saw her secretary hide a grin.

"Tin not crazy about red," she admitted.  "But when I was ready to
transfer here from Phoenix, I had to put together a new wardrobe.  This
was the only coat I could find that was heavy enough for Denver."

He looked at her speculatively.

"This color wouldn't have been my first choice," she added.  Why was she
so dfensive?  Becaus Bn semed to know how to push all the right buttons.

He chuckled.  "You should be warm enough," he said easily.  The long red
coat covered her from nk to ankles.  He knew what was underneath, and it
was a totally business look, but he could always imagine something more
interesting.

"We'll be back soon," Kate assured, ignoring Ben's remark--and his wry
look.

At the elevator, Ben pushed the button and commented, "Cute kid."

That made Kate relax a little as she agreed, "I think so, too, but
she's really active, like any one-year-old, I guess."  The elevator
doors slid open and they stepped in.  "She's learning to walk, and she's
ready to practice anytime--especially in the middle of the night."

"Hmm," he agreed.  "Actually, I was talking about your secretary."

"Calling her a cute kid?"  Kate asked, aghast.  Ben laughed.  "You're
not serious?"

"Of course not," he replied.

She walked along beside him, willing to believe that he was joking, but
not quite sure.  Ben Blackeagle was definitely an enigma.  His next
remark added to the confusion.

"Amanda is obviously your first child.  Otherwise you'd know they don't
run on schedules like an office."

Kate looked sideways at him.  Was he speaking from experience?  She
wasn't about to ask whether he had a wife--or children--of his own.

"I saw a restaurant on the corner," he told her as they left the
building.  "You want to go there?"

"Sure," she said.  "That's as good a choice as any."  They walked along
the slushy street, Kate hurrying to match his long strides.  By the time
they reached the corner, she looked around nervously.  Since the
accident, she'd been anxious, especially at intersections.  But with Ben
beside her, she felt more secure.

Besides, there were no pedestrians except her and Ben and only a few
cars at the crossing.  He offered his arm and she took it.  They stepped
off the curb into the street.

That was when she heard the loud, crocking sound, like a car backfiring.
But different.  Closer.  Louder.  Then Ben yelled, "Get down.  Now!"

She felt the weight of his body falling on her, knocking her back onto
the sidewalk as another shot rang out.

Two }"OLCME answered the call--a young man, eager and alert, and an
older woman, bored and laconic.  By the time they arrived, Ben was
settled in the coffee shop, finishing up a plate of fried eggs, hash
browns, sausage, bacon and toast.  Huddled over a cup of coffee, Kate
glowered at him.  They'd been shot at, and he was feeding his face,
acting as if nothing had happened.

The young officer recapped information he'd gathered, reading from
notes.  "No one in the coffee shop, the newsstand or the office across
the street saw any thing--no shooter, not even a suspicious-looking
character.  Tber's not a single witness."

His partner lit a cigarette, ignoring the No Smoking signs strategically
placed on the tables.  "Drive-by shooting," she said.

Bn finished his eggs and wiped his mouth without comment.

Kate couldn't believe his nonchalance, especially when she was so
involved.  "In this part of town?  I haven't lived in Inver wty long,
but this doesn't sem like gang territory to me."

The young officer responded.  "It's not, but the lines ar beginning to
blur, unfortunately.  If they want to leave their turf, nothing's
stopping tbem."

"But why would they shoot at ns?"  she asked.

"We don't even know that's what happened.  But if it is, you two were
just in the wrong place at the wrong Kate's hand shook as she picked up
her cup.  The coffee was bitter--and cold.  Grimacing, she put it down.
"Seems to be happening to me a lot recently--being in the wrong place."

The young officer leaned forward.  "What do you mean by that, ma'am?"

"About ten days ago, I was on First Avenue in Cherry Creek, waiting for
a light to change.  The sidewalk was crowded with shoppers, and I was
jostled, pushed in front of a car."

Ben looked up, suddenly cur ions "You think there's a connection between
that incident and this one?" the officer wondered.

"I imagine there's an easy explanation," the policewoman commented.

"Your boots."

"My boots?"  Kate asked.

"Yes.  High heels with leather soles."

Kate felt three pairs of eyes riveted to her boots.  She pulled her feet
under the table.

"They're no good on ice.  You should think about getting some real boots
with traction.  You probably just slipped," the woman continued.

"Did you file a police report, Ms.  McNair?"  the young man asked.

She shook her head.  "No one saw anything so I could only assume that it
was an accident."

He studied his notes.  "And both of you deny having any enemies."

Kate frowned."  Deny having enemies.  That made them seem at fault.

"None," she said firmly.

"Same for me," Ben replied, speaking up for the first time--now that
breakfast was over.  "All my customers are satisfied."

"You two known each other long?"  the woman asked.

"We met this morning over business," Kate replied.  "There's no
connection between us at all.  No one could possibly know we were going
to be together today," she added firmly.

The woman stood up.  "That covers all the bases.

Come on, Riley, we got to get moving."

"That's it?"  Kate asked indignantly.

"We'll make a report, ma'am," the young officer explained politely.

"But it doesn't look like the shooter was aiming at you or Mr.

Blackeagle.  We found one of the bullets..."

"Ballistics!"  Kate exclaimed.  "You can trace it."

The policewoman shook her head.  "All we can get is the make of the gun.
I can tell you now it was probably a rifle."

"Well, then--" Kate began.  "This is Colorado, Ms.  McNair."  Kate
looked at her, frowning.

The young officer clarified his partner's remark.  "Lots of folks own
rifles out here."

The woman was more impatient.  "You and Mr.  Blackeagle both deny having
enemies.  There're been no threats.  All we can do is wait.  If there's
another attempt--"

Kate moaned.

"More than likely it's an isolated event," Riley added.  "Things like
this happen frequently, I'm sorry to say."  He set fled his cap firmly
on his head.  "You have our names and the precinct's phone number. Call
if we can help--or if you think of anything else."

Kate watched their retreating backs.  "I can't believe it.  They're not
going to do anything!"

Ben pushed his empty plate away and waved the waitress over for a refill
of his coffee.  "They checked for witnesses.  They asked questions.  No
one saw anything.  We don't know who--or what--the target was.  Probably
some guy, high on drugs or booze, celebrating Christmas early with a
little
random shooting.  As the officer said, things like that happen,
Kate."

She sighed.  "I guess you're right, but I can't take much more
excitement."  She shook her head in wonder.  Her life seemed totally out
of control, but she tried not to think of that as she managed a
tremulous smile.  "Thanks, Ben.  If you hadn't knocked me down, I'd be
dead."

"No, I don't think--"

"Yes, it' sue I could have been hit by the second shot.  Except for
you."

"It was just reflex," he replied.  "Hope I didn't hurt you."

"Nope.  Justmy coat."

"I hurt your coat?"

She laughed.  "No, you didn't hurt it.  You just sort of--mangled it."
Her red coat was lying across a chair, a wide grease smear along the
hem, the back soaked with melted snow.  She lowered her eyes,
remembering how he'd treated her coat--and her, real ling the feeling of
his body on hers.

As scared as she'd been when the gunshot sounded, her heart pumping like
a ran away engine, she'd still been very aware of him, all hard muscles,
shielding her from danger.  She raised her eyes to his.  They were dark
and fathomless.

"After everything that's happened--getting caught in gunfire,
especially--I realize you got more than you bargained for, and I
wouldn't blame you if you called it quits with ESS and canceled the
contract," Kate told him.

"No way.  My word is my bond.  That's what makes my company successful."

"Of course," she said.  "And I'm sure you are successful."

"When I finish up with ESS, I'll taka fv days off and then I'm heading
for Christmas vacation in Puerto Vallarta and some heavy-duty partying,"
he replied, in answer to her comment.  "Meanwhile, I'm here in Denver
being shot at."  He cocked a dark eyebrow.  "This is kinda farfetched,
but could some of your rivals in the job placement business he jealous
enough to take a shot at you?"

She shook her head.  "What would that accomplish?  ESS would just hire
someone to replace me.  I haven't been here long enough for them to
care.  And I certainly haven't been here long enough to make any
friends--or enemies.  So that leaves you.  Friends?  Enemies?"

"Lots of friends, no enemies."  He finished his coffee and stood up,
holding Kate's coat for her.

"We never got around to tall ring about securing the system," she
reminded him.

"Don't worry, it's not going to be a problem."  She reached for the
bill, but he stopped her.  "My treat.  And as for your system, I'll
figure it out--before the day is over," he promised.

"Which reminds me, it's nearly noon now, and Tina must be frantic."

They stepped out into the cold hard glare of the December day.  She
stopped, hesitant, until Ben took her elbow and hustled her across the
street.  Even though he carried on a normal conversation, talking about
the computer program, making suggestions, asking questions, the whole
time he was watching, wary.  There was protection in his big frame and
tough-looking leather-clad exterior.  His dark clothes, his size, his
sense of assurance, all of these worked together to make him a
formidable presence.

Once they were inside her office building and on the elevator, she
breathed easier, but she couldn't relax completely.  She'd been shot at
in broad daylight on her way to breakfast.  It didn't seem possible. It
was like a dream.  Or, actually a nightmare!

She shivered despite her warm coat and the heat of the elevator.  She
didn't like the way her life was go' rag these days--a ingly
uncontrolled slide into chaos.  Somehow she had to put the shooting
incident behind her and concentrate on her work.  The work was the
important thing.  If she didn't start producing, the ESS headquarters
might regret making her their newest manager.  Then she would be out of
a job.

She was dedicated, hardworking, on the -ight track for her career.  The
problem was, improbable situations kept throwing her off track.

They stepped off the elevator and were met by Tina and Amanda.

One normal-size woman and one little baby, they seemed to take up the
entire hall.  It was the energy, Kate realized as she watched the two of
them, Amanda stumping along on her short, chubby legs, arms over her
head, hands held firmly by Tina, who was making some sort of chirping
noises, whether to mollify the baby or herself, Kate couldn't be sure.

"The phone woke her," Tina explained over her shoulder to Kate as they
sailed past.

"I'm sorry, we--" Kate attempted.

"Then she cried, and then she walked, then she cried and walked.  God,
it took you long enough.  And where's my Danish?"

"I forgot, we had a problem--"

Tina seemed to focus in on her boss.  "What happened?  Were you hit by
another car?  Look at your coat!"

Before Kate could explain, Amanda surged forward, pulling Tina along.

"Mama," she said chirpily.  Then she caught sight of Ben and broke inw
a huge smile.

"Da-da, Da-da!"

Chapter Two.

Ben wasn't eavesdropping.  He didn't care anything about Kate's pitch to
potential clients.  But what could he do in the confines of her small
office, separated from her by no more than a body length? Without really
listening, he absorbed the thrust of her conversations.

And he had to hand it to her, Kate Mon ait style was a double-whammy;
she was resilient and persistent.  The shooting episode had definitely
frightened her, but she didn't let it stand in the way of business as
usual.  And she didn't take no for an answer.

He listened as she got personnel managers on the phone and extolled the
virtues of her placement service, not hanging up until she had an
appointment.  They were all scheduled for after the new year, though; no
matter how persistent, she couldn't fight the holidays.  Apparently,
Christmas was a lousy time for job placement.

They'd had lunch--sandwiches ordered from the local deli--and Kate had
taken a couple of long breaks to relieve Tina and bond with the baby.

Only her quality time didn't seem very effective.  Through the closed
office door, he'd heard Kate's voice as she struggled to
amuse the baby.  The last effort, which included a bout of baby giggles
and another of tears, was followed by silence.  Nap time had evidently
arrived, allowing Kate to return to her office and her phone.

"Coral Lampiere, please."  Hearing only one sid of the conversation, Ben
easily imagined the other, which was obviously frustrating to Kate.

She doodled on a pad as she listened, frowning.

"So you have no idea when she'll return?  She didn't tell you--"
Interrupted, Kate pushed away a lock of red hair from her eyes and tried
again.  "It just seems strange that there's no information--" Once
again," she stopped mid-sentence.  "Okay, I see.  Thanks."

She hung up the phone and glared at it.  "Happy holidays to you, too,
you--" She stopped herself and looked up at Ben.  "I'm usually not this
volat're."  She laughed.  "That's what I told Amanda when her diaper
bag got caught in the elevator!  What a day.  What a week.  What a--"
She stopped herself again, "You don't want to hear."

Ben looked up from the computer screen with a smile.  "I think I get the
point.  Christmas is playing havoc with your business."

"Not to mention my life."  She sighed.  "Which impacts on my business."

There seemed to be a sense of humor hidden he-hind her problems, he
thought.

"I thought this last call would lead to an easy appointment.  It was a
sure thing.  Carol, who now calls herself Coral--is an old friend, or at
least an acquaintance.  She owns Sky-High Spa, and she made a verbal
commitment to me to res taft through ESS.  She wanted to hire
immediately, and now she's gone.  Out of town.  just like Amanda's
baby-sitter--they're leaving me in droves!"

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with you personally."

"Lord, I hope not.  But I really hate missing that spa job.  The place
is a very popular spot, or so I hear.  Do you belong to a workout club?"

"Me?"  Ben laughed.  "No, I'm not into aerobics.  Don't have a leotard,"
he added with a grin.

"I suppose there're plenty of gyms in Denver where men can wear sweats,"
she retorted.  "Sky-High Spa is for women, but I haven't even been
inside yet."  "She's your old friend--"

"Acquaintance," Kate corrected.

"And you've never been to the spa (hat you're staffing for her?"

"I closed the deal over lunch--or thought I did.  So much for
friendship."

"And for workout spas," he said as he leaned back, his long legs
stretched in front of him.  He'd taken off the leather jacket, slung it
over a chair and rolled up the sleeves of his dark flannel shirt.  As if
drawn by a magnet, her eyes focused on his forearms--sleek, smooth and
muscular.  Not satisfied with that view, she slid her gaze up to his
shoulders and then to the sturdy column of his neck.  It was obvious
that Ben Blackea-gle was in great shape.

"I bet you work out, though," she persisted.  God, what was the matter
with her, prying into his life and asking about his exercises?  She
sounded like a teen ager with overactive hormones.  "I'm a runner of
sorts."  She knew it!

"And I lift weights at home sometimes."

Kate smiled in satisfaction, particularly pleased that he didn't seem
irritated with her nosiness.

But the conversation was at a standstill, and she couldn't think of
anything else to say.  The room seemed very small, and Ben was very
large.  And close to her.  She could see the slow, rhythmic movement of
his chest as he breathed in and out.  The afternoon sun gleamed on his
black hair and coppery skin.  He regarded her with one eyebrow raised,
waiting for her to go on.

She couldn't.  Something inside of her was going crazy, and Kate was
having real trouble controlling il What could she possibly be thinking,
letting her imagination go so wild?  She decided to stop the feelings
before they got out of hand.

"Tina," she called, getting up and walking to the office door.

As she disappeared, Ben watched, amused.  A woman of impulse, he
decided, who was definitely flustered.  He let his mind dwell on her as
she went through the door--the look of her, the shape of her.  Damned
good on both counts.

When she returned, she was businesslike.  Whatever he thought he'd seen
in her look must have been imagined, Ben decided.

"How's it going?"  she asked casually.

"Almost done."

She sat behind her desk.  "I have a feeling we made a good choice with
Eagle Security.  Is yours a family business?"

"Hardly.  I grew up on the reservation.  No super-highway there."

"What kind of Indian--I mean Native-American-are you?"  She stumbled a
little but recovered.  "That is, what tribe, if it's not a rude
question."

"Not at all.  I get asked all the time, and I'm proud to answer.  My
father was Arapaho, my mother Cheyenne and Irish."

"That's so--exotic," she said, feeling a little ridiculous.  But she'd
never met anyone of Native American heritage.  "Cheyenne and Arapaho..."

"You left out the Irish part.  Don't you think that's exotic?"

"Well, yes, but--"

"Just kidding, Kate."  He looked at her with amusement in his dark eyes.
"Now, if you have the time, I'll show you how I've protected the
computer system, the new way to log on and off and a few other changes.

You might want to write some of this down."

"All of it," she said.  "Remember, I'm not any good at computer stuff--"

"Yet," he finished for her.  "Soon you will be.  Now sit here and let me
show you what I've done."

As instructed, she sat at the terminal with Ben standing behind her,
teacher and student.  Yet it was much more than that.  This was no
classroom, and Ben Blackeagle was not an ordinary teacher.  Not ordinary
at all.

As he leaned forward, his chest grazed her hair.  She was very aware of
him, so much so that she found it hard to concentrate on the screen and
kept making mistakes.

"Damn, how did I get back to the menu?"  she asked, turning to look at
him.  "I meant to go to the next page," she added, trying to catch her
breath.  She never should have turned around, not in these close

quarters.  She warned herself to keep looking straight at the screen,
mistake or no mistake.  "You hit F2 instead of Fl0."  "Oh, that's right.
Now I--"

"Fl0 again," he told her.  "Remember?"

"Yes, I've got it," she said.  But she didn't "get it" at all; she was
go' rag nowhere.  But each time she messed up, he was there to correct
her, often moving her hand away and showing her the keys to strike with
his long, lean fingers, urging her to make notes.

She did, In a feeble handwriting, telling herself that the tenseness she
felt was the result of the peril they'd experienced just a few hours
before.  Didn't sharing a-common danger heighten feelings between two
people, bind them in some way?

She made another mistake and the screen went blank.  "I've lost
everything," she said, willing her-serf not to turn around and look at
him but to concentrate on the screen--blank though it was--instead. She
sat silently, feeling the warmth of his breath on her neck.

"Remember the command?"

She looked at her notes.  "Control Q?"

"Right," he said encouragingly.

She tried the combination.  Nothing happened.  "Major mistake this
time," she said.

"It's my fault.  I wasn't paying attention," he added.  Which was the
truth.  He'd been watching but not concentrating, mesmerized instead by
the scent of her, a faint whiff of an unidentifiable perfume.  It filled
his nostrils and was damned disconcerting.  Add to that the graceful
movement of her wrists, the faint click of her nails on the keys and
that crazy red hair.  A few shiny strands had come loose from her
chignon and curled against the creamy skin of her neck as she bent
forward over the keyboard.  It was a very nice neck, Ben mused.  Pale
and silky looking.

For one rash and improbable moment he wondered what would happen if he
bent down and kissed it, ran his tongue lightly across the soft skin.

Then he smiled wryly.-Not enough sleep and too much excitement during
the morning must have gotten to him.

He pushed aside his fantasy with a sharp reprimand to remember his rule:
never mix business with the pursuit of women.  Those were very separate,
although both important, components of his life.

During his reverie, he'd automatically corrected her mistake and
returned the document to the screen.  She was working away on it, doing
better, according to her exclamations.

"I'm getting, it, Ben.  Look, I saved, sent the document to the printer
and exited--the right way."  She turned toward him and flashed a proud
smile.

The smile it her eyes and brightened her face.  She was pleased with
herself, and the look of satisfaction was appealing and beguiling to
him.  He returned the smile and came damned close to giving her a
congratulatory hug, which was definitely not part of the agenda.

Instead, he straightened up, reminding himself that he wasn't going to
get involved.  "Keep on working," he said, a shade too brusquely. "I'll
go out and get Tina caught up on the changes.  Shouldn't take long."

She turned back to the keyboard.  What had passed between them in that
momentary flash when she looked back at him?  Nothing but her
imagination, Kate told herself.  Or maybe he'd seen something in her
eyes, an invitation that he'd reacted against.  She never should have
turn around again.  It had made bar too vulnerable.

KATE WAS ON A ROLL, concentrating mightily and achieving all the goals
Ben had sat up for bet without thinking about him at all.  Except a few
time.  She want straight through until five o'clock, when Tina appeared
in the doorway with Amanda in her arms.

"I'm cbecking out, Kate.  Ben's finished with me.  He's taking care of a
few glitches.  And, as you can see, our baby's awake."

"Okay, I'm done here, too.  Thanks for your kelp Tina."  She exited the
computer and got up.  "Maybe tomorrow will be easier," she said
hopefully, taking Amanda from Tina's arms.

"Got a baby-sitter yet?"

"Nope, but I'll make some more calls before I leave the office.  Any
ideas?"

"Not a one.  And don't look at me."

"Of co ursa not.  You and I both have to work.  But what about your
sisters?"

"Two in school, two working.  Sorry."

"Don't worry, I'll find someone."

"I hope so."  Tina headed for the door and then turned back for a
parting shot.  "In casa you haven't noticed, the baby's wet."

"I noticed.  See you tomorrow."  Holding Amanda at arm's length, she
grabbed the diaper bag from behind Tina's desk--where Ben was bent over
the terminal-and headed for the rest room.

"Ready to leave?"  he asked.

"Nope.  Just changing the baby.  I plan to be around for another hour or
so."

"Good," he called after her.  "That'll give me time to run through these
programs again before I shut down for the night."

"I'll be right back," Kate told him.

She was glad he'd be staying.  Even though it was just after five
o'clock, an early-winter darkness had fallen, and Kate didn't like the
feeling of being alone.  She hurried down the hall into the rest room,
where she changed Amanda with the usual amount of awkwardness.

At least she'd discovered disposable diapers with self-adhesive tabs and
no longer Poked herself--or Amanda--with safety pins.  But she still had
problems.  Amanda kicked and bucked and squirmed more than usual, and
Kate had to hold on to keep her from falling off the narrow ledge
between the sink and the paper towel dispenser that served as a changing
counter.

"It's not ideal, I know, Amanda.  But it has to do for now, so be a good
girl and stop kicking."

As usual, the advice had no effect.  "I admit I'm no good at this
motherhood bit so you have to be patient with me, and I'll do the same
for you--or try to."  Amanda blew her bangs out of her eyes as she
leaned over, attempt' rag to fasten the snaps on Amanda's overalls.

"Someone should invent another solution to this, maybe an outside
zipper.  Hey, that's not a bad idea."

Amanda looked up at her with a pout that turned to a smile and Kate
planted a kiss on her fat pink cheek.  "I know it's tough on you, too.

Poor baby, you deserve a better mom."

"Mama," Amanda responded.

Kate shook her head as she picked up the baby and went back down the
hall toward her office.  The elevators were quiet.  Everyone had left on
time--for parties or shopping, she imagined.  Or a nice cozy dinner.

Dinner!  She had nothing at home to eat, not even a jar of baby food.

"Sorry, Amanda," she murmured.  "We'll have to stop by the grocery store
on the way home."  She couldn't seem to get it together--diapers,
bottles, baby food, baby-sitters...  Ben had shut down Tina's system and
was in Kate's office, his eyes fixed on the computer screen.

"Finding any problems?"

"Nope.  You're secure.  But this billing program's a mess.  Who set it
up?"

"I have no idea," she replied.

"There're lots of easier ways to do it."

"I don't suppose you'd consider--"

"Nope.  Security only.  But I can suggest a couple of people--and
there's an excellent manual--"

Kate shook her head.  "Human beings work better for me."

"Well, this human's all finished here."

"You're ready to leave?"  She tried to keep panic out of her voice.

"Unless you have some other problems"

"None that I know of."

"I don't anticipate any in the future."  He unwound himself from the
chair.  "Because I do good work," he added with a lazy smile that was
full of assurance.

Kate made a quick decision.  "Then let's close up.  I can make my other
calls from home tonight."  She'd suddenly realized that she didn't want
to be left alone in the building.  "Now where'd I put that snowsuit?" As
she looked around, the baby squirmed in her arms with the backward
jackknife that she seemed so fond of.  "I wish she wouldn't do that.

She's strong for her s'tze, and one of these days she's going to bolt
fight out of my arms."

"Babies know how to dominate and take advantage," Ben agreed, holding
out his arms to the baby.

He hadn't meant to do that.  He'd meant to put on his jacket and leave,
but Kate seemed so awkward and inept around the kid, something made him
reach out.  "Come here, Mandy.  I'll hold "you while your mother--uh,
Kate, gets your snowsuit."

"Da-da," Amanda gurgled.  "Da-da-da-da."  "Not on your life," he said
with a laugh, taking the baby exirtly in his grasp and then tossing her
into the air.

Amanda laughed hysterically and let out another stream of da-das.  With
the baby occupied, Kate made a dash for the outer office and came back
with the snowsuit.  She dreaded trying to stick pudgy little legs that
went as soft as cooked spaghetti into the pant legs.  Maybe Ben would
attempt it for her, she thought.  If he was as good at clothing them as
he was at playing with them...  She wondered where he got the skills.

Somehow, she couldn't imagine a wife and kids, not for a guy who stayed
out all night on' special projects."  But you never knew.

He'd pitioned Amanda on his ankle and was playing some kind of horsey
game, holding her hands and bouncing her on his foot.  Amanda gurgled
with delight.  Kate leaned against the door, watching and wondering
again how he knew so much about children.  There was no point in asking;
she'd never see him again.  But she was curious.

"Toss me the snowsuit," he ordered.  "I can get her into it."

With relief, Kate complied and stood by as he cajoled Amanda into the
suit in what she considered record time.  He was too good; she had to
ask.  "How come it's so easy for you?"

"Lots of practice with younger brothers and sisters.  But don't look at
me," he added quickly.  "My child-care days are over."

Kate shook her head.  "Why do you and Tina both think I'm trying to rope
you into baby-sitting?"

"Can't imagine."  He pulled up the hood of Amanda's snowsuit and looked
up at Kate with a glint in his eye.

"Well, I'm not.  Tonight I'm getting on the phone and finding a suitable
person for the job."  She gathered her take-home work, baby-sitter and
child-care lists and stuffed everything into her briefcase.

He pulled on his jacket.  "I'll walk you ladies to your car.  Night
comes quickly in winter."

"I'd appreciate that."  The dark outside was thick and unwelcoming, and
she was glad to have company at least as far as her car.  She slipped on
her coat and picked up Amanda's diaper bag and scattered toys.

Finally ready, she held out her arms for the baby.  "I can put her into
the stroller," she offered.

Amandts mouth closed in a tight little circle, lower lip stuck out.

"No," she said, clutching at Ben's collar.

"I'd better carry her," he said.  "It'll make things simpler."

Kate turned out the light and locked the office door.  Simpler?  Would
her life ever be simple again?

The air outside hit them like an icy knife.  Kate tied Amanda's hood
securely and pulled up the collar of her coat.  "Aren't you cold?"  she
asked Ben, who was bareheaded and gloveless.

"Yep, but you know us stoical red men.  We don't complain."

Kate thought he was teasing her but couldn't be sure.  He wasn't just
stoical; he was quixotic, unreadable.  She knew practically nothing
about Ben Black-eagle--and that was the way it w Uld have to stay. Once
she and Amanda drove away, that would be the end of her brief, but
interesting--even frightening--day with him.  At least she could be glad
that he'd been there during the shooting, as her protector. Unless of
course the attacker had been after h/m.  She supposed they would never
know the answer to that.

They trudged along, in the opposite direction from the shooting site,
and Kate realized that while she should feel safe, she didn't, even with
Ben beside her.  She glanced up at him.  He seemed wary, too.

There was something stealthy about the way he moved, silent, careful.

Maybe she was thinking of a scene from a movie--the handsome Native
American, his eyes steely as he surveyed the horizon, the sudden
movement in the bush.  He lifted his bow, pulled back, the muscles in
his" arms straining, and let the arrow fly.  She could almost smell the
excitement of the hunt.

"Where's your car?"  he asked.

"Car?"  She was having trouble getting back to reality.  "Oh, there,
across the street."

"Good.  I'm parked there, too."  Only half a dozen cars remained in the
parking lot.

"That's mine, under the light."  Kate pointed out a beige compact.

As they neared the car, Ben stopped.  "You won't be going anywhere in
this tonight."

"What--"

"Look at the tires."

"Oh, my God."  Kate let out a cry.  Both back tires were flat.

Ben handed the baby to her and walked around to the front of the car.

She watched, her mind spinniug as she tried to figure out what could
have happened.  The car had been serviced recently.  The tires weren't
new, but they were in good shape.

"The front tires are flat, too," Ben said.

She sagged against the car.  "How could this have happened?  I drove
straight here from home.  There was nothing unusual, no construction, no
nails..."

Ben straighteoed and came toward her.  "This wasn't an accident.

Someone punctured all the tires."  He stared at her intently.  "What the
hell is going on, Kate?"

She was shivering uncontrollably from a mixture of cold, anger--and
fear.  "I don't know."

Ben's face was serious, and there was a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"You don't know?  First you're hit by a car, then you're shot at--"

"We can't be sure the shots were for me.  The police said it was
probably a random shooting, a drive-by or whatever they call it.  Or
someone could have been shooting at you--"

"But they slashed your tires," he reminded her.  "Looks like someone
wanted you stranded here.  Vul the table He looked around quickly.

"Whoever did this could be watching now.  My Bronco's over there.  Get
in it."

"Where are we going?"

"Away from here," he said.

"But I need to call road service, get the tires--"

"That can wait until tomorrow.  Right now, we're getting out of here."

He was right.  They didn't need to stand in the middle of a deserted
parking lot, arguing.  She took a step toward his car.  Then she
remembered.  "Amanda's car seat--"

"Give me your keys."

She did as she was told.  He pulled out his.  key ring, found his car
key and pressed it in her hand.  "Go," he urged and she took off at a
sprint, Amanda bobbling in her arms, chortling with delight at the
unexpected motion.

With shaky hands, Kate unlocked the car and crawled in.  Moments later,
Ben was on the other side.  "Unlock the door," he called out.

"Amanda's seat goes in the back--"

"I know."  He settled the car seat and then reached for Amanda and
stropped her in.  Deftly, he folded the stroller and tossed it in the
back of the Bronco.  Then he jumped into the driver's seat, started the
engine, and they roared out of the lot.  After they'd driven a few
blocks, he handed her something fuzzy and grayish.

"Found this on the floor of the car."

"Oh, it's Amanda's lamb.  It's so dirty, I try to hide it from her--"

From the back seat, Amanda got a glimpse of the lamb and let out a
scream.

"Give it to her," Ben suggested.

"But--"

"It's her security, Kate, just what she needs at this point."

Without enthusiasm, Kate handed the stuffed animal to Amanda, who
grabbed it with eager hands and immediately put its car in her mouth.

"Ugh," Kate said.  But she admitted relief when the baby made satisfied
gooing sounds and then, hugging her lamb, fell asleep, lulled by the
rhythm of the car.

They rode in silence, toward what destination Kate didn't know.

"Shouldn't we call the police?"  she asked finally.

"We will, but I didn't want to hang around.  Yours was the only damaged
car.  Did you notice that?"

She hadn't.  She spoke the next words unbelievingly.  "Why is someone
after me?"

"I can't answer that, Kate," he replied.  After a moment he added, "You
say you have no enemies.  But this isn't the kind of thing a friend
would do, is it?"  He shot her a dark look.

"No, it isn't.  But I don't have any idea what's happening," she
insisted, adding adamantly, "This isn't my fault."

"I didn't say it was, Kate."

"I know.  I'm just so confused.  I appreciate your help.  Don't know
what I would have done without it.  But I have just one more favor," she
added, "if you don't mind taking me and Amanda home so I can call the
police..."

Ben stopped for a red light.  "I'll be glad to, but are you sure you
want to go home?  Whoever is responsible for all this knows where you
work, what car you drive.  It's safe to say he probably knows where you
live, too."

Kate put her head in her hands.  How could this be happening to her?

"Let me take you to a safe place.  A friend's house," he suggested.

"I don't know anyone in Denver except Tina and she lives in a one-room
efficiency apartment.  I doubt if she'd welcome guests, not us, anyway.

Maybe a hotel."  The idea of being alone in a hotel room wasn't
appealing, but it was better than her apartment, especially if what Ben
suggested was true.

"Do you think this person wants to kill me?"  She couldn't keep the
shakiness from her voice.-"Maybe only to frighten you."

"Well, he--or she--is doing one heck of a job.  I'm scared to death.

Things like this don't happen to people like me," she added defiantly.

"And what about Amanda?  I'm so worried about her."

Ben reacted to that before he had a chance to think of the consequences.
"You're bringing her home with me.  Just for the night," he added
quickly.  "My house is absolutely secure.  No one w'dl harm you there.
We'll call the police, and tomorrow you can make more permanent plans.
How does that sound?"

Ben heard a sigh escape her lips.  He couldn't believe he'd made the
offer, but it had been necessad,.  Kate was exhausted and confused, in
his estimation in no shape to look after herself or the kid.  What kind
of man would dump a woman and baby at a hotel when it was obvious that
something weird was going on in their lives?  That might be the
expedient thing to do, but Ben couldn't bring himself to be that
heartless.

"Someone's after you, Kate.  You can't keep denying that forever."

Kate leaned her head against the soft leather seat.  Ben was right. She
was in trouble, and his offer sounded wonderful to her, making her feel
warm and protected.  She wouldn't normally go home with a
stranger--well, almost a stranger--but Ben was different.  He'd become
her protector.

"I don't want to impose," she said miserably.  "We should probably go to
a hotel--I've caused you enough problems today.  Even put you in
danger."

"I can take care of myself, Kate.  It's you and Amanda I'm worried
about.  I don't want you to be alone."

She didn't want that either.  A long night in a hotel room, wondering if
she'd been followed, obsessing about her pursuer, worrying about Amanda.
Emotionally, she wanted someone with her; intellectually, she needed a
witness to verify what happened to the police.  Staying together was the
most sensible call in a day that otherwise made no sense.

"Thanks, Ben," she said.  "Amanda and I will take you up on your offer.

I just hope we won't be a problem"

"

Ben nodded.  One night out of his life.  "No problem at all," he said
easily.

BE wotnvo o AD OFF the interstate highways and headed west toward
Golden.  He cheeked the rearview mirror to be sure no one was following
and then glanced at Kate, who sat silently, staring into the darkness.

Amanda was sound asleep.  He thought about turning on the radio but
decided against it.  The peacefulness felt good right now.

"It won't be much longer," he assured her.

Kate nodded.  She felt numb.  Headlights flashed past in the darkness;
the tires of the Bronco hummed on the interstate.  They'd passed Golden,
and she had no idea where they were going.  When he exited onto a side
road, she wondered if she'd made the right decision; when he turned onto
a snow-packed dirt road, her doubts intensified.

She clutched the armrest as the road curved upward.  There was nothing
outside but pitch-black night.  Even the sky was blocked by the trees
that lined their route.

Kate swallowed hard.  What the hell had she gotten into?  Ben said his
house was secure, but this was ridiculous.  They'd left civilization for
isolation.

Ben shifted gears, and the car lurched forward.  "The road gets pretty
rough in winter," he said.

"I noticed."  She heard her voice, high and nervous.

A dark shape darted across the road.  Ben braked, Kate screamed and
Amanda woke up with a start.  "What--"

"A deer.  Guess I didn't tell you I lived in the foothills."

"Foothills?"  She felt as if they were at the top of the world--or the
end of the world.

"Some people would call them mountains, but technically they're not." He
sped up again and rounded a curve.  A clearing appeared and a dark shape
loomed above them.  Kate had only a glimpse of the log house in the
headlights before Ben pulled into the garage.

"This is it."  He touched a button and the door closed behind them,
sealing them off from the night.

Kate opened the car door and got out.  She'd really done it now--left
Denver's tenuous security to venture into the unknown with a stranger.

What had she been thinking of?

Chapter Three.

"Here we are," he announced as he opened the door and flipped on the
light, a moderu chandelier that illuminated the huge room.  Two stories
high, it was built at angles with windows looking out across the
moonlit, snow-covered mountains.

"It's--great," she said, looking around.  The brightly lit room banished
her fears, and curiosity pushed aside her nervousness.

Counting the sides of the house, she realized the room was hexagonal.

"Fascinating," she added.  She stood in the middle of the big room,
holding on to Amanda, gaping at the architecture of his home, while Ben
took the stairs two at a time.

"I'll be right back," he called out.  "Make yourselves at home--you and
Mandy."

She watched him disappear onto a balcony at one end of the room.

"There's a closet under the stairs," he called from out of sight.

"Okay," she said, wondering what was happening and where he'd gone.

"I'll just hang up our things."  She crossed the room on colorful, woven
rugs that were scattered over the hardwood floors, and found the closet,
cleverly hidden in the redwood structure beneath the staircase.

She deposited Amanda on the floor and managed to get out of her soiled
coat and hang it up.  But the baby wasn't interested in staying put; she
was off across the room on all fours, arms and legs pumping furiously.

Kate let her go.  She seemed to be heading toward a tall fireplace at
the opposite end of the room, but there was a screen in front of it, and
the logs were unlit so it didn't pose an immediate threat.  Kate
followed, glancing occasionally toward the upstairs balcony.

The woven rugs that covered the floors also decorated the walls.  They
were unique, so much like art objects that Kate felt as if she were in a
museum of Native American folklore.  Somehow, she was pleased that his
heritage Was so evident here in this modern hexagonal home.

But where in the world was he?

At that moment, he came down the stairs, carrying blankets and a pillow,
which he dropped on a futon near her.  "I'll sleep down here.

I've put out bedding and nightclothes for you upstairs," he said.

"No," she protested, "it's bad enough to intrude, but we're not going to
drive you out of your bed."

Ben stripped off his jacket and tossed it on the futon.  "It'll be
easier for me to bunk here.  I expect to be up late working Kate noticed
the banks of computer terminals, monitors and other high-tech equipment
that she didn't recognize--all snuggled against one of the walls.

"My office," he said.

"Your house makes quite a statement," she said.

4nd it's functional.  Every one of the six walls has its use," he said,
ticking off the angles of the house.  "Fireplace, office, kitchen, bath,
foyer, and staircase which leads to my bedroom and bath upstairs--yours
for the night."

"If you're sure--" she began hesitantly.

His gaze was steady and level.  "I wouldn't have suggested the sleeping
arrangements if they didn't suit She nodded mutely.  It didn't take more
than a few hours with Ben to reinforce the fact that he did what he
wanted.

He picked up Amanda and headed for the kitchen.  "I'll check out the
food supply--"

"I should have thought to ask you to stop at a store," she said.  "I
have nothing for Amanda."

"That's all right.  We'll improvise.  Meanwhile, there's a phone in the
foyer."

"Phone?"

"To call the police."

"Of course.  I'd almost forgotten."  The admission was a little
embarrassing for her, especially since it could have meant she'd been
thinking of other things--the house, even its owner.  She hurried toward
the foyer.

The call was brief, as she'd expected, and when she returned to the
kitchen, he had apparently completed his perusal of the supplies and was
tossing Amanda into the air.  He turned to her.  "A short call, which I
imagine means the usual disinterest on the part of the authorities."

"They suggested it was probably a random act of violence and told me to
call the automobile club,

which I did.  They'll meet me there tomorrow.  That's how I fared. How
about you?"

"Found a package of spaghetti," he said.  "I don't suppose Mandy
could--"

"If we cut it up, maybe--"

"Great.  Let's give it a try."  He leaned against the doorjamb, the baby
tucked under his arm, looking at Kate with a wry smile.  "There's really
only room for one person in the kitchen."  He stepped aside. "So I won't
ask if I can help."

She laughed.  "It's a fair trade if You get Amanda out of that
snowsuit."

"Done," he said.  "The spaghetti's on the counter and there's Parmesan
cheese and butter in the refrigerator, salt and pepper and--"

"I'll find everything," she told him.

"And I'll strip the kid down to her overalls and shirt and light a fire
to warm this place up."

Kate found herself humming as she worked in the kitchen, a sure sign
that she had finally relaxed.  And the result of her efforts was
actually edible.

"I call it delicious," Ben said, finishing off his spaghetti and dipping
a hunk of bread into the residue on his plate.  "I'd expected a
sprinkling of cheese, but what we have here is--"

"A sort of mock marinara sauce."

"Whatever you call it, here's to the chef," he said, raising his glass.

She clinked her glass against his.  "And here's to the wine supplier."

"That was easy.  I just opened a bottle, but you created a feast."

Kate laughed.  "Thanks for the compliment.  Amanda looks pretty
satisfied, too."

The baby, propped up in a chair with pillows all around, had devoured
her chopped-up spaghetti and a bottle of milk, and was nodding happily,
her shirt covered with din her residue.

Kate leaned back in her chair in the big living room, warmed by a
roaring fire, and looked out on the moonlit panorama.  "It's beautiful,"
she said.

"I wanted a place where I'could work and yet feel as if I were outdoors.
This room brings the outside in.  Wait until you see it in the daylight.
The view is spectacular."  ' Before she got too comfortable, Kate roused
herself.  "It's time to get the baby bathed and put to bed.  I need a
shower myself," she added.

"It's been quite a day."

"I put out towels."

"Thanks," she said, picking up the drowsing baby.

"I'm assuming that Mandy can sleep in a shirt and diaper."

"Absolutely.  And diapers I have plenty of."

"As for your nightclothes--"

"Whoops," she said, "I'd forgotten about myself.  Only the clothes on my
back."

"I put something out for you that should be--" he looked her up and down
before adding"--comfortable."

"Thanks again," she murmured as she scooped up the baby.

Once upstairs, Amanda woke up just long enough for Kate to bathe her,
change her diaper and try to get a clean shirt over her head.

"Now, if I could get your arms in those two little holes, you'd be ready
for bed," Kate said, struggling, with no help from Amanda, to poke the
baby's chubby arms into the arm openings.  "I'll never get the hang of
this if I live to be a hundred."

"Mama," was the baby's helpful comment.  But she finally "relaxed enough
for Kate to finish the job.  In fact, by the time she put the baby in
the middle of the bed with pillows all around, Amanda was sound asleep.

"That's what happens after a hard day at the office," Kate said as she
headed for the shower.

B HAD cnm otrr her nightclothes, a flannel shirt and a pair of white
athletic socks.  "Hmm.  Not too alluring," she said aloud.  She couldn't
help wondering what he chose for the other women who ended up in his
mountain hideaway for the night.  Something filmy, probably, from his
supply of negligees, the very ones he'd hidden away when he disappeared
upstairs earlier.

No, that didn't make sense, she thought, shaking her head.  He didn't
need a supply of sexy nightwear; the women who came up here with him
probably brought along their own--or slept in nothing at all!

"But not me," she said, surveying herself in the mirror.  The shirt fit
her like a small tent, but it was warm, and so were the socks.  She
wasn't here to be sexy; she was here to be protected.  She checked
Amanda one more time before going down the stairs to join Bn.

He was at his computer, his back to her.  She moved silently across the
room in her sock feet.  He seemed intent on his work, and she didn't
want to disturb his concentration.

When she got closer, Kate peered over his shoulder.  And what she saw
froze her in her tracks.  Her life was there on the screen.

"You're spying on me," she cried.

Ben turned around.  "Talk about spying...  who's tiptoeing up behind
me?"

"That's because I didn't want to bother you.  I was being considerate
while you--you--"

He waited, an amused look on his face.

"This isn't funny, Ben.  Look up there on the screen, it's--"

"The life and times of Katherine Haworth Men air Take a look for
yourself."  He moved aside.  "Your personnel record from ESS.

Education, previous jobs, even stats--height, weight--1127'; One dark
eyebrow shot up.

"I've gained a little since then," she snapped.

"I don't see any measurements here, though.  But I'd guess 34-23-34--"

Kate reddened in anger.  "I thought you'd hacker-proofed the ESS files."

"Not for myself.  I left a back door open to the headquarters."

She looked at the screen again.  "That's not in my ESS file!  How in the
world did you get my credit card records?"

"One of the tricks of the trade.  I've done some work for credit rating
firms.  You're very responsible," he complimented.  "Everything paid and
up-to-date.  Even your Red Riding Hood coat."

Again, she wasn't amused.  "This is an invasion of privacy," she said
angrily.  "It's bad enough for the credit company to know everything
about me, but for a stranger to go in and find out--"

"Stranger?  That wounds me, Kate.  Aftor all, we've been shot at
together, and you're sleing in my he'd, in my shirt--"

"That's not my choice," she cried.  Then, hands on hips, she confronted
him.  "I want to know why you're doing this, why you're prying into my
life like some twenty-first-century Peeping Tom.  I'm the victim, not
the criminal!  What's going on here?"

She was angry, really angry, and he found the display of emotion
tantalizing.  After her bath, she'd let down her hair--both literally
and figuratively--and it waved about her face in the most appealing way.
She looked softer and more vulnerable in his oversize shirt--in spite of
her tough stance.  Yet there was also an incandescence about her.  Maybe
it was the glow of her hair or the backlight of the flames--or the look
in her eyes because that was definitely fiery.

He got up and poked at the logs, his movements slow and deliberate,
taking his time in answering.  He tried to remember if he'd ever had a
woman spend the night in his house.  just spend the night, nothing more.
He couldn't imagine that had ever happened.  So this would he a first.

She folded her arms, silently, and he couldn't help thinking how
tempting she looked, out of her office, out of that buttoned-up brown
suit.  He'd promised Kate and the baby a safe place, and he wouldn't go
back on that promise.  No moves, he cautioned himself.

But as he straightened up, returned the fireplace screen to its place
and looked back at her, he couldn't help wondering what she was really
like.  He doubted if he'd ever know.

"Ben--" She was finally demanding a response.

"All right.  I admit that I could have asked you questions about
yourself, but it seemed easier to use the computer while you were
putting Mandy to sleep.  She is asleep, isn't she?"

"In the middle of your bed, with pillows banked all around her.  But
don't try to distract me with questions about the baby.  What's going
on?"

Ben chuckled.  "Cut to the chase?  Okay.  But first, how about a brandy
to warm you up--or maybe, in your case, to cool you down."

Kate agreed, settling on his sofa and tucking her legs beneath her. Her
face was still wary, and the anger hadn't left her green eyes.  Ben
handed her a brandy, and she took a long swallow.

"All right.  I'm cool Now explain, please."  "It's simple.  I wanted to
know more about you."  She looked at him over the rim of her brandy
shifter.  "How come I'm not flattered by the sound of that?"

"I don't mean to flatter you.  I mean to find out about you so I can
understand what's happening."  "You could have asked," she said.

"You might not have told me everything."

"Wait a minute.  Why should I tell you everything?  I hardly know you."

"Exactly.  We've known each other for only a few hours.  And in that
time you've been shot at and your tires have been slashed.  A week
earlier, someone pushed you in front of a car--"

"Accident," she cut in.  And then she added more thoughtfully, "Maybe."

Ben sat in a low chair across from her.  "I'm thinking the same thing
you are.  Too many accidents.  Too by in many coincidences, no matter
what our overburdened police force may say."

Kate took another sip of brandy and then put the glass down.  "I haven't
tried to put it all together, connect everything.  I didn't want to
because the scenario seems so...  sinister."

"It could be," he told her.

"I know," she admitted.  "But I don't know why.

All I can do is repeat what I told the police.  I don't have any
enemies--"

"That you know of."  He leaned toward her, a serious expression on his
face.  "Don't you understand, Kate?  That's why I was delving into your
past--to find out if there was something you'd missed--or forgo-ten
about or thought wasn't important."

"Or lied about?"  She looked at him with a level gaze.

"We all like to present ourselves in the best way possible, Kate."

"There's nothing," she said flatly.

"There must be," he insisted.  "No one goes through life without making
waves of some kind."

"I'm afraid I did," she said a little apologetically.  "My background is
unremarkable.  I'm an only child.  My parents are in Kenya--"

At his questioning look, she explained.  "My father is a career
diplomat."  She watched for his reaction to that.  "Thirty years in the
foreign service.  No government intrigue, Ben."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to.  When the foreign service is mentioned, people
always think about mysterious goings-on, but believe me, my parents are
very dedicated and loyal.  Even a little boring."

"When did you last see them?"  he asked.

"Two years ago when they were on home leave.  I didn't visit them in
Kenya."

Ben sighed.  "That brings us back to you."  He downed his brandy.

"Boyfriends--present or ex?"

"None who wish me harm.  I have no idea where most of the guys I dated
are now, but I was only serious with one man in my life."  We broke up
before I moved to Phoenix.  He's since married and has a baby.  So I
seriously doubt if he'd want to kill me."  She let out a sigh.  "Kill
me.  God, that sounds so sinister."  "But we have to consider it' Kate
"I suppose so."  She felt like asking for another brandy but decided
against it.  A clear.  head was what she needed as they reviewed her
life.

He pressed on.  "Former jobs?"

"I beat out a couple of people at ESS for my promotion to Phoenix.  A
couple more for my move here.  But getting rid of me wouldn't have meant
that any of them would get the job.  They all had other career
possibilities within--and without--the company.  Everyone I know is too
damn career-minded to take the time to wipe me out."  She gave a small
shaky laugh.  "I sound like a character in a bad detective novel, don't
I?"

He smiled.  From what he'd seen of her, he had no trouble believing the
career-minded bit.  Above all, she had success uppermost in her mind.

"Then let's look at Denver," Ben said, returning to his keyboard.

"We'll start with the most recent clients."  He tapped a series of keys,
and waited a few seconds.  Then he printed out a copy of the list on the
screen and handed it to Kate.  "Anything suspicious going on with any of
these companies?"

She took the list from him.  "So you left a back door into my ESS
office, too," she commented sarcastically as she glanced at the client
names.

"I'll close it up when we figure out what's going on."

"If anything's going on."

"Kate, think carefully.  Do any of them have it in for you.9," She
studied the list of the most recent ESS clients.  "I've placed
executives with the first three.  National Trust of Denver Arrington Oil
and Benjamin Investment.  They're cream-of-the-crop companies. They
don't shoot at a person for being a successful headhunter."

"Headhunter?"  He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his neck.  The
gestures tightned the muscle across his chest and made his shoulders
appear even broader.  The firelight flickered a golden glaze across his
forehead and cheek, and for a moment she almost lost her cool. Quickly,
she caught herself.

"Headhunter is a slang term for companies like ESS that find people to
fill top-management jobs."

"So you're a headhunter?"  He chuckled, turning back to the computer.

"And they're all satisfied with your placements?"

"As far as I know."

"Did anyone lose out on a job?  Some applicant you sent out who got
turned down by one of those companies?"

"Sure, but wouldn't they take it out on the company who didn't hire them
instead of on me?  After all, I'm the good guy."

"

" No nutcases?"  "

"No obvious ones.  Just men and women who want to work.  They're usually
registered at other placement agencies, too.  Honestly, I haven't mined
anyone's life recently."

"Okay, scratch your applicants and the companies you've placed with.

Let's look carefully at the other companies on the list, the ones you're
still "head-hunting" for."  He tried to hide his smile.  "Start with
appointments you made a week before the first accident when you were
pushed in front of the car."

"I can't remember anything unusual at all.  I called for appointments.

I made visits; The dates are here on the lists."  She consulted her hard
copy while he watched the screen.  "I did have a couple of
appointments," she said, remembering, "that were kind of odd."

"Odd?"  He looked back at her.

"They were both at night.  One put me off when I got there and the other
one didn't show."

"Now we're getting somewhere," said.  "Tell me about them."

Relieved that he was back at the screen and she didn't have to look at
his fabulous abs, she told him, "One was the woman I mentioned to you,
Coral Lampicrc.  She was a teacher at the private school I attended. We
kept in touch and when I moved here we had lunch.  She wanted ESS to
help replace some staff at Sky-High Spa..."

"Nothing unusual about that."

"Nope," she agreed.  "Then we made an appointment for nine-thirty at
night."

"Now that's unusual."

Kate shook her head.  "You've admitted not knowing much about workout
clubs, and you don't," she Baby in'my Arms added with a laugh.  "These
places open early and don't close until nine o'clock.  That's the
logical time for Coral to set her appointments.  During the day, there's
just too much going on."

She was thoughtful for a long moment, remembering.  "What was unusual
was that Coral never showed," she told him.  "The whole building was
deserted except for the janitor, who was no help at all.  I waited for a
while and then finally left.  When I called the next day to follow up, I
was told Coral had gone on vacation."

"Annoying," Ben commented, "but hardly sinister.  You saw nothing?"

"Only what I told you.  No drug deals, no shady characters lurking in
the shadows at Sky-High Spa."  Kate was becoming irritated.  "This is
getting us nowhere."

Ben held up a conciliatory hand.  "Tell me about your other evening
appointment."

Kate checked her list.  Robert Brownley of United Charities.  "It wasn't
really an appointment.  I was supposed to drop off a contract, but he
wasn't in the office.  Because I wanted to get started on the search for
his executive assistant the next mornin, I took the contract by his
house.  It was dinnertime, and I think he and his wife were having
cocktails.  He was in a hurry, and so was I. Nothing sinister."

"Did he seem irritated?"

"maybe a little gruff, but it was after office hours, so I figured he
just wanted to get back to his private life.  Can't blame him."

Ben shrugged.  "Your clients don't seem to be minding their stores very
well, but other than that, I don't see anything sinister either.  I'll
run computer checks on both of them.  Didn't you call this Coral woman
something else?"

"When she taught my dance class in private school, she was Carol
Lampson.  She changed her name when she opened the spa."  Kate shrugged
off his interested look.  "Lots of people know that, so I don't think
she shot at me to keep her name change a secret."

Ben was thoughtful for a moment.  "Maybe we're looking at this from the
wrong angle."  He changed programs on his computer.  "When did you come
to Denver?"

"Six weeks ago--the first part of November."  "When did you get custody
of Mandy?"  "Temporary guardianship," she corrected.  "Last week.  I had
just come back to work from the the accident-"

He lifted an eyebrow.

"Or whatever you want to call it," she corrected, "and that afternoon a
lawyer called to tell me Amanda was on the way."

"That was the first you heard?"

"Oh, no.  Her parents died in the airplane crash before Thanksgiving,
but the baby stayed with a family friend until the will was read and the
lawyers made arrangements to send her here.  Poor Amanda," she said.
"Losing her parents and not knowing why, and then being shuttled from
place to place.  It's a miracle she's coped as well as she has."

Ben was concentrating on the computer, and Kate wondered if he'd been
listening to her.  "Why did you want to know all those details?"  she
asked.

"Look."  He moved aside so she could see the screen where he had created
a triangular design.  He placed the cursor on one corner and typed
"December 15."

"Today's date.  You were shot at, and someone slashed your tires.  Now,
let's go back, what, ten days, to December 5?"

She nodded.

He typed that date at another corner.  "You were hit by the car--either
on purpose or accidentally--on about that date.  Then Mandy arrived.

How many days later?"

"Three," she answered.

He typed "December 8" at the apex of the triangle.  And in the middle he
typed "Amanda."  "Do you see what's happened?"

"You think all this has to do with Amanda?"  she asked unbelievingly.

"Think about it."  He got up slowly and stretched.  "You say nothing
unusual happened at work.  Your clients are above reproach.  You've got
no skeletons in your closet.  But something has changed in your life
recently, and that's Mandy."  He pointed to the diagram on the computer
screen.  "In the center is Mandy."

She sat down, confused.  "Why would someone want me out of the way
because of the baby?"

"Aha, Dr.  Watson, that's the question," he answered.  "If we find the
answer, we'll discover who the hell is after you."

"I can't believe--" she began tentatively.

"It's logical, Kate."  He prodded.  "Who, besides you, knew about
Mandy?"

"Plenty of people," she answered.  "All of Libby's friends back east,
the couple who kept the baby after the plane crash, some cousins in
Florida."  She closed her eyes, trying to think.

"What about here in Denver?"  he asked.

"No one," she said, "except the lawyer, Daniel Hedrick."

"A good place' to start," Ben said, refocusing his attention on the
computer.  "I'll log into a law library through the Internet and get
American Bar Association records.  I can find out what kind of cases he
handles and then look into his personal life, including his credit
records."

"Just like you did with me..."

"Exactly," he replied, intent on the screen.  "More brandy?"  he asked
over his shoulder.

"No, I'm fine."  She felt warm and relaxed, in spite of all the
confusion, the puzzles that Ben had created on screen--and in her head.

Her edgy nerves and racing mind were gradually slowing, thanks to the
combination of her bath, the fire and the brandy.

She glanced around the room, seeing again the wall hangings that had
intrigued her and suddenly changing the subject.  "Those hangings--are
they Cheyenne?"

"A few of them," he replied.  "But there're also Arapaho and Nez Pete6
as well as some eastern tribes--Cherokee, Creek and Seminole.

Collecting them is my hobby."  He turned and gave her a mocking look.

"I like to keep in touch with my Native American roots."

Without waiting for her response to that, he was back at work, his
fingers skimming the keyboard.  Kate watched in fascination.  What an
interesting dichotomy he was.  His technology was out of the
twenty-first century, but he hadn't forsaken his past.  Ben's heritage
seemed a natural part of him, and yet he neither overdramatized nor down
played it.

Now he was hunting down whoever had shot at them, not in an exotic
Native American setting but on the computer.

Was he on the right track, she wondered, about the attacks on her life?

Did they have something to do with Amanda?  She couldn't believe that
was possible, but as Ben pointed out, it was logical.  Before Amanda,
her life had been centered around her work.  After Amanda, everything
had changed.

She closed her eyes and realized suddenly that she was too tired to open
thm again.  She'd had every intention of getting up and going to bed.
But it felt too good to lie on the sofa and bask in the warmth of the.
fire.  She had meant to help Ben by concentrating on his triangle and
the dates when the incidents cur red She tried to remember.  December 5.
What else had happened on that day?

Something...  She couldn't focus on it.

And then today, December 15, her appointment with Ben...  the
gunshots...  the tires slashed...  Waves of exhaustion washed over Kate,
drawing her deeper into its depths.  Unable to concentrate, she slipped
slowly toward sleep, into a soft enveloping blackness.  Then it came to
her, and she remembered what else had happened on Dextjmber 5.

AFTER HALF AN HOUR of intense concentration, Ben turned away from the
computer and started to speak.  Seeing Kate, he bit back his words.

She was sound asleep, lying on her side with one hand under her cheek,
red hair tousled around her face.  Her breathing was deep and regular,
the sleep of exhaustion.  His flannel shirt, which swallowed her in a
very appealing way, had slid halfway up her thigh and exposed an expanse
of smooth white skin.

Ben felt a familiar tightening in his loins.  Hell, just because she was
good-looking and lying on his sofa and wearing nothing but a flannel
shirt, was no reason for him to give in, no reason for him to relinquish
his original decision to stay cool in the heat of the excitement she
generated.

But he had to move her, and he didn't want to bother her.  That could be
a problem.  No, he decided, it would be safer to wake her up.

He leaned over and lightly' touched her hair.  "Kate..."

She made a little moaning sound and snuggled more deeply into the sofa.

But she didn't wake up.

"Okay," he said softly, "you win--and I tuck you in."  He lifted her,
and she stirred, mumbling something unintelligible, but her eyes
remained dosed.

Trying to steel himself against her obvious charms, he settled her
warmly into his arms.  He could feel the curve of her breast against his
chest and her soft breath against his cheek.  Those were the very
stimulations he could do without.  Taking a deep breath of his own he
headed for the stairs, climbed them quickly and went into his room.

There was a low light on beside the bed where Amanda was sleeping, her
thumb tucked tightly into her mouth.

Carefully, Ben placed Kate on the bed, rearranged Amanda and her wall of
pillows, and covered both of them with a quilt.  Kate moaned again,
opened her eyes to about half-mast and looked at him without
recognition.  "What--"

"It's okay," he replied.  "Go back to sleep."

She immediately closed her eyes and was breathing deeply in a few
seconds.  Better, safer, he thought as he reached for the light, ready
to turn it off.  But something stopped him, the compelling picture of
the two of them sleeping, so lovely, so innocent, so...  "No way," he
murmured.  "Just because it's holiday time, and she's alone with a baby,
doesn't mean I'm getting sentimental.  Save that for the Christmas
cards," he told himself.

He turned off the fight and went downstairs to sleep--or try to.

Chapter Four.

Kate woke with a start.  Where was she?  In a strange room, a strange
bed!  Then she remembered.  She and Amanda were sharing the upstairs
room in Ben's house.  Another bizarre situation in more than a week of
weird happenings.

But at least the baby had slept.  And slept.  She couldn't believe how
long.  "Amanda," she said softly, turning over and searching among the
pillows.

She sat up with a start.  The baby was gone!

Kate's feet hit the floor with a thud.  Where could she be?  Under the
bed?  In the bathroom?  The door was closed so she couldn't have gotten
out and fallen down the stairs.  Unless...  Could someone have stolen
the baby during the night?

She rushed to the bedroom door and threw it open, shouting, "Amanda,
Amanda--" Whoever had shot at her and Ben, slashed the tires, could have
taken the baby.  Or maybe- She thought of the revelation that had come
to her just before sleep.  "No," she told herself.  "No!"

She had just started down the stairs when Ben reo sponded from below.

"Amanda's down here, Kate--with me."

"Oh, thank God."  She flew down the stairs.

Ben stood in front of the fireplace, holding the baby, who was happily
sucking on a hot He With a sigh, Kate sank onto the sofa.  It took her a
minute to recover.

"I thought...  someone had...  taken her."  "

"No way, Kate.  Not in my house," Ben assured.  "Everyone's safe here."

"I COULDN't imagine anything else.  I'd thought about locking the door,
even barricading the stairway in case she got out of the room somehow.

But I don't remember doing it.  I--oh," she said as it hit her.

He raised one dark eyebrow.

"I fell asleep on the sofa."  .  "You sure did."

Automatically, Kate's hand went to the neck of the shirt.  His shirt.

The top button had come undone during the night.  "How embarrassing,"
she said.

He didn't respond, but there it was again.  Damn that eyebrow.  Up it
went.

"I mean...  to be put to bed like a child," she added quickly.

"It was my pleasure," Ben replied.  "I actually tried to wake you, but
you were dead to the world."

"Thanks," Kate said, relaxing.  Or trying to.  That one nagging thought
kept at her.  "I need to ask you about--something."

"Sure.  But first--how about coffee?"

She nodded.  "I should probably change the baby."  "Been done," he told
her proudly.

"Thanks," she repeated.  "You're better with Amanda than I."  She
couldn't believe how easily Ben handled the child, how content--and
calm--Amanda seemed in his arms.

"Experience," he replied.  "And maybe she senses I'm at case.  There's
cereal," he said as he poured the coffee and handed it to her.

Their fingers touched over the cup in a gesture that made the morning
seem intimate.  A man and a woman sharing breakfast.  A baby in his
arms.  The woman still in her nightclothes.  Too intimate, she thought,
for someone she knew nothing about.

Ben leaned back in his chair and looked across at her.  "Okay, what
gives?  There's something on your mind."

He was on her mind, but what she was thinking kept getting mixed up with
what she was seeing, his physical presence.  It dominated everything. He
was wearing boots, well-washed jeans and a plaid shirt.

He hadn't shaved, but he was the kind of man who looked good with a
day's growth of beard.  She wished she had a robe--a blanket--something
to give her protection from Ben's nearness.  She was very aware of him
and his eyes on her, measuring as if he knew she was uncomfortable
around him.  And why.

She simply couldn't talk to him dressed like this.  Standing up, she
said, "Yes, something is on my mind, but let me change before we talk.

I'd feel more--comfortable."  Without waiting for a reply, she took her
coffee and went upstairs.

Now slm was in charge, Kate decided when she re, turned, dressed in her
brown suit, her hair in a reasonable facsimile of a French twist.  Ben
was still at the table, on his second cup of coffee.  Amanda had
finished her breakfast and was on the floor, blissfully tearing the
pages from an old eat flog Kate put down her empty cup, and he refilled
it.

"I'm waiting," he said slowly.

She took a sip of coffe and sat opposite him.  "It's about you:' He
cocked that dark eyebrow again.

"Last night you asked me to try and think of anything unusual that might
connt the incidents...  the attacks.  And I did think of something."  He
watched her s'dently, but she didn't lose her cool this time.  "On both
days--when I was pushed in front of the car and when I was shot at--I
had appointments.  With you."

"So," he said.  "You think I could be involved in a sinister plot?"

"You asked me to think of everything," she shot back.

"All right, let's explore this.  Where was I when you were shot at?"

"With me," she said softly.

"And when you were hit by the car?"

"In my office, I suppose, waiting--"

"With Tina," he added.  ""Course, I could have masterminded the whole
thing and had someone else carry out the dirty deeds."

"I'm not saying you did anything, but I wondered last night.  I still
do."

"Sometimes coincidence is just that, Kate.  I have no reason to harm
you, but if I wanted to, haven't I had ample opportunity, alone in my
house with you all night?"

She nodded.

"Two things, Kate.  Number one, you're right to be suspicious.  From now
on, I want you to suspect everyone.  Number two," he added with a grin,
"don't tell the person you suspect!"

She felt her face redden.

"Come on, loosen up.  I'm teasing, but you could have gotten into a lot
of trouble if you'd been fight about me."

"I guess I never did believe it, or I wouldn't have told you.  That was
stupid of me, though."

"You're not a detective, Kate.  You're a headhunter," he added with
another grin.  "So be careful."  He picked up a sheaf of printouts from
the computer.  "I'm not a detective, either, but I'm pretty good at
snooping.  And I can't resist a puzzle.  I did some research on Daniel
Hedrick last night.  He handles family law--divorces, custody hearings,
that sort of thing.

Low-profile type of guy.  Except..."

"Except?"

"He's in trouble financially.  Recently married a woman with very
expensive tastes.  Plus, two ex-wives and three kids to support.  The
bottom line is, he needs money."

"How would getting rid of me help his finances?"  "Let's tinker with the
idea," Ben said thoughtfully.  "If something happened to you, what would
become of Amanda?"

"I suppose she'd go to my second cousin in Florida.  I hardly know her
and her husband, but other than my parents, they're the closest
relatives."  She caught on to his scenario.  "Are you thinking that
Hedrick might want to get Amanda to..."  She paused.  "To...  what?"

"I have no idea.  That's why I'd like to meet this guy, check him out
myself."  He laughed sardonically.  "I know this is none of my business,
but--"

"You were also shot at--and got stuck with me and Amanda.  Besides, you
can't resist a puzzle."

"Exactly.  I like to know how things work and why.  And this is one hell
of a mystery."

Kate got down on the floor beside Amanda, who was stuffing bits of
brightly colored catalog pages into her mouth.  "I don't find it all
that fascinating, cause it's totally messing up my life."  As she
removed the pages from the baby's hands and mouth, Amanda began to fret.
"I wonder if the police will call back about my ear."

"Don't count on any suspects being rounded up."

Amanda was into major fussing and on the verge of tears.

"Maybe she'd like her lamb," Ben suggested.  ii threw it in the wash
this morning.  Should be dry by now."

"Thank you," Kate said guiltily.  Once again, Ben was proving to be the
better parent.

When she returned, Amanda was in Ben's arms at the window where he was
showing her the birds gathered at a feder in the yard.  He was right
about the morning view.  It was breathtaking.  The snow-filled trees
seemed weighted down with their white burden, ghostly figures shimmering
in the morning sun.  In the distance, the jagged peaks of the
Continental Divide stood like cutouts against the blue sky.

Kate waited awhile before reaching for the telephone and breaking into
the quiet moment.  "I guess I'd better call Tina and tell her I'll be
late."

Ben turned from the window.  "I don't think you should go to the office,
Kate.  How do you know the shooter won't come back?"

She put down the phone.  "I don't," she said slowly.  "This-rson--could
come to the office--or to my apartment.  She clenched her hsts m anger.

Do you realiz what's happening?  My life is be' rag stolen by some
nameless, faceless maniac."

She began pacing in front of Amanda and Ben.  "I'm not going to let it
happen.  No one is going to treat me like this and get away with it."
She stopped and shook her fist.  "Do you hear me?"

Amanda's eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfect little O. "We hear
you, loud and clear, General.  We're waiting for your next move," Ben
replied.

"All fight.  Here it is.  I'll go to Denver.  Get a temporary place to
live.  Hire a baby-sitter, and conduct business by fax and phone until
the police do something.  I'm calling Tina to tell her.  Business as
usual.  Except I won't be in the office."  She shrugged.  "A minor
inconvenience that we can deal with."

She picked up the phone again and punched in numbers as she talked.

"Then, I'll make a couple of ESS calls before we go to town--that is, if
you'll take "I don't expect you and Amanda to walk back to Denver."

When Kate reached Tina and told her where she was, her secretary
responded to the news with a low laugh and an envious remark.  "Way to
go, boss."  Kate ignored that, gave instructions, picked up messages and
moved on to the next call, quickly, efficiently, arranging to meet the
tow truck driver and hand over her keys.

As Ben watched with a mixture of admiration and amusement, Kate pulled
out her day planner and began making notes.  "Rent an apartment, hire a
sitter, pick up some baby food, buy enough clothes to get me through the
next few days--and oh, yes," she added casually, "find out who tried to
run me down, shot at me and slashed my tires.  Just an average day in
the life of a single, working more."

"You're handling this well, Kate," he complimented.

"What choice do I have?"

Their eyes met, and he saw once more the vulnerability there.  Deep
down, she was scared--as well she should be--but he had to admire her
courage.

"Now on to business.  Coral Lampiere at Sky-High Spa...  then Robert
Browriley of United Charities."  As she made the calls, Ben saw Kate
slip into her young executive mode, which she wore very easily, a tiger
at" work.  Last night she was a vulnerable, sexy woman; today she was
all business.  As for her mothering ability-Ben looked at Amanda,
happily chewing on the lamb's ear--she had a long way to go.

Coral was still on vacation; Browriley wasn't in, either, but Kate
plunged ahead, calling his home.  After a brief conversation, she hung
up with a grin.  "Brownley's at a breakfast meeting, but he signed the
contract!  His wife has it, ready for me to pick up."  "Headhunter on
the loose," Ben quipped.  "Without a car.  Maybe I should rent one."

"Where do they live?"  he asked.

She looked at her notes.  "Country Club section, Third and High."

"Closer than the car rental.  And I'd feel better in the driver's seat,
keeping an eye on you."

"Thanks, Ben.  If you'll stuff Amanda into her snowsuit, I'll get my
coat--"

"Leave it, Kate.  The coat's like a beacon.  Besides, it's dirty,
remember?"  Ben rummaged through the closet and pulled out a woman's
leather jacket.  "This should fit you."

"You sure it's all right?"  She couldn't control her inner curiosity.

Whose coat was it?  An ex-girlfriend--or maybe not even ex?

"Let's say the owner was passing through town.  She won't be back for
it."

He helped Kate into the coat, and stayed close, his hand on her
shoulder.  She immediately forgot about the coat's owner as she tried to
control her heartbeat.  Useless" when he was standing so near.  Then he
touched her hair, and Kate caught her breath.  She had to get out of
this house and away from the intimacy and soon!

"This hair...  so damned red."

"Sorry," she breathed.

"Don't be.  It's fabulous.  But it's just like your coat, lighting the
way for the person after you.  I'll get you a cap to cover it.  This
person, whoever he--or she--is, could be anywhere."

"I know," she said softly.  Despite the brave words and organizational
skills she'd demonstrated, she felt fear oppressing her again.  At that
moment, she wanted nothing more than to stay in the safety of his house.

No, she did want more--the comfort of his arms.  He tucked a lock of her
hair behind her ear, gave her a well-worn baseball cap and stepped away.
"I'll get the kid into her snowsuit."

"SOMEO in the family had money," Ben said as they pulled into the
driveway of Brownley's house.  It was similar to other massive brick
homes in Country Club, set on rolling lawns with towering trees but even
mor palatial.  "And this guy works for a nonprofit group.  Ar you sur
He's legit?"

Kat shrugged.  "Hey, I'm nw in town.  Maybe you should check him out on
your computer.  Meanwhile, I want that contract."  She opened the car
door.

Bn reached out and pulled off the baseball cap.  "In this neighborhood,
you'll mala better first impression without the Denver Rockies."

The massive front door was opened by a petite woman in her lat fifties
wearing an expensive running suit, a stylish haircut and a friendly
smile.  "Kat Men air "Yes.  I'm here to se Mrs.  Brownley--" Kale.
glanced over the woman's shoulder into the living room.

"I'm Martha Brownley."

"Yes, of course."  Kate tried not to show her surprise.  "Mr.  Brownley
left a contract for "Come in, my dear, out of the cold."

Ben watched the friendly scne from the car, saw the door close behind
the two women and figured they'd be awhile.  With a shrug, he gave in to
Amanda's cries for entertainment.

When Kat emerged, the older woman was beside her.  It am!  Ben how
easily women made friends.  Together they approached the car, chatting
amicably.

Ben opened the door on the passenger side, and Mrs.  Brownley peered in.
"Oh, what a darling child."  After fifteen minutes of Ben's undivided
attention, Amanda was laughing happily.  "Girl or boy?"

"Girl," Ben replied as Amanda looked up innocently at Kat and said,
"Mama, mama," again and again.

"You have a lovely family, Mr.  Men air "Blackeagle," Kate corrected
quickly.  "Ben Blackeagle, this is Martha Brownley."

"So pleased to meet you, Mr.  Blackeagle.  I'll never catch on to modern
marriages, women keeping their names, men..."  She stopped short of
commenting on Ben's ponytail and earring.

"It's not really a modern--" Kate attempted before Ben broke in.

"I'm encouraging Kate to be her own person."  Kate decided not to bother
with attempting further explanation.  "We'd better be going.

We've taken up enough of your time, Mrs.  Brownley."

"Nonsense.  Besides, I have a marvelous idea," Mrs.  Brownley responded.
"Why don't the three of you come by Cherry Creek Mall for our Christmas
Fest?"  "No, we couldn't possibly--"

"Oh, do, please.  It's United Charities" biggest fund-raiser.  Many of
the UC staff will be there.  It's a marvelous opportunity for you to
meet them, get to know the kind of people Rob hires in his
organization."

And get to know Rob himself, Kate thought, deciding then and there to
go.  "If Ben has the time.  My car's in the shop, and he's spending his
whole day driving me around."

Ben's expression was unreadable, but his voice was edged with irony.

"Sure, I'd like to have some more quality time with my family.  It's as
if we hardly know each other these days."

"Fabulous.  You know where the mall is.  We'll be in the fountain area
outside Foley's.  Santa will be there with his helpers.  There's a train
for the children, and a trip to Santa's workshop.  Your baby will love
it."

"We look forward to it," Kate said.

"The fun begins early!"  Martha responded cheer fully.

Ben started the engine, and Kate waved goodbye as they drove off.

"Women," he said, shaking his head.  "Bonding instantly.  Now what was
that all about?"

Kate waited until they turned onto Third Street before replying. "She's
not his wife!"

"You mean that nice woman is an impostor?  What's she doing in
Brownley's house?"

"No, she's the real Mrs.  B."  a ptite blonde in her late fifties.  The
woman I saw when I delivered the contracts that night wasn't his wife.

She was a tall brunette about thirty years younger.  Robert Brown-lcy is
having an affair, and I caught him!"

"Maybe the woman you saw was his daughter."  "Nope.  The only daughter
lives in Spokane.  Mrs.  Brownley just returned from a two-week visit to
see her grandchildren.  She told me all about that trip."  "His
secretary?"

"Sure.  Taking dictation in a negligee over cocktails?  Give me a
break."  Kate narrowed her eyes and chewed on her lower lip.  "You know
what this means, don't you?"

"That Brownley has a mistress."

"And that I saw them together.  He could be the one who tried to shoot
us."

"Hold on, Kate, let's get logical here."

"Okay," Kate said.  "First, Martha has all the money."

"How do you figure that?"

"Their house--it was her family home."  "She told you," Ben said with a
grin.  "And I didn't even ask," she replied.

"You're getting to be quite a detective."  Stopping at an intersection,
he put the baseball cap back on and tucked the escaping hair under the
brim.  "For safety, just in case your Brownley theory is wrong."

But Kate wouldn't be distracted.  "I figure she had an enormous
inheritance that Brownley has shared all these years.  Enter the sexy
mistress.  A dangerous situation.  If Martha got wind of it, she'd kick
him out, ruin his reputation and leave him with only his United
Charities" salary, which, you've already noted, is probably minimal."

"It makes sense on a simplistic level.  But let's get more
sophisticated.  Is Brownley the type to stalk you?"

"Can't answer because I've hardly met the man, which is why I want to go
to the mall.  Confront him--"

"A dangerous idea."

"Think about it, Ben.  He's not going to try anything with his wife
there."

"Maybe not.  But he's also not going to break down and confess the way
they do on TV, Kate."

"But at least I'll be acting instead of passively waiting to be attacked
again.  Maybe I'll get a clue from him--body language or something."  At
Ben's skeptical look, she snapped, "Any other bright ideas?"

"Except for Hedrick, not a one.  We need to shop for you, pick up a few
things for Amanda, and the mall's as good a place as any, so why not?

Our little warm and loving family at the Christmas Fest."

"Sorry about that family thing, but Martha assumed we were married. And
now that you mention it, weren't you the one who--"

"Guilty.  And willing to play along for a while.  Who knows, it might be
fun."

BLRR HE DDN'T HAVE to do it.  Ben knew that.  After they waited for more
than an hour for a delayed tow truck, he could have dropped Kate and
Amanda at a car rental place and let that go to the mall on their own,
find an apartment and get on with their lives.  Instead, he was on his
way to see Santa Claus--and liking it.  His adrenaline was pumping, and
he felt a sense of excitement about the past twenty-four hours.

His enthusiasm lessened when they entered the noisy and crowded mall.

Hundreds of children ran madly up and down the escalators, along the
promenades and through the stores with harried parents trailing behind,
trying to round them up before they zeroed in on the Santa Claus booth.

"There's Mrs.  B.," Kate announced when they spotted the UC booth.  "I
wonder where he is?"

A smiling Martha Brownley waved them over.  "I'm so glad you made it.

There're lots of UC people at the booth."

"Your husband?"  Kate looked around.

Martha shook her head.  "Couldn't make it.  He's been so busy rexcntly
"Her voice trailed off.  "But I'll be glad to introduce you to the
others, Kate."

"No, thanks, I'll be fine on my own."  Dutifully, Kate headed for the
booth, leaving Ben and Amanda in Mrs.  B."s care.

"I do so admire career women," Martha told Ben as they watched Kate walk
away.  "Especially working mothers.  Kate's lucky to have a husband who
helps out.  You're wonderful with the baby."

As if on cue, Amanda chimed in with a stream of da-das.

"She's quite a handful," Ben replied.  "I'm finding myself doing all
sorts of things I never imagined."  He smiled ruefully.

"I just bet you are," Martha agreed, as Amanda, fascinated by the mall
Christmas tree, greedily reached for its decorations, straining in Ben's
arms.  "Her first Christmas?"

He had no idea.  Had Amanda turned one yet or was her birthday just
ahead?  He decided to tell Martha what she wanted to hear.  "Her very
first."

"Then we must get your picture with Santa Claus."  She looked around and
spied Kate at-the booth.  "Come over here, dear, as soon as you're
finished."  To Ben she confided, "I'm going to pull rank and put you at
the front of the line.  Won't a Christmas picture be a wonderful
memento?"

Ben decided his only choice was to comply, and by the time Kate joined
them, Martha was busy setting up the photo.

"Sorry," Kate mouthed as she slipped in line beside Ben.  "These
situations keep getting out of hand--"

"No problem.  Did you make any good contacts?"

"Not really.  Just low-level staff, handing out brochures.  How's
Amanda's dad?"

"Fine, if only he knew his kid's birthday!  Had to fake it."

"She'll be a year old January second--two weeks."  Ben beamed. "Guessed
right."

Martha bustled over.  "You're next," she told them.  "First Amanda on
Santa's knee--"

Kate gave the baby's hair a quick comb and then waited for her to shriek
with fear as they approached Santa.  His heavy and very obviously fake
beard was pretty scary stuff, but Amanda seemed to love it.  She went
eagerly to him, her eyes big and round, and tugged with vigor on the
beard.

"I can't believe it's staying on," Kate said, laughing, as the
photographer snapped away.

"Adorable," Martha joined in.  "Now the whole family."

"I don't think so," Kate responded quickly.  "Ben's in a hurry, and

"I have plenty of time, sweetheart," Ben said wickedly.  "Especially for
a holiday picture of our family."

Before she could reply, they were posed alongside Santa.  After a couple
of shots, the photographer advised, "You folks are supposed to be a
happy family enjoying Christmas.  Let's make it a little more lively."

Kate forced a smile and turned toward the baby, who giggled on cue. Ben
smiled back.  Then with a wink, he leaned forward and kissed Kate
enthusiastically on the mouth.

Chapter Five.

Kate's eyes opened wide and then snapped shut.  This was some kiss.  No
little peck, no fake for the camera; it was simply delicious!  Anyone
would respond to such a kiss, and Kate certainly did.

Ben's mouth was possessive and insistent, and when hers opened
instinctively, she felt his tongue graze her lips.  Warmth radiated
along her skin, and her heart fluttered wildly before she remembered
where they were--and why.

She was on a mission to find Brownley.  Martha, Santa, all the rest were
incidental.  So was the kiss.  She pulled away from Ben, trying to
pretend that she was unaffected, but she could feel the color flaming in
her cheeks.

"Shall we try that again?"  Ben called out to the photographer.  He'd
meant the kiss to be lighthearted, a joke in keeping with the charade
performed for Mrs.  B. It had turned into something deeper.  Sweet and
intriguing, there'd been an underlying hint of passion.  And he wasn't
joking when he asked to try it again.

Before the photographer could answer, Kate responded.  "No!  I mean, I'm
sure it was fine."  Under her breath, she whispered to Ben, "Why did you
do that?"

'q3because I wanted to," he answered.  "And cause I liked it.  I think
Mrs.  B. did, too."  He smiled disarmingly as she approached.

"It's wonderful to see a couple so in love," she said.

"Does it show?"  Ben asked with such boyish charm that Kate almost
choked.

"It most certainly does," Martha replied.  "I'm sure you'll cherish the
picture for years to come.  We'll mail it to you if you'll just give me
your address--and a check, of course.  All the prof its go to charity,"
she added.

Kate looked at Ben and batted her eyes coquettishly.  "This can be your
treat, darling," she said, "since you came up with such an original
pose."

He kept a straight face.  "My pleasure, honey.  Maybe you'd like more
than one copy.  It's for a good cause, you know."

"No, one will be more than enough," she said, fluttering her lashes
again.  "But I'm sure Martha would appreciate it if you'd add a large
donation for United Charities."

Damn.  She was good, he thought.  "Of course, sweetheart."

This could go back and forth all day, Kate realized, deciding--as Ben
busied himself with the unexpected check-writing--to get on to the
business at hand.  "When do you expect your husband to get here,
Martha?"

"He may not make it at all, but I'm still hoping," she replied.

"Another board meeting.  Rob has so many involvements."

Kate managed a tight smile.  He certainly did!  "He's lucky to have you
to pinch-hit," she said fervently as Amanda squirmed in her arms. "I'll
stop by later in case he shows up, but right now, I think it's past time
for lunch."

"I recommend Mile-High Grill," Martha suggested.  "The mall's a crowded
madhouse today, but it's always quiet there, and the food is good."

"Thanks," said Kate, who had very little experience with Denver
restaurants--especially the mall va-ffety.  A quiet restaurant with good
adult food sounded like heaven to her.

"What do you think?"  she asked Ben.  "I say go with Mrs.  B."s choice."
"Great," she said, "if you take the baby."

Ben held out his arms, and Amanda went to him, but not as
enthusiastically as usual.  She was in a crying mode.

"Fits right in with the general mood," he said, looking around.  The
mall was crowded with families, parents and kids, none very happy, if
their cries were any indication.  More candy was thrown on the floor
than eaten, more soft drinks spilled than drunk.

"The joys of parenthood," he said.  "Demonstrated everywhere."

"Once we get into our restaurant, it'll he different.  No kids.  No
noise.  No spills."

"But will they let us in with Amanda?"  he wondered.

"

"Course."

"Then what makes you think other people with children won't be there,
too?"

"Because they think they should take their kids to the fast-food places.
We think we should take our kid--I mean, my kid--I mean--" She stumbled.
"You mean, Amanda."

"Yes--to the best restaurant.  And here it is."  They pushed through the
door and found themselves in a cozy spot, intimate and quiet, very much
adults-only.  Then Amanda let out a shriek and everyone turned to look
at them--as they backed out the door, plans squelched.

"I saw a fast-food place back there..."  Ben offered.

"Not Jerry's In and Out, fast-food burgers and" dogs?"

"Has a real Amanda ring to it."

He was right, Kate decided when they arrived at Jerry's and found a
table.  Next to them a toddler burst into tears after spilling his soft
drink.  The sticky liquid ran across the table and puddled on the floor.
His mother hardly noticed; she was too busy wiping mustard off an older
child's jacket.

"More joys of parenthood," Ben commented softly.  "Now, what'll it be?"

"Whatever's fastest and most filling," she replied, taking the squirming
baby from him.  Amanda wiggled and waved her arms.  Her fat little legs
churned.  And then she burst into tears.  Kate let her cry.

There were so many children in various stages of distress that the noise
of one more didn't matter, she decided.

He returned only minutes later with a huge bag of food--and a high chair
into which he managed to stuff Amanda before filling her bottle from a
carton of milk.  "That should keep her busy long enough for us to eat."
"

Ben quickly devoured two hot dogs while Kate worked steadily on her
hamburger.  "It's wonderful," she admitted.  "But then anything would
taste good at this point."

While Ben patiently helped Amanda finish up his double order of fries,
Kate perused the material from United Charities.  Brown Icy seemed like
such a nice guy," she mused.  "And UC has a great reputation.  Still, he
has a motive to want me out of the way."

"A little too dramatic, Kate.  Just because he plays around doesn't mean
he's a killer."

"I wish I'd had a chance to talk with him."

"You still may be able to, but he's not our only suspect."  Ben grimaced
at the word.  "I'mbeginning to sound like a cheap detective, but while
I'm playing the role, let me suggest that there's still Hedrick." "Which
means you think Amanda is the key?"

"I don't know but I'd like to find out.  Have you explored the
possibility that Amanda might be an heiress?"

"An heiress?"  she asked in surprise.  "Where'd that come from?"

"Your cousins must have left some kind of estate.  Maybe Hedrick wants
to get his hands on it."

"There's a small amount of money in trust, but how would that benefit
him?"

"Maybe there're other relatives you don't know about who might put in a
claim for her.  Hedrick could be working for them, trying to get Amanda
away from you."

"Then why wouldn't they come forward or go to court?"  she asked.

"I don't know, but I think we should explore every angle.  If Amanda is
the key to these attacks, the lawyer is our only Icad in Denver.  What
did you think of him?"

"We never met.  He sent me lots of paperwork, and we talked on the
phone.  But a social worker delivered Amanda."

"Maybe you should meet the man.  Could be some thing's going on about
the adoption--" Ben shook his head.  "But, on the other hand, why would
the guy want to kill you?  Doesn't make sense."

"You're suspicious, though, aren't you?"

Ben nodded.

"Why don't we check him out?  Since this is all about adoptions and
babies, we can pose as an an adoptive couple.  Maybe he's running some
kind of scare where he..."  Her voice trailed off.

"Kills the mother and kidnaps her baby?  Pretty farfetched."  Ben was
intent on the problem.  "I know that logically this is out of left
field, but if there is a connection, I'd hate for us to turn our backs
on it."

"Then let's do it!"  Kate said.  "We're so good at playing man and
wife--" she shot him a teasing look

"--that we can try again as adoptive parents."  "Hedrick's never seen
you," Ben mused.  "Not unless he was the one who shot at me."

"In which case he knows you're a redhead.  You'll need some kind of
disguise.  A wig maybe."

"You're kidding!"

"Not just for Hedrick, but for any time we're out in public.  That hair
of yours still shouts, Kate.  It's impossible to bury it under a cap.

The enemy is nameless and faceless so let's don't take any chances. You
have Amanda to think about, too," he reminded her.

"Okay, I'll get a wig, but first let's see if Hedrick will give us an
appointment.  Oh, and I need someone to look after the baby.  I wonder
if I dare ask Tina again?"

"Promise her a bonus when all this is over," Ben suggested.  He stood up
and hoisted Amanda into his arms.  "Now let's hit the pay phones and
start making calls."

AN HOU LATER, Kate passed a store window and a stranger stared back.

Ben was right about the wig.  If she didn't recognize herself, who else
would?  She fluffed out her blond curls and tilted her head to the side,
studying her reflection.

Ben looked over at her with a grin.  "Glad you decided on the "Bette
Midler."  It's the very last look anyone would expect from you."

"I really liked the "Princess Di'--"

"Too sedate."

"And the "Ivana Trump" was a bit much."

"The "Dolly Parton" wasn't bad."

"Too big.  But I love these curls.  Too bad you can't see Hedrick until
tomorrow," she commented.

"I was lucky to get an appointment so quickly.  His secretary softened
at the word adoption.  Said she'd work us in.  It seems Hedrick has a
tender spot for adoptive couples."

"Don't you think that's significant?"

"It could be.  Okay, Bette, let's get you a new wardrobe."  ' The
department stores were mobbed with shoppers taking advantage of
pre-Christmas sales, filling the aisles and crowding the dressing rooms.

"I can't take this, Ben," Kate decided.  "Maybe I can cut my hair, wear
the cap, roll up a pair of your jeans and pretend I'm a teenage boy."

"A boy?"  Ben shook his head.  "Never.  Let's look for a small boutique
with nothing on sale."

"Where I'll pay a fortune."

"It's up to you, Kate.  Crowded dressing room or big money."

"I've had all I can take.  Let's go for the big-money chic boutique."

As it turned out, Shid's Boutique wasn't all that expensive--and it
certainly wasn't chic.  But they were the only customers, and Shid, a
heavy woman dressed in black with an abundance of eye shadow, gave them
a warm welcome.

"You just have a sat here," she advised, mancu've ring Ben to a
comfortable love sat and finding a baby-sitter for Amanda.  "Carlene!"
she called out.  "Come and get this baby.  You're not doing anything but
watching TV.  Give her some sherbet from the fridg back there.  The baby
can eat sherbet, can't she?"

Kate hesitated.  Could she?  She glanced at Ben, who nodded.  "That
would be fine, but I don't want to inconvenience--"

"Carlene's only watching a soap opera.  It's no trouble, hon."

A skinny teenager appeared, sighing dramatically at the interruption.

Seeing Amanda she brightened and held out her arms.  The baby went to
her without hesitation.  Everyone seemed to have a better handle on what
Amanda wanted than she, Kate thought as Carlene disappeared into the
back with the happy baby.

"When a woman's shopping, she needs to concentrate and not worry about
her kid.  Now what can I do for you, honey?"

"I need a couple of outfits, one casual, one business, and everything
that goes with them--from top to toe, inside and out."

"We'll start inside."  Shift decided, hauling out an armful of what was
obviously her kind of lingerie--filmy, lacy and showy--and leading Kate
to a dressing room.

To her surprise, Kate felt sensuous and a little erotic as she chose
half a dozen pairs of high-cut bikini panties and two bras that were
more lace than elastic.  Not her thing at all, but what the hell, she
decided.  It was time for a new look.  She might as well start at the
skin.

After settling on a fleecy, navy-blue warm-up and a couple of
turtle-necked sweaters, Kate returned to the dressing room with a few
choices in the dress-for success category, including a black pantsuit
that she figured would be the one.

Until Shirl appeared in the doorway with a vivid green outfit.  "Hon,
this looks just like you.  It'll be perfect with your hair, whatever the
color," she added with a wink.

"You can tell it's--"

"Not your natural color, but it's lovely."  She puffed up a little,
proud of spotting a dye job.  Kate kept her smile to herself.  If Shirl
only knew!

"Now try this on.  It'll be sensational."  Obligingly, Kate slipped on
the skirt and buttoned up the long jacket, which stopped just an inch
short of the skirt's hemline.  "I don't know..."

"A very popular look," Shirl assured her, "long jacket, short skirt--"

"Very short skirt," Kate said.  "Too short."

"Hon, that's the style, and you've got great legs.

Flaunt "em."

"No, I--"

"It's ask your husband.  He'll agree."

"No, that's not necessary."

"Oh, I bet he's the kind who like to keep his wife under wraps," Shirl
said in a whisper.

"No, that's not it.  I mean he's not like that."  What in the world was
she trying to say?  He's not my husband!  She kept her mouth shut.

"Then let's show him," the ebullient Shirl announced as she took firm
hold of Kate's arm and led her from the dressing room.  "Hey, hondo you
like your wife in this outfit?"

Ben was waiting on the sofa--keeping an y on Amanda, who was busy
smearing herself with sherbet in Shirl's small offi--and listening to
the women's conversation.

"We need a man's point of view," Shirl announced.  "Now I don't want to
prejudice your decision, but I have to tell you how much I like your
wife in this outfit."

Ben stood up.  "I'll be glad to cast my vote--whether with you or my
wife...  "Ben slowly walked around Kate, his eyes roaming her body.

The color was terrific, an emerald green that brought out the lights in
her eyes.  He could only imagine how sensational the outfit would look
with her wonderful red hair.

The jacket fit snugly over her round breasts and the skirt was short,
very short, with a daring little kick pleat that caught his eye.  He'd
been right earlier.  She would never be mistaken for a boy.

"I told Shirl the skirt was too short--"

Ben shook his head.

"The look too unprofessional--"

He disagreed again.

"It's not appropriate for the office, Ben."

"Why not?"  he asked.  "You look great."  He let his eyes consume her
once more, this time without the pressure of making a critical decision.
Just looking.  And enjoying.  The remembrance of their kiss flashed into
his mind.  He'd done it to tease her, but he'd ended up surprising
himself.  The warmth of it still lingered.

He realized he was staring and quickly slipped back into his familiar
teasing mode.  "Especially with those boots.  Short'skirts and
high-heeled boots--that's very sexy, darling."

Kate gave him a withering look.

"My wife will take it," he told Shirl with a smile that was all
innocence.

"No, I--"

"It'll be great for the office party, darling," he continued, a devilish
glint in his eyes.

"Two against one," Shirl said happily.

Kate fled to the dressing room.  "No fair ganging up."  She stripped off
the suit and handed it to Shirl.  "Well?"

"Wrap it," she said.  "Even though I'll be embarrassed to wear it.  My
thighs are so--"

"Your thighs are fine.  What I wouldn't give for'em.  But if you're
worried..."  Shirl hurried out to return moments later with an armful of
color--hot pink tights, striped leotard, even a matching headband.

"Workout clothes, all in your size.  What do you think?"

"Wrap "era," Kat said.  "I even know of a spa where I can work out."

"I've got shoes, too, hon."

"Wrap "era," Kate repeated.

"T-r his actually fun," she admitted two hours later as they dragged
themselves to the car, loaded with clothes, toys and diapers for Amanda.
"I can't believe I said that," she added.  "I usually hate shopping. But
the baby stuff was so cute.  I understand why grandparents get hung up
on buying for kids."

"Does Amanda have any grandparents?"  Ben asked as he strapped the baby
into her car seat.

Kate stopped to think.  "I know Libby's parents aren't living, but I'm
not sure about Derek's.  I guess I should look into that.  Anyway, no
one stepped forward when I got custody.  If there were relatives, and
they'd wanted the baby, wouldn't they have just said so instead of
trying to kill me" she asked.  "I wasn't exactly fighting for custody."

"That's true, but you never know how people think.  There could be
someone out there who's obsessed and doesn't know how to deal with it."

"Then we have a real problem, don't we?"  Kate asked.  "It's impossible
to predict what a crazy person's going to do."

"If we can't predict it, there's nothing we can do about it," he said
with what she thought was a kind of illogical logic.  "So don't worry.

Now, what's next on your agenda?"

"There's so much to think about.  I wish we could just home in on one
thing--like Brown Icy If only he'd been at the mall."

"But he wasn't.  You went back to the UC booth half a dozen times.

Brownley was a no-show.  So we move on to the car repair."  He handed
her the cellular phone.  "Call the shop."

It was a frustrating call.  "They haven't even gotten to my car.  Can
you believe that?  Maybe this afternoon, they say.  I won St.  hold my
breath.  But they tell me to call back at six."

"You could have it towed to another garage," he suggested.

"Where I'd have to start all over.  No, let's leave it there and Pick up
a newspaper."

"A newspaper?"  He looked over at her as he edged out of the pa king
lot.  "I have to find an apartment for me and Amanda."  "Hold off on
that.  You need wheels first."

"I guess."  She leaned back in the car seat.  "Maybe I'm just being a
fool to worry.  Maybe I should take Amanda and go home."

"You're not being foolish.  It was just yesterday that someone shot at
you--"

"Yesterday?  It seems like years ago," Kate murmured in an exhausted
voice.  "It probably seems even longer to you.  Sorry to tie up your
life like this."

"Like I said, Kate, it's only been a day, and I didn't have anything
better to do.  There were no good ball games on TV," he added with a
grin.  "But we do need to hang out in Denver until your car's ready.

Got any suggestions?"

"Well, I bought a new exercise outfit"

"Don't look at me."

"Are we anywhere near the Willowdale complex?"

"Not far.  What does that have to do with exercise?"

"Sky-High Spa is located at Willowdale.  I could go there, pretend to be
checking it out for possible membership-and look for Coral.  Or at least
ask questions about her."

"What about your little friend?"  He nodded toward the back seat. "What
are your plans for Amanda?"

The baby was napping, lulled by the movement of the car.

"Oh, yes.  Well...  maybe I can take her with me.  Some spas have
nurseries..."

"Or you could check her with your coat," Ben commented.

"All right, all right.  I know I'm not the world's best mom," she said,
"but you have to remember that I'm new at all this."

"Understood," he said.  "Just don't forget the baby!"

She scrunched down in the seat, somewhat diminished as he navigated the
traffic.  "Where are we going?"

"Where else?  To the spa."

"But you...  Amanda--"

"We'll hang out together.  Maybe find a bar and watch a little
wrestling."

"A bar?  Wrestling?  You can't--" She realized that he was putting her
on.  "Thanks, Ben," she said.  "I really would like to see inside of
Sky-High, and since we've got time to kill..."

"And since you need to work on your thighs."

Kate groaned.  "Did you hear everything we said in the dressing room?"

"We Native Americans have ears like foxes, haven't you heard?"

WHILE B TOOK Amanda to Willowdale's skating rink, Kate grabbed her new
workout clothes and headed for the spa.

On her only other visit she hadn't even been inside and had seen no
employees except the janitor, so she wasn't prepared for the luxury that
confronted her.

The lobby was beautifully decorated with photographic artwork adorning
the walls.  She crossed the highly polished floors on exotic colorful
rugs to the reception desk.

"Hi, there!"  called out a perky receptionist wearing Sky-High Spa's
logo T-shirt and shorts.

"Hi, there," Kate returned.  She hadn't meant to mock the girl, but it
didn't matter, because the little blonde seemed totally oblivious.

"Ready to exercise?"  she asked.

"Well, I'm just...  I'm not a member," Kate said quickly.  Don't let
anyone know why you're really here, she warned herself.

"We can remedy that."  She picked up a clipboard and pencil.  "Name?"

Kate equivocated as she looked over the brochure.  "Do you give tours?"

"We do better than that.  Anytime between now and the new year, we'll
give you three free sessions.  Then, after the first of the year, you
can make that big commitment."

"Hmm," Kate mumbled.

"Most people are waiting for January first to get into an exercise
program.  You'll be way ahead..."

Kate realized that this woman already had her signed up and working out.
Well, what could it hurt?  It would cost her nothing--and give her an
opportunity to find out where in the world Coral had gotten to.

"Now, tell me, do you want to lose weight or tone up--or both?"  She
glanced at Kate with a look that implied she definitely needed both.

"Both, certainly," Kate agreed.

"That's the spirit.  You won't be disappointed.  Sky-High is the best.

It costs a little more, but you'll see the difference when you join us.

Your name?"  she asked again.

"Kate--" She broke off, remembering Ben's warning as he let her out in
front of the spa.  Keep a low profile.  Don't advertise yourself.

"Kaitlin."

"Mmm.  Could you sp11 that, please?"

Kate did so, following with a last name plucked from the blue, or maybe,
she thought, from the great outdoors.  "Snow.  That's S-N-O-E," she
said.

Before she knw it, Kate was signed up, given a temporary ID card and a
locker key and sent off toward the lounge.

She pushed through the brass-decorated double doors and entered a
sitting room with sofas, coffe table, television and a sideboard
containing herbal teas, decaffeinated coffe and a frosty pitcher of ic
water filled with lemon slics.

"What have I gotten myself into?"  she asked aloud.  At a counter in
front of the lockers, workout clothes--T-shirts, shorts and sockswwere
neatly folded in front of a pretty young woman who asked, "Small, medium
or large?"

"Umm, I have my own things.  Is that all right?"  "Of course, but you'll
nell this."  She handed Kate a fluffy white robe.  "For later, when you
finish your workout and want to enjoy our other amenities--the Jacuzzi,
steam room and sauna."

"Oh, of course," Kate said, nodding her thanks.  "If you hurry, you'll
make Jennifer's step class."  "Jennifer?"

"Jennifer Kersten, one of the managers."

Kate smiled her thanks.  If anyone would know about Coral, the manager
certainly would.

In her hot-pink tights and striped leotard, she joined the class beside
a middle-aged woman who huffed and puffed her way through the warm-up.

Kate put her step down beside the woman's.  Theirs were the only single
steps in the aerobic room, where everyone else had stacked two or
three--even four.

Jennifer was tall, probably five foot ten, with short, blond-streaked
hair and a well-muscled body that moved like a machine.  Kate made it
through the warm-up with her and then things got complicated.

"I've never been able to do these turns," she wheezed to her overweight
neighbor, who agreed.

"Jennifer is...  a...  killer...  isn't she?"  The panting punctuated
each word.  "Even...  tougher than...  Mark."

"Who's Mark?"  Kate asked.

"Her husband, the other manager," she said, panting but holding to the
tempo.  "You can't miss him--bald and hunky."

"Ladies in the back, keep moving," Jennifer called out.

Kate could feel perspiration pooling under her wig, which was going as
limp as her muscles.  Finally, Jennifer began the warm-down, slow, easy
floor movements.

"I'm Edie," Kate's friend declared.

"Hi, I'm Kaitlin."  She extended a damp hand.

"And I'm heading for the steam room and then the Jacuzzi.  How about
you?"

"In a little while," Kate replied.  She wanted to find out about the
managers, Mark and Jennifer.  Were they the ones Coral wan tea to
replace?  To learn more, Kate was going to have to hit the machines.

And were there ever machines--one, she figured, for all six hundred
muscles in the body, plus bikes, cross-country skiers, stair climbers,
treadmills and some weird things Kate couldn't identify, like a
glassy-smooth pad designed for sliding on in quilted shoes, an exercise
that had to be coordinated perfectly.  Kate.  stayed away from it as she
took her seat on an easy-looking leg lift machine.

"How's it going?"  a voice asked in a silky caressing tone.

"Umm.  Fine."

The voice belonged to a lanky, muscled young man, just under six feet
with shoulder-length blond hair.  Definitely not Mark.  He was tanned
and sleek, as if he'd just been offed.  His features were delicate, and
his pale blue eyes didn't meet hers directly.  The look was one that
women at the spa probably found devastatingly attractive.

But not Kate.  She thought about Ben and his strong, chiseled features,
his dark piercing eyes and his roguish look that appreciated her so
thoroughly, like this young man's clinical appraisal.  He seemed to
weigh each muscle and molecule and find what was missing.  "New to the
spa?"  he asked.

She nodded.  "I'm Kaitlin."

"I'm Dylan.  Let me take you through the routine."

She managed to make small talk and listen to his appraisal of her body
before she asked her first question.  "Have you worked here long,
Dylan?"

"Long enough."  He counted her leg lifts.  "Eight, nine, ten.  Two more,
eleven, twelve.  Good job.  Now let's work on those pecs."

Okay, Kate thought.  He's not taking that bait.  I'll go another way.

She followed him to the next machine.  "Is the owner around today?"

He lowered the bar and waited for her to sit down.  "This is the triceps
press.  It'll work the pectoralis group.  Do you know Coral?"

"Nope.  I've just heard of her.  I thought she might be here tonight,
one of those hands-on types."  Kate looked around.

He shook his head, barely disturbing his blond tresses.  "That's Mark's
job.  She stays behind the scenes."

"Where is she--on vacation?"

"I guess."  Dylan set the weight.  "Start low on this press.  Twenty
pounds.  She's gone on a cruise, or so Mark says.  Sort of unexpected.

She left him a note."

Kate tried to find out more as she moved on to a lower-body machine
where she managed to do a series of fifteen reps on sixty pounds.  "I
don't believe it," she gasped.

"Strong thighs," Dylan commented disinterestedly.

Her routine completed, Kate was still short on information.  "I'm hoping
to join in January--if I can handle the fees, not to mention the
regime," she told Dylan.  "It's so luxurious here, I doubt I'll be able
to resist.  Do you think Coral will be back by the first of the year?"

Dylan shrugged.  "You'll have to ask Mark."  He handed Kate a towel.

"Try the Jacuzzi.  It'll help those muscles."  With a smile of sorts, he
was gone.

Well, just a quick dip, she told herself when she reached the most
provocative section of the lounge--the hot tub, sauna and steam room and
behind them a row of showers that were as beautifully appointed as the
spa's reception area, all elegance with mahogany and brass fittings.

She sank into the Jacuzzi just as Edie appeared, wrapped in a big towel.
"Don't forget the cucumbers," she advised.

"What?"  Kate asked.

"Here."  She reached into a glass container and handed Kate two slices
of cucumber and an icy-cold washcloth, folded lengthwise.  "Close your
eyes, plop the cukes on your lids and the cloth on top.  Heaven," she
said, shedding her robe and sinking into the tub beside Kate.

Kate agreed.  "Especially on this overworked body.  Every muscle is
quivering."

Edie smirked.  "Dylan has that effect on people."  Kate agreed
halfheartedly.  "He's attractive."

"So says every woman here.  They're all wild for him."  She lowered her
voice.  "Even the owner."

"Coral Lampiere?  Really?"  Kate leaned as close to Edie as the jets
would allow.  "Sounds like a romance."

"Who knows?  But Coral usually stayed close to him.  I was surprised
when she went on that cruise alone--"

"Oh, the cruise--she told you about that...  ?"

"Well, no.  She never mentioned it.  I think Jennifer told me.  No,
maybe it was Mark.  He's a little jealous of Dylan, you know.  Course,
you can't blame him.  Mark used to be the sex symbol around here with
his strong-as-an-ox physique.  Then along came Dylan"

Kate definitely needed to see Mark for herself.  Eventually. Meanwhile,
she was too relaxed, too...  Suddenly, she sat up.  She'd forgotten all
about Amanda!  Ben would have every right to be upset with her; she
wasn't a very good mother.  Making her apologies to Edie, she removed
the cucumber slices and stood up.  A quick shower--careful of the wig,
she reminded herself--and then she needed to get dressed and get out of
there.

On her way out, she spotted Jennifer and the man she was quickly able to
ID as Mark, her husband.  He was an inch or two under six feet with a
bull-like body, tapering muscles and very bald head.

He stepped forward, hand extended.  "A new face.  Enjoy your workout?"

"Loved it," Kate lied.  "Can't wait to come back."

"Great.  I'll be looking for you.  I'm Mark Kersten, Sky-High's
manager."

Kate noticed a slight narrowing of Jennifer's eyes at that.  Two
managers.  A power struggle, maybe?  "I'm Kaitlin."

Jennifer stepped forward, friendly but somehow in charge.  "How was the
aerobics class?"

"I coped," Kate said.

"Come back soon.  We're open every day, from 6:00 a.m. till 9:00 p.m."

"Thanks, I will."  As she pushed through the door, she almost collided
with a woman coming into the spa.  Kate waited a beat and then retraced
her steps, stopping at the desk.  "I'm sure I know the woman who just
walked in," sh said, "but I can't think of her "Oh, that's Paige
Norcross."

"Thank you.  Now I remember."  Do I ever, she said to herself.

Chapter Six.

The wind whipped off the mountain and over the plain, creating a tunnel
between the spa and the hotel across the courtyard.  Kate held on to her
wig with both hands and hurried toward the ice rink.  Her heart pounded
with excitement.  Wait until Ben heard what she'd found out.

Two lonely skaters circled the dime-size rink.  No Ben.  No Amanda.

Irrational ideas hurtled through her mind.

Something had happened to Ben and Amanda!  Her attacker had returned and
gone after them.  Kidnapped, even murdered She stopped and took a deep
breath.  "Get a grip, Kate," she ordered herself.  The past twenty-four
hours had taken their toll, causing her to find sinister schemes
everywhere, even here at a skating rink where Ben and Amanda had
probably gotten bored, certainly gotten cold and decided to go inside.
The hotel was the obvious choice.  She headed for it.

Small and commercial, it was decorated in a Western motif, or what some
decorator decided was Western when he lined the lobby with faux leather
chairs in the shape of saddles.  On one side was a bar where a few
patrons watched TV at tables that appeared to be made of cattle troughs.
Stuffed buffalo heads, Christmas bows around their horns, looked down
mournfully from the wall.  But they weren't looking at Ben and Amanda.
Those two weren't among the bar's patrons.

The other side of the lobby continued the Western theme with antlers
hung on the wall above the sheepskin chairs and love seats.  "Ugh," Kate
said, turning to leave and then see' rag two young and attractive women
standing near one of the chairs, laughing and chatting with someone she
couldn't see.  They were waitresses, she assumed from their outfits of
fringed shirts, short skirts and cowboy boots.  Noticing their
flirtatious mood, Kate could guess whom they might be talking to.

Then she heard a delighted gurgle of laughter.

Amanda.

"This is absolutely the best baby..."  one of the women was saying. Her
long dark hair was worn in a braid, and her dark eyes sparkled.

As Kate made her way around the circle of furniture she saw that the
sparkle wasn't directed toward Amanda, who was sitting on the floor,
chewing happily on a soda cracker, but toward Ben, looking comfortable
in the sheepskin chair.

"You're great with her, a natural," Ben said.

"I'd love to baby-sit sometime," the other waitress spoke up, in a
smooth, silky voice.

Kate decided it was time to intervene.  "Darling, there you are," she
said mischievously, approaching Ben.  Her arrival seemed to take them
all by surprise.

Amanda chortled, "Mama," and crunched another handful of crackers.

Ben looked Up lazily from the chair, a soft drink in his hand.

"Sweetheart," he said, gently mocking, "you took so long that I almost
gave up.  Then I found the hotel, where these lovely ladies came to my
res The sparkling waitress kept the sparkle going.  "We've enjoyed every
minute.  It was a boring afternoon, anyway, and Ben and Amanda livened
things up."

Kate reached for Amanda's snowsuit on the back of a chair.  "They have a
way of doing that, don't they?"  She began to push and pull Amanda's
pliant body into the garment, coloring a little under the watchful eyes
of the two women.

"I could do that," the braided waitress' offered "I'll manage, thanks,"
Kate replied, trying to soften her words with a smile.  She ought to
have been glad the women were interested in Amanda.  Except she knew it
wasn't the baby who'd held their interest.  It was long-legged,
broad-shouldered, dark-eyed, sexy Ben, who stood up lazily, a smile on
his wide sensuous mouth.

He put a large bill beside his tab.  "You ladies have been great.  I'm
very appreciative."

"Thanks, Ben," they said in unison.  "Come back real soon."  They
drifted away, heads close together.

Kate was sure they were talking about her.

"Sorry I took so long, but--"

Ben picked up Amanda.  "I expected it," he said philosophically. "Mandy
and I had fun at the rink, but it got damned cold.  The hotel was a nice
oasis."

"You certainly looked comfortable.  I guess a cute baby makes it easy to
attract women."  As soon as the words were out, Kate wished she hadn't
said them.  It was absurd for her to make any kind of comment on Ben's
relations with women.

But he didn't seem affected as he said with a cocky grin, "Matter of
fact, I never found it difficult--even without a baby around."  He
glanced over at her as they walked through the lobby.  "And you've got
to admit, I had the baby around for quite a while today."

"I know, I know.  A real mother would be more thoughtful.  But I was
enjoying the luxury of the spa for a moment there.  As it turned out,
I'm glad I stayed as long as I did.  You won't believe what happened."
They were outside again in the cold, heads low, making their way toward
the car.

"You found your missing friend and caught up on old times."

"Nope.  Not a sign of Coral, but on my way out, I saw Paige Norcross!"

"That's great.  Who's Paige Norcross?"

"The "other woman," the one who was with Robert Browriley at his house
that night!"

As THEY DROVE through the rush-hour traffic, Kate pulled off the wig and
shook her hair free.  "I couldn't believe it, Ben.  Brownley's mistress,
girlfriend, whatever, right there in the spa.  It was--" She broke off
as they turned onto the expressway.  "Wait, stop.  I've got to call
about my car."

"I already did."

She looked over at him.

"Called from the hotel.  The car's still not ready."  She breathed a
sigh, unable to keep the relief out of her voice.  "Then I don't guess
Amanda and I can look for another place to stay tonight."

"Guess not."

He spoke the words nonchalantly, but Kate could have sworn she saw the
hint of a smile on his lips.  Of course, she might have imagined it.

But she didn't imagine her own excitement.  She was going home with Ben
again, and she liked the idea.  She studied his chiseled profile,
wondering what he was thinking.  Was he glad, too?

He turned to look at her.  "We need to stop for groceries"

"

Oh, well, Kate thought.  At least she knew what was on his mind.  She
was thinking about going home with him; he was thinking about food!

"Does Mandy like anything special?"  he asked.  Not yet really sure of
the baby's tastes, Kate tried to fake it.  "Umm.  She likes milk--and
juice.  And, you know, baby food.  Oh!"  Kate remembered, "she doesn't
like carrots, but I haven't noticed any particular favorites.  Nothing
is easy to feed her!"

Ben laughed out loud.  "You've got a lot to learn about this kid."

"I know," she said seriously, "and I'm trying, Ben."  "

"You'll get there."

"Thanks," she said softly.  "For everything."

He shrugged.  "It's been fun."  And then he realized it really had been.

They hit the grocery store on the run, moving up and down the aisles and
grabbing jars, cans, bags of fruit and vegetables, and were soon on
their way up the narrow winding road to his house.  Night had fallen,
but this time the dark wasn't frightening to Kate.  It seemed to wrap
them all in a veil of secrecy and safety.

Kate carried Amanda inside as Ben unloaded the
groceries.  "I can't wait for you to hack into Pai e Noreross's life,"
she said.  "Then we'll have some answers.  You can get to it right
away," she said confidently and, as it turned out, optimistically.

They'd had to unpack.  Fix dinner.  Amuse Amanda.  After dinner, there
was washing up to do--the dishes and the baby.  When Kate finally went
upstairs to take a shower, shampoo and blow-dry her wi -flattened hair
and get Amanda ready for bed, two hours had passed.

And all the while she hadn't even thought about.  Paige, the spa or
Robert Brownley.  As she'd watched Ben in the kitchen, chopping peppers
and celery for sti-fry, his big strong hands moving more experfly than
she could have imagined, she'd been mesmerized.  Even as she shook off
the glow Ben created, she was aware of something else--how much like a
family they suddenly seemed.

The thought filled her with emotions that she tried to back away from.

She should be worrying about the person who shot at her, searching for
an answer to the mystery so she could get back to her apartment--and her
life.

Sh wasn't supposed to be enveloped in this blanket of satisfaction,
basking in it and glowing with pleasure at how satisfying it was to be
in Ben Black-eagle's home again, sharing the evening with him.

When she got into her new warm-up and came downstairs after Amanda had
fallen asleep, Ben was finally at his computer.  But he looked puzzled.

"Are you sure this woman's name is Paige Norcross?"

"Positive."

"Well, there's no such person.  At least I can't find any trace of her.

No driver's license, phone listing, credit rating.  Nothing."

Kate sank down on the sofa.  "I was sure if anybody could find her, you
could."

Ben got up and stretched.  "And you're right.  I could.  If she existed.
The name is an alias, Kate.  Possibly the kind that prostitutes use."

Kate sat up straight on the sofa.  "That fits, doesn't it!  She's not
just a girlfriend, she's a--"

"Hooker," he finished.

She sank back on the sofa.  "Why not!  There's no reason Brownley's
lover has to be an amateur.  He might prefer professionals.  In many
ways, that's more discreet.  But it gives him just as much reason to
come after me and keep me quiet.  A prostitute in his own house while
his wife is away!  I need to call him, confront him with this--"

"If he's a threat, that could be dangerous.  Remember my advice--don't
tell a suspect you're on to him!  We'll have to consider the next move
carefully.  But not tonight," he added softly.

"No, not tonight," she repeated as he handed her a shifter of brandy.

She took a sip.  "It gets more and more complex, doesn't it?"

"Life is that way, Kate."  He nodded toward the phone.  "Not the time
for calls, but you should pick up your messages from the office.

There're a couple on the machine."

She went to the phone and hit the button on the answering machine.

There were two messages from Tina about office business and one from the
garage about deducting charges from her bill because of the delay.

She looked at Ben pointedly.  "You must have put the fear of God in
them."

"Let's just say they understood my displeasure with the way they'd
treated you."

She smiled her thanks.  "I'd better check my messages at home while I'm
still in the business mode."  Not quite sure what that meant, Kate
dialed her home phone number.  "Maybe some of the baby-sitting services
have called back."

Two had; neither could offer any help.  There were several other calls,
none important.  And then there was a last message, muffled, barely
discernible.  "Kate McNair, you think you're safe, but you're not.  I'm
coming for you."

"Oh, God," Kate said, her hand trembling so violently that the brandy
spilled down the front of her warm-up jacket.  The nightmare wasn't
over.

BFN MADE.  a taped copy of the message for the police.  "Though I doubt
if they can do much with voice tracing or matching from this, Kate.  So
don't get your hopes up.  I can't even tell if it's the voice of a man
or a woman."

"But if they could get a sample of Brownley's voice-"

"No, Kate.  There's nothing to lead them to Brown-ley, only speculation.
They have no authority to tape him."

"I'm just trying to make some sense out of this.  The attacks and
threats--"

He sat beside her on the sofa, and she was glad of his presence.  She
could feel his warmth, his strength; it made her strong.  But even Ben
couldn't stop the crazy careening rush toward--whatever was happening to
her.

"This is getting worse, isn't it?"

His look seemed stern but his voice was comforting.  "It's going to be
all right.  We'll get to the bottom of this."  He put his arm around
her.  It was such a casual gesture that for a moment she hardly noticed.

"Thanks for not letting me go back to my apartment.  I couldn't have
handled this alone."  Suddenly she was overwhelmingly aware of his
touch, firm on her shoulder.  "But we can't keep imposing on you."  Her
voice was unsteady.

"Don't worry about that now.  We're doing okay.  In fact, we sometimes
even make a pretty good team."  "Like tonight," she said.

He looked at her questioningly.

"Not a detective team," she added, "but together, cooking dinner,
putting Mandy to bed.  We were like a family," she added without
thinking.  Then she blushed and looked away again.  She hadn't meant to
group them that way.  Besides, what did she even know about family,
really?  She bit her lip and looked toward the fire.  "If I'd ever had a
family..."

"Everyone has a family, Kate."  He was curious about her remark and the
intensity with which she'd made it.

"Except me.  Oh, I had a mother and father, but we weren't any kind of
unit.  There were nannies from the time I could remember."

"You said your father was in the foreign service."  "Yes, we lived all
over the world when I was small.  I was mostly alone.  Except for the
nan hies They were always there."

"What about your mother."?  She didn't work, did she?  "

"

"Not in the conventional sense, but she was my father's hostess,
assistant, his right arm.  They were a closed corporation, very much in
love and totally dependent on each other."

Ben got the picture.  Two strong adults, heavily bonded.  A little girl
on the outside.  "Still, traveling around the world must have been quite
an education for you."

"When I was about ten, they sent me away to private school, first in
England, then in Switzerland.  I did all my traveling when I visited my
parents on holidays, but I don't remember much about that."  She laughed
ruefully.  "Poor little rich girl, you're thinking.  Only we weren't all
that rich."

Ben wasn't sure what to say.  "I guess it was a lonely time for you," he
managed, aware of a whole new side of Kate, one that surprised and
touched him.

"Sometimes.  When I got to junior high, my parents were on home leave.

They let me finish high school in the States.  I had good friends who
often invited me home.  And there was Carol.  I mean, Coral."

"The woman who owns the spa?  The one you're looking for?"

"Yes.  She was the dance teacher at Edgemont School in Virginia.  I
think she knew how much I needed an adult's approval, and she was very
sweet and kind to me."

"I bet you were a good dancer."

She laughed.  "That's how much you know.  I was awful.  Scarcely knew my
left foot from my right and had no sense of rhythm.  But Carol was
really encouraging.  She used to take groups of us into Richmond to the
ballet, and her classes made me feel special, even graceful--which I
certainly wasn't.  That's why I was excited about her being in Denver.

Only now I can't find her."

"She's on a cruise.  Cruises end."

"The whole vacation thing doesn't sound like Coral.  I have a bad
feeling about it and the spa--"

"Yet you want to go back."

When she nodded enthusiastically, Ben laughed.  "You're amazing, Kate.

You want something, you go after it.  I've never known anyone so
tenacious."  "I guess I had to be--to survive."

As she ran her fingers distractedly through her shiny clean hair, he
noticed how it glittered and gleamed in the firelight.  He had a sudden
urge to gather the bright red tresses in his hands, but his face in
their fragrant brilliance.  Instead, he took a deep breath, got to his
feet and walked over to the fireplace.

"Okay," she said, her voice lightened up.  "I've bared my soul.  What
about you?"

"Big family, lots of sibs.  You know all that."

"No, I don't, not really," she countered.  "Tell me.  I want specifics."

"Okay.  Here're the stats--three younger sisters, two of them married,
one in college in Idaho.  My baby brother's in film school in L.A."

"Your parents?"

"My mother died two years ago."  He paused for a brief instant.  "Dad
died when I was thirteen."

"You were the man in the family," Kate said softly.  "No wonder you know
so much about children.  I bet you reared your brother and sisters."

"My more worked so I spent most of my young life going to school and
baby-sitting.  You might say I became an unwilling expert."

"An expert, just the same, especially compared to me.  Like most only
children I know nothing about children.t Look at how inept I am with
Amanda," Kate sighed.  "It's obvious that I'm not a good parent.  I
wonder if I ever will be?"

"Just takes practice," he reminded her.

"L'fice changing diapers?  I've practiced a hundred times and still
can't get it right."  She shook her head helplessly.  "And I haven't
given her much in the way of family life."

"There hasn't been time for that, Kate.  Once you get your life
straightened out, everything will be different."

"If that ever happens."

"We've still got plenty of clues to check out.  There's lawyer Hedrick,
Brownley and the elusive Paige Norcross, the mystery of your friend
Coral..."

"The puzzle gets more and more complex--and dangerous," Kate said. "I'd
think you would be tired of it by now."

"I told you, Kate--I love a good hunt."

His words triggered an image in her imagination.  "Do you ever wear
buckskins?"

"Buckskins?  You mean as in cowboy-and-Indian movies?"  Ben laughed.

"You're a little off base, Kate.  My Native American upbringing was on a
reservation.  The word conjures up tepees and buffalo to some people
when it should bring to mind pickup trucks and convenience stores.

Nope," he assured her, "I've never worn buckskins."

Fbarrassed by what she was afraid he considered her stupid question,
Kate tried to explain.  "I was thinking about you hunting, with a bow
and arrow, tracking wild animals...  "She couldn't prevent a fantasy
from flashing in her mind, Ben in buckskin, his chest bare.  At the
image, she felt her cheeks grow warm.  "I know it's ridiculous--"

"Not altogether," he told her.  "I actually have hunted with a bow and
arrow."

"Really?"  She felt vindicated.

"My Cheyenne grandfather used to take me up into the mountains.  He was
an expert tracker.  He could read the trail of any animal--deer, wolf,
bear--and birds like quail and pheasant.  He showed.  me how to fit the
pieces together--the broken twig, scratches on the bark of a tree, a
half-faded track.  It was his influence that led me into computers."

"How?  That seems a funny connection."

"Using a computer is little more than tracking information, solving
puzzles, following trails.  It all seems very natural to me."

"You love your job, don't you?"

"I love my life, Kate," he said fervently.  "Now that all the members of
my family are on their own, taking care of themselves, I'm only
responsible for me.  I can do whatever I want to, all the things I
missed along the way.  I may sound self-indulgent, but I've earned
everything I have and don't intend to ever give it up."  He stretched
his arms high over his head, flexing his shoulders.  "It's a great
life."

Kate suddenly felt very sad.  Clearly, Ben had staked out his territory.
He knew exactly where his life was going.  And of course, if she had any
indication that it was going her way, his statement convinced her
otherwise.  As for Kate's life, she didn't know what was happening.

She got up from the sofa.  "i guess I should turn in, get rested up for
whatever lies ahead tomorrow.  And who knows what that will be," she
added.

He held out a reassuring hand.  "It'll he all right, Kate.  Somehow, all
of this will sort itself out."

His touch was warm; no, more than warm.  It was electrifying.  She
started to pull away from his grasp, but then she stopped herself.  She
didn't want to lose the contact with him.  She held on and wrapped her
fingers around the hardness of his palm.

He rubbed his thumb comfortingly across the back of her hand.  The
sensation traveled along her nerve endings and lodged somewhere deep
inside her.  The firelight turned his skin to bronze and his eyes to
dark pools of night.  She couldn't stop looking at him.

With his other hand, he touched her face, tracing the line from her
cheekbone to her chin.  "I'm glad we talked tonight," he said.  "I think
I understand you more now."

She still couldn't take her eyes off his face.  It mesmerized her and
caused her heart to pound, her mouth to become dry.  She wet her lips
and tried to catch her breath.  Then he slipped his hand into her hair
and all of her determination faded away with the touch.  She closed her
eyes and emitted a soft moan.

"I love your hair," he said softly.  "It reminds me of fire."  He pulled
her close.  "I want to kiss you again, Kate.  This time a real kiss, for
us alone."

"Yes," she murmured in a voice that was strangled, husky.  She raised
her lips to his.  Never had she wanted a kiss so much.

And never had a kiss so completely lived up to expectations!  His mouth
was warm and enveloping, his taste a faint mixture of coffee and brandy.
Her reaction was spontaneous.  She slipped her arms around his neck and
pressed close, her breasts crushed against his broad chest, her hips
fitting into his.

He wrapped his hands in her hair and cupped her head in his broad grasp.
She felt him enveloping her completely as he pulled her close and the'tr
bodies meshed.  She melted inside, her body turning liquid under his
touch.  As she parted her lips, she felt his tongue mate with hers, and
a shiver' ran along her skin.

Ben felt the tremor and responded to it.  Her hair was molten silk
beneath his fingers, her mouth a hot flame against his, and her body
yielded to him, pressed against him.  He almost lost himself in her
curves and softness.  Something inside told him that he should stop
kissing her.  But he didn't.

She was exciting and sensual as she trembled in his arms, open and
vulnerable.  He could feel the erratic pounding of her heart against his
chest, the touch of her tongue on his.  He slid his hand to her waist
and then up, under her shirt.  Her skin was soft and satiny.  As he felt
the curve of her breast, desire surged through him, hot and heavy.  One
more touch, he decided, one more kiss.

But then he stopped himself.  He'd gone too far.  Things had gotten too
complicated; the situation was out of control.  How had that happened?

He'd brought Kate and Mandy into his home for one purpose only--to help
them out.

But as he touched her, held her, kissed her, he knew he was about to get
involved, really involved, and that wasn't what he'd intended.

Ben pulled his lips away from hers, still holding her in his arms.  Her
eyes were deep and questioning, her mouth soft and vulnerable.  He took
a long breath and tried to clear his head.  "Quite a good-night kiss."
He forced a lightness into his voice that he didn't feel and smiled down
at her, trying to appear casual.

Her voice trembled an answer.  "I didn't mean to..."  "I guess the
tension got to both of us," he said, dropping his arms and turning away
to stare into the fire's flickering depths.

"I think I'll go to bed now," she said in a quiet voice.

He stood unmoving.  "Yeah, we both need a good night's rest."

Only as she started toward the stairs did he turn and look at her.  The
sight was compelling, her slim body that he'd so recently held in his
arms, moving away from him.  He wanted to ask her to come back, but he
stopped himself.

She climbed the stairs, and then he called to her, but not to bring her
back, just to give her comfort and reassurance.  "Sleep well, Kate."

"I will," she replied.  "I'm exhausted."  She hur-fled up the stairs.

BUT st.t, wouldn't come.  Her mind was racing with the remembrance of
Ben's touch on her skin and his mouth on hers.  Her body ached with
unfulfilled longings and needs.  She turned on her side and clutched her
pillow close, wishing it were Ben and knowing how foolish her fantasy
was.  But that didn't prevent it from invading her mind again.

She hadn't wanted him to stop.  She'd wanted the kiss to go on.

Foolish, she told herself.  And dangerous.

Kate groaned and covered her head with the pillow.  What in the world
was going on?  She was acting like a woman in...  what?  In love!  She
cringed at the thought that those feelings might have been apparent to
Ben.  God, she hoped not, because she knew how he felt about her.

Hadn't he made it clear when they talked that he wanted no commitments?

He'd raised one family; he didn't want another.  Especially, she
imagined, a woman with her life out of control.

Involvement with Ben would mean a quick affair.  Nothing more.  She
couldn't fall in love with him.  It would be foolish.  Dangerous.

BEN Was HAVING trouble falling asleep.  The futon had become
increasingly uncomfortable as the night worn on.  At some point he'd
moved to the sofa, and there he stared into the dying embers of the
fire, thinking.  He was supposed to take care of Kate, to give her
temporary refuge until her life straightened out.  That had been the
deal.  That had been all.

He sat up and ran his hands through his long hair.  He hadn't expected
there would be more to it.  But from the very first day he'd been
intrigued by her mixture of vulnerability and toughness.

He got out of bed, stumbled to the liquor cabinet where he poured a dram
of brandy into a glass.  He warmed it in his hands, thinking of that
kiss that he'd broken off.  He'd wanted her then, but he had known
better than to go that final step.

That hadn't stopped the wanting.  Right now he longed to feel her body
next to his, to make love to her, to give her pleasure and delight.

And that was crazy.  She had a business to run and a kid to take care of
which didn't add up to his kind of woman!  What was the matter with him?
He downed the brandy.  "Ct a grip, Blaclagle," he muttered. "When was
the last time you lost sleep over a woman?"

He couldn't member.  When he was fifteen, maybe?  But here it was, two
in the morning, and he couldn't sleep!  There was no doubt that she was
getting to him.  In subtle ways she wasn't even aware of.  The
conversation about her family.  The look of pain in her green eyes. The
way her hair fell around her face and gleamed in the firelight. How her
body felt against his.

He remembered that body--and how he'd pulled away from her.  For a
moment there, he'd almost taken her to bed.  It had been difficult not
to, but the complexity of their situation had stopped him.  Trying not
to be sorry that things had ended that way, he put down the glass with a
thud.

There was one way to solve the problem of Kate McNair.  It was simple.

Once he found out who was stalking her, she and Amanda would go home,
and he would put the sweetness of her mouth and the warmth of her body
out of his mind.

Having made that decision, he climbed back onto the sofa.  But it was a
long time before he fell asleep.

Chapter Seven.

"I hope this isn't a wild-goose chase," Kate commented.  Fighting
early-morning traffic, they were on their way to the ESS office to meet
Tina.  "Maybe we should be after the surreptitious lovers, Paige
Norcross and Brownley.  They're the villains."

"We're not after anyone.  We're trying to track down clues and see where
they lead us.  That means all clues, and Hedrick is our only Denver link
to Amanda, and we happen to be in Denver, so--"

"And what about the spa?  I should go there.  Maybe get into their
records..."

Ben was laughing now.  "Ms.  Sherlock Holmes!

How do you intend to "get into their records'?"

"I don't know, I..."

"Then let's go on with the plan.  We'll visit Hedrick as prospective
parents," Ben said.  "If he seems clean, then we can take the next step.
But since we've already set this up--"

"Why not, huh?  Okay.  You're right."  Ben's theory was as valid as any
other.  Besides, so far neither one of them had the first shred of
evidence for any of their theories.

They drove the rest of the way in silence, a continuation of the silence
that had set their morning mood.  Ben had been as quiet as Kate as
they'd rushed around in his mountain house, drinking coffee and getting
dressed.  Kate had felt groggy and out of sorts, and Amanda, who'd
awakened cheerfully, soon picked up on Kate's mood.  Breakfast had been
a series of "no's," spilled food and jangled nerves.

Through it all Ben was cool and calm, vincing nothing of what had passed
between them the night before.

What really had gone on?  Kate couldn't be sure.  Vayb the sensuous
closeness, the hat had bn in her mind.  For a moment, she'd thought he
shared her feelings; now she wasn't sure.  In fact, his silence in the
morning and his present joking mood were an indication that he'd
forgotten--or wanted to forget--what had happened.

They pulled into a no-parking zone in frontf of Kate's office building.

"We'll only b inside a minute," Ben said, as he unloaded Amanda's
stroller.  With Ben bringing the baby equipment and Kate car-tying the
baby, they stepped off the elevator to b met by a distraught Tina.

"I've been calling and calling you--"

"Don't you have my car phone number?"  Ben asked.

"No, but I'll be sure to have it from now on!"  "What's the matter?"
Kate asked.

"This."  Tina pointed dramatically at the door to the office.  "Someone
tried to break in.  Look at the lock.  See how the wood around it is
gouged out?"

"Did they get in?"  Kate asked.  "Was anything taken?"

"No, either someone scared the would-be burglar away or he realized the
lock was too strong to jimmy."  "Did you call the police?"  Ben asked.

"They just left.  Took all the information, but had no advice except to
put an alarm system on the door and windows.  They said it looked like
an amateur job."

Ben and Kate glanced at each other.  Kate swallowed hard, thinking about
the threatening message on her answering machine.  And now this.

"Why would someone break into my office?  There're nothing but ESS files
inside."

"Maybe just another warning," Ben said grimly.  "Tina and Amanda can't
stay here," he added.

"You're right about that," her assistant responded.  "No way.  I want
togo home.  I'll baby-sit Amanda there."  Then for the first time she
seemed to notice Kate's appearance.  "Blond hair?  And a new suit?

What's going on?"

"We'll explain at your place.  Come on," Ben urged.  "I want all three
of you ladies out of here fast."

SHE WELCOMED THEM into her tiny apartment, which was as bright and airy
as Tina herself, with piles of magazines on a low coffee table and
pictures of her family scattered on top of the desk and bookcases.  The
walls were crammed with artwork; the sofa was piled with colorful
pillows.  This was a real home, Kate thought, comparing it to her own
apartment, a place she'd barely settled into.

Amanda's eyes were drawn to a cluster of animal prints on the wall. She
waved her arms and kicked, begging to get at them.  To distract her,
Kate settled the baby among the bright comfortable sofa pillows.

"God, I need an aspirin and a glass of wine--" Tina shot a glance at
Kate.  "Okay, no wine until you two get back.  Now tell me more about
this scheme of yours."

"There's a chance that these attacks on Kate might somehow be connected
to Amanda, and if so the only link we have is the lawyer, Daniel
Hedrick, who handles adoptions," Ben explained.

"So you two are playing an adoptive couple?"

"I know it's a long shot," Kate said, "but it is one way to get to the
man and feel him out."

"You think he's running some sort of black-market baby seam?"  Tina
grinned.  "I've seen this plot on TV a million times."

Ben looked at Kate and shrugged.  "Maybe not that blatant, Tina, but
you're on the right track.  My plan is a simple one--to find out if
Hedrick can profit from getting his hands on Mandy."

"And if he can, he'll probably want to sell Amanda to the highest
bidder."  At Kate's look of surprise, she went on.  "Hey, stranger
things have happened.  Some people will do anything for a baby, steal
them right out" of the hospital nursery, kidnap them from grocery
carts--"

"Tina, nothing that dramatic could be happening to us," Kate said,
trying to stem the flow of terrible possibilities.

"Snatch them off the school playground..."  Tina added, undaunted, as
Amanda tired of the pillows and began to yell.  "Just read the
newspapers.  Did you hear about the woman who was killed so someone
could kidnap her baby?"

"Tina--" Kate glanced at Ben as she picked up the baby.  "It's all too
improbable..."

"I don't blame you for checking it out," Tina told Ben.  "This Hedrick
guy knows Kate is a single mom.  With her gone, he could dummy up some
court papers and grab Amanda and place her with anyone."

"I doubt if he'd risk his career to steal a baby," Ben commented dryly.

"But there may be relatives, who want to avoid the courts.  All of this
is speculation, of course.  We're still looking for facts."

"Facts!  Use your imagination," Tina countered.  "Mr.  Big would send a
flunky, use another name, stay in the background.  The brains behind the
scene.  Don't you ever watch TV?"  Her dark eyes gleamed, "Oh, I wish I
could be in on it.  I love to act, although I have to admit that you two
look the part, well-to-do, good-looking.  That color suits you, boss,
and the short skirt is fabulous."  Her eyes flicked over to Ben.

"And you look pretty handsome, yourself, Mr.  Blackeagle."

Ben wore a charcoal-gray suit, pale blue shirt and black string tie, his
ponytail pulled back neatly at the nape of his neck.  Tina was right,
Kate thought, he looked wonderful.

"Amazing what a good suit can do," he quipped.  "Come on, Kate, we've
got to move.  We're running late as it is and we need to stop by the
police station and drop off this tape."

"Police again?  What is it with you two?  Tell me!"  Then she threw up
her hands in dismissal.  "No, don't.  I'm scared enough already."

"I wonder if we should leave Tina and Amanda alone?"  Kate asked
anxiously.

"I'm going to double-lock the door and put a chair under it.  My windows
have bars, and I'm two stories up.  No, I feel safe here."  She shivered
a little.  "But that office--"

"I'll take care of the office later," Ben wld her.  "Promise you'll
hurry back."

"We will," Kate said.  "And thanks, Tina.  You're wonderful."

"Just remember that at Christmas bonus time, please!"

BF SAT in Daniel Hedrick's waiting room, thumbing through a magazine and
listening to Kate talk with Hedrick's secretary.  She was laying it on
too thickly, but what could he do?  She was clearly beyond reining in.

"I love eh'ddren," Kate bubbled.  "Td like at least four.  So would Ben.
When we were dating, we talked" about having a family.  Now that we're
married, it seems time, but--"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kate's eyes well with tears.  Kim,
Hedrick's secretary, was quick with a tissue.

"Thank you," Kate said, sniffing.

"Do you mind if I ask about your problem, Mrs.  Black?"  Kim inquired in
a near-whisper, even though there was no one else in the waiting room.

Kate nodded.  "I can't seem to get pregnant although we've tried
everything.  I can't tell you how many times I've taken my temperature
during my fert' He t'time--you know," she said confidentially, in a
lowered voice.  "Poor Ben.  I call him home from work in the middle of
the day, and he has to perform on CUE."

She smiled toward Ben, who was beginning to get very uncomfortable but
couldn't do anything to stop this spiel for iear of negating the whole
process.

"He does wonderfully," she assured Kim, who nodded knowingly and glanced
at Ben through lowered lashes.  "But so far--nothing.  We even tried
artificial insemination--"

Her story was interrupted by a buzz from the inner office.  Ben breathed
a sigh of relief as Kim announced, "Mr.  Hedrick can see you now."

DANT EL HEDRICK was cool.  Not crook cool or gangster cool, but pale and
watchfully cool.  He was unimpressively small, with a neat compact
body, an impeccably tailored suit and perfectly coiffed brown-gray hair.
His forehead was high and gave him an intelligent look.  His eyes were
blue and watchful.  Ben decided immediately that he was a good lawyer,
tough but smooth enough to keep his opponent off guard.

He settled Ben and Kate in large comfortable chairs and poured each of
them a cup of coffee from a silver service on the sideboard before
looking directly at them with his clear, penetrating eyes.

"Tell me about your plans to adopt a baby," he said, positioning a legal
pad in front of him on the desk and picking up a silver pen.

Kate couldn't wait to begin.  Her story had not only pathos but depth.

Ben was surprised to learn where they'd met and fallen in love--in a ski
lodge--and married--in a little mountain chapel.  Then followed the
first wonderful years of their life together, perfect except, of course,
for the lack of children.

Hedrick was busy taking notes.  "And you've been married how long?"

"A little more than four years," Ben said, giving the information he and
Kate had agreed on.  He thought of reaching for her hand but decided
this lawyer was Bab) in M), ,"lrrr bright enough to pick up on obvious
phoniness. "Most of the adoption agencies won't consider a couple until
they've been married five years or more, but we believe there are other
more important considerations.  Maturity, dedication--"

"And determination," Kate added.  "We want a baby and we don't want to
wait.  That's why we're here.  We want a baby now."

"For Christmas, Mrs.  Black?"  The lawyer's smile was sardonic, and it
caused Ben to cringe, but Kate handled his remark perfectly.

"Well, of course not that soon.  But maybe next year would be possible."

Hedrick nodded.  "Possible."

He asked a few more general questions.  Kate was eager to fill in with
specific answers that ran just short of their life stories.  Finally,
Hedrick put down his pen.

"You're a charming couple," he said, "and seem genuine in your desire
for a family.  However, procedures must be followed.  My secretary will
give you an application to fill out, financial forms and a medical
questionnaire for your doctors.  There's also a small fee for
processing."

"That's no problem for us," Ben said expansively, wondering What Hedrick
considered small.  "We'll cooperate in every way.  I do have one
question, though, something my wife and I have discussed.  Where do
these babies come from?  What kind of mothers give them up?"

"First, let me say that all the children available to me for placement
aren't babies," Hedriek responded, circumventing the question.  "There
is a great demand for newborns, so obviously the wait for them is
longer."

"That doesn't matter," Kate broke in quickly.  "A one-year-old...  maybe
two..."

Hedrick nodded.  "I'm glad you're flexible on the age because we often
have parents who are forced to give up an older child for adoption.

Whatever the preference, we do our best to make a good match with
prospective parents.  But all of those specifics will be addressed with
great care once you enter the proCess."

"Can't you give us a general idea of where the babies come from?"  Ben
persisted.  "Are your referrals from doctors, social agencies, word of
mouth or--"

"We have various sources, all of which are private and confidential,"
Hedrick replied, his pale eyes unwavering.

"Then we'll never know anything about the child we adopt," Ben said.

"You might not know the birth mother's name, but information about the
adoptive child will certainly be supplied.  However, that's a long way
off."  He got to his feet.  "And now if you'll step outside, Kim will
get things started.  Please take our packet of forms home with.  you and
give serious thought to all of your answers.  It's very important that
we get correct information from the outset so that we don't encounter
snags along the way."

Healrick was polite but firm.  Clearly, the interview was over.  He
shook hands with both of them and ushered them to the reception area.

Kim sat at her desk, the forms stacked neatly in front of her.  She was
dark, pretty and very thorough, taking her time as she explained each
document that Kate and Ben were to return, her movements matching her
Texas drawl.

When she finished, Kim commented, "I see couples all the
time who want babies desperately, and I can tell right away how serious
you all are."

"Oh, we am," Kate echoed.

"Believe me, I understand what you're going through," Kim assured her.

"I'm so glad," Kate responded.  "We're just desperate for a baby."

Ben thought that was overblown, but Kim bought right into it.  "I can
tell you are, and I'll do everything I can to help.  The reason I love
my job so much is because I get to be there and see the new parents"
faces on that wonderful day when we place their baby with.  them."


"I wonder if that day will ever come for us?"  Kate asked dramatically.

Ben winced, and then thought what the hell?  He might as well play the
game, too, since Kim seemed genuinely interested in then: case.  She
could have in-flue rice with her boss, even the answer to just how much
money mattered.

"I told Hedrick that money is no object," he said.  "Whatever it costs
to get a baby, we'll pay.  Even if it's not a baby.  We like toddlers,
too."

"It can be a boy or a girl,"" Kate said tearfully.  Ben stopped her with
a look.

"Don't you worry," Kim assured Kate.  "You never know what can happen--a
placement falling through, a desperate natural mother in need of help,
Why don't you leave me your phone number?"  she suggested.

Kate scrawled Ben's number on a pad.  "Thank you so much," she said.

"You surely are filled with the spirit of Christmas."

Ben choked back a laugh, covering it with a cough.

"You all might be surprised," Kim answered with a smile.  "Sometimes
things turn around real fast here."

"So w&T r>o YOU TIME?"  Kate asked as they headed for Ben's car.

"I think you missed a career as an actress.  Where did all those tears
come from?"

"I'm not sure.  Maybe it's the new hair."  She patted her wig.  "I
wanted it to seem real."

"I think you succeeded," he said with a wry smile.

"Did I overdo it?"  she asked.  "I caught some of those killer looks of
yours."

"I think Kim ate it up.  As for Hedrick--" He shrugged.  "I don't know
how to evaluate him.  He's bright and cagey, but is he a criminal?  It
doesn't add up," Ben decided.

"What were you hoping for?"  Kate asked.  "Some hint of duplicity, I
suppose.  But he doesn't fit the profile of the person we're looking
for.  He's certainly not the type to leave a threatening message on your
answering machine or go gunning for you in the streets, whatever the
reason."

"There could be a whole ring of people working for him, Ben just like
Tina suggested.  He may be the man at the top."

"If that's true, he picked a very dangerous criminal path.  I can
picture him more easily in high-stakes investments, money laundering,
stuff like that.  But kidnapping babies for adoption?"  Ben shook his
head.  "I don't think so."

"What's the next step?"

"Wait a few days.  If nothing happens, approach him again, and keep
digging into his background.  We can't rule him out yet.  In fact, we
can't rule anybody out."  He opened the passenger door and helped Kate
into the Bronco.

They were three blocks from Hedrick's office when Kate noticed Ben
tensing over the wheel.  He glanced into the rearview mirror, eyes
narrowed.

"What?"  she asked.  "You look alarmed."

"Not alarmed," he said, smoothly changing lanes.  "Curious.  There's
been a white pickup truck behind us since we left the lawyer's office.

I know I'm getting overly suspicious, but--"

Kate started to turn and look over her shoulder.

"Use the side-view mirror," he warned.  "Don't look back."

"Who could it be?  I can't make out the driver," Kate fumed.  "Can we
make a run for it?"

"In this traffic?  No, but I can try a few tricks.  Are you game?"

Kate checked her seat belt.  "Go for it."

"Keep your eyes open for the next parking garage, and get some money out
of your wallet."

Kate fumbled with her handbag.  "There's a garage up ahead."

Ben sped up and then without warning turned into the garage and grabbed
a ticket from the automated machine.  The pickup tried to turn, but
overshot the entrance.  The sound of honking car horns permeated the
winter air as the driver attempted to back the truck and fa'fied.

As soon as the automatic arm on the garage entrance lifted, Ben zoomed
inside, circled around and headed out the exit on a parallel street.

The parking attendant, taking the fees, looked surprised as Ben handed
him a dollar for a minute's parking time and then roared out onto the
street.

"You can look now," he told Kate.  "Do you see a white truck?"

"I think we lost him."

"If he was following us," Ben said.  "I may be seeing dragons where none
exist."

"He did try to turn into the garage."

"So maybe he wanted to park.  Still I think we'll take the scenic route
back to Tina's, lots of cruising around so we can be certain no one is
behind us."

"Why would Hedriek have us followed?"  Kate asked.  "Unless he somehow
recognized me.  If he shot at me-- This gets more complical by the
minute.  I feel so guilty involving Tina and you and taking up most of
your time.  Your business has probably gone to hell."

Ben laughed.  "Your job at ESS was the last one I had scheduled for this
year, remember?  I'm heading for sunny Mexico soon, and I've got enough
work in January to keep me busy."

Kate nodded and looked out the window.  Even though it hurt, she needed
to keep in mind that she and Amanda were only a temporary part of his
life.

"Besides, this mystery you're involved in has become a full-time job for
me.  And you, too.  As usual we have more questions than answers.

Was the break-in at your office a coincidence?"

"I doubt it," Kate said darkly.

"And if not, is it connected to the person who may--or may not--have
followed us?"

Kate sighed.  "Despite what Tina says, this isn't like a TV movie.

Nothing seems to make sense, and we certainly don't have all the loose
ends tied together."

Ben chuckled.  "Nope, we seem to be collecting more of them by the
hour."

BACK AT Tma'S, they gave her an account of the interview and then
discussed what to do about the ESS office.  Tina was calmer, but not
eager to return to work.  Finally Ben made the decision.  "I'll take
Tina back to collect your messages, E-mail and one of your PC's.  That
way, Tina can access all the files, and we can switch the phones over."

"Great," Tina said.  "Let's get the fax, too.  Business has been slow,
Kate, so I might as well work from here.  With you out of the office,
I'm not setting up interviews."

"Do it," Kate agreed.  Somehow she'd square it later with the corporate
office.  Right now safety seemed more important than possible job
placements.

After Ben and Tina left for the ESS office, Kate wondered how her
assistant had handled Amanda.  This was definitely not a baby-proofed
place.  Everything that was reachable was also breakable.  And
everything that couldn't be reached was what Amanda really wanted.

After a couple of temper tantrums, Amanda set-fled down with what Kate
decided was an appropriate "toy" that couldn't be destroyed--at least not
immediately--a colorful macramfi purse that Tina had hung over the
living room doorknob.  As backups, she added a pan and a set of wooden
spoons from the kitchen.  That should keep the baby happy for a while.

With one watchful eye on Amanda, Kate picked up the phone.  She was too
jumpy just to sit.  No matter what the Hedrick visit produced, she still
had unfinished business of her own.  Her first calls produced no
satisfactory results.

Her inability to reach Robert Browriley at home or in his office was
irritating.  This time, the maid who answered the phone at his residence
merely said he'd left for the day; the secretary at his office informed
her that he was in off-site meetings.  Was it possible that he'd been
behind the break-in at her office?  Deciding she needed to keep a low
profile, Kate didn't leave her name and number this time.

She made the same decision when she called the spa and was told that
Coral Lampiere was still on vacation, with her return date uncertain.

Kate settled back in her chair and thumbed through her address book for
the other number she needed to call.

She immediately recognized the pleasant Southern drawl of her second
cousin, Laura Knight.  "Kate!  We've been wondering about you.  Haven't
heard a thing since you got custody of the baby.  How are the two of you
getting along?"

Kate glanced at Amanda, who was busy chewing on Tina's purse.

"Right this minute, we're doing okay, but it's tough, Laura.  I'm not
the maternal type."

The responding laugh was low and supportive.  "Don't be silly.  All
mothers feel that way.  With my first, I was a basket case..."

Kate listened while Laura recounted her early days as a mother.  Now in
her late forties, she'd reared three children successfully, which, Kate
figured, qualified her to give advice.  She gave it generously.

"Jack and I learned by doing."  She told a few anecdotes to prove that
philosophy while Kate hung on, waiting for an opening.
"You can learn the same way, Kate, just by doing whatever needs to be
done--"

But, Kate thought, you and Jack had each other.  She didn't say that
though, since there was no reason to state the obvious.  Instead, she
equivocated until her cousin came up with an interesting suggestion.

"Why don't you and Amanda fly down and stay with us for the holidays?

Florida has to be more appealing than Denver right now."

Kate laughed.  "Well, it's certainly warmer, and that appeals to me,"
she admitted.

"Then come on down.  Oh, maybe I'm intruding.  into your plans.  Arc
your parents going to be in the States for the holidays?"

"No," Kate said quickly.  "Not this year.  So I'd love to join you and
Jack."  The invitation appealed to her, not only for the heat of the sun
but for the warmth of a family.  There was just one problem. During
holidays, all Laura's immediate family gathered at the Florida house.
"Do you have enough room for me and Amanda?"

"Sure.  We'll make room.  Our kids--though why I still call them kids
when they're in their mid-twenties, I don't know--will be here, but we
can double up.  It'll be downright homey.  Come on, say yes."

"Oh, Laura, you don't know how much I want to join you for the holidays.
I really need help--you know, advice about Amanda, and from someone
whose judgment I trust."

"Then it's settled."  Laura sounded definite.

"Well, I don't know Reservations will be hard to get this time of
year--"

"Call me if there's a problem, honey.  Jack wasn't an airline exec all
those years for nothing.  He may have taken early retirement, but he
still has pull."

Kate thought about Christmas.  Ben would be in Mexico.  She and Amanda
would be--where?  She wasn't even sure her own apartment would be safe
to return to by then.

"Yes," she said decisively.

"All right?"  Laura exclaimed.  "I can't wait to see the baby.  Who does
she look like--Libby or Derek?"

"Hmm.  A little of both, I guess, She has Libby's coloring but her--"
Kate laughed.  "I don't know, Laura.  She looks like...  a baby." Amanda
crawled toward her and Kate scooped her up, cradling the phone under her
ear and positioning the baby onto her shoulder.  "I probably can't talk
much longer.  Amanda's on the move."

"I remember what that means," Laura said.

"But there's one other thing, Laura--" Amanda grabbed Kate's nose and
then her cheek.  Kate swiped at the baby's plump hand.  "I was just
wondering if there's anyone else in Derek's family we need to call.  I
know so little about him."

"I don't believe so, darling.  The authorities asked me that before, and
all I could remember was that his parents were both dead.  Years ago, I
think.  I thought maybe there was a sister, but Jack reminded me that
there was only the one brother..."

"A brother?"  Kate asked.  "What was his name?"  "Let's see...  Harley,
I think.  Yes, that's it.  Harley Baldwin.  I don't think he and Derek
were on very good terms."  There was a long pause on the line.  "Why do
you want to know all this, Kate?"

"Because--well, because I feel such a responsibility about this child,
and I want her to know her relatives."  Kate felt guilty about the lie,
but there was no reason to alarm Laura with facts.

"If the relatives ax worth knowing," Laura added.  "In the meantime,
make your reservations, and call me back as soon as you can about the
flight.  Don't forget, you can stay as long as you want."

Kate hung up the phone.  "It'll be fun to be with a family, Amanda.

They're such nice people.  God knows they were great parents for their
kids and would be great parents for any kid."  She sat back and gazed
into Amanda's face, wondering if that realization had.  been the reason
behind her call to Laura.

Kate hugged her tightly.  "A fine mother I am, baby, one who doesn't
know how to take care of you, doesn't know what you need or want.

What's worse, I've put your life in danger."  She looked down at the
baby, focusing on her unbelievably clear blue eyes.  "Or is it the other
way around?  Are you the cause of all this furor?  I wish I knew the
answer, Amanda."

Chapter Eight.

Two hours later, Ben, Kate and Amanda were back in the car.  "The coast
is clear," Ben said.  "No one followed Tina and me to or from the
office.  Want to head home?"

"Not yet.  I feel as though we ought to make use of the rest of the day
while we're in Denver."

"Okay.  We dealt with my favorite suspect, so what about yours?

Brownley, I mean."

"Still can't reach him on the phone.  Maybe we should stake out his
office or his house.  Wait for him to make a move."

"And waste a lot of time doing nothing."

"Okay, how about trying the spa again, seeing what I can find out about
Paige Norcross--maybe her real name."  Then she glanced into the back
seat.  "Cancel that.  Amanda's had a long day, and I bet I'd get hung up
at the spa again."  She heaved a sigh.  "I'm out of ideas--except..."
She dug in her handbag for her address book.  "We could check out
Coral's condo.  Since no one at the spa seen as to have any information,
maybe some of her neighbors will kn w where she is." She looked over at
Ben.  "You probably think I'm crazy, but I'm really worded about her."

"I don't think you're crazy, and I certainly don't want you to worry
unnecessarily.  You have enough problems without adding that woman to
them.  I guarantee, her cruise ship hasn't been lost at sea--"

"I don't think she's on a cruise," Kate said adamantly.

"Then let's find out."  He started the engine and smiled reassuringly at
her.

Kate was glad that the early-morning tension he-tween them seemed to
have eased.  As long as they concentrated on taking care of business,
everything was fine.

Ten minutes later, Ben swung through the main gate of Coral's complex,
past a guardhouse without a guard.  "Which building?"  he asked,
studying the gray clapboard structures.  "They all look the same."

"D-9.  It's over there."

Ben parked the van, but as Kate reached for the door handle, he stopped
her.  "You and Mandy wait here."  He grinned at her as he stepped down
from the van.  "Didn't I tell you that I like to play detective?"

When he closed the door, Amanda woke up from her ride-induced nap and
started to whimper.

"He'll be right back," Kate assured her, turning to retrieve the
precious lamb that had fallen onto the car floor and put it in the
baby's lap.  But Amanda continued to pout as she watched Ben walk away.

Kate followed her gaze and saw him striding toward Coral's condo.

Striding was a word she didn't often use, but it suited Ben perfectly.

Oh, the fantasies she had about him.  "Forget the dreamy stuff, Kate,"
she ordered.

"Da-da," Amanda called out.

"Don't even think it," Kate said.  Then she sighed and added, "It was
only a kiss.  It's not going to lead to anything more.  In fact, it
probably won't ever happen again."  But that thought didn't keep her
from following the baby's gaze, looking at one of the sights she liked
the best, the sight of Ben striding.

He was back quickly.

"Only one of Coral's neighbors was at home," he said as he climbed back
into the van.  "A Mrs.  Andrews, a nice elderly woman.  She knows Coral
but only to say hello.  Yes, she noticed that Coral hasn't been around
lately.  No, Coral didn't say where she was going or even mention a
trip-"

"See?  I knew it!"

"Hear me out, Kate.  Mrs.  Andrews saint that wasn't -unusual because
Coral keeps to herself and wouldn't be inclined to tell the neighbors
her plans.  She doesn't have any pets to be watched and doesn't seem to
have any friends among the condo residents.  She leaves early, comes
home late, doesn't mix with the others."  "Oh."  Kate was deflated.

"But the mail has been picked up.  There're no magazines or newspapers
lying around.  So apparently she told someone her plans and made
arrangements ahead of time.  Doesn't that make you feel better about
your friend?"

"I suppose so, but I'd feel even better if we could find a way to get
into her apartment--"

Ben started the engine.  "No way, Kate.  I'm not going to add breaking
and entering to my list of sins."  "I guess you're right..."

"You know I'm right," Ben corrected, with a sideways glance that
momentarily threw her off track and caused her to forget about Coral and
everyone else in this strange mystery--except Ben, her guide through the
maze.

She looked away quickly and got back to business.  "I guess the next
step is to pick up my car--which is ready at last."

Ben turned off the engine.  "And then what?"

"Look for an apartment?"  It was more a question than an answer.

"A drab, cold, furnished place for you and Mandy at Christmas time?

"You make it sound so inviting," she said but he was echoing her own
thoughts.

"Well?"  he challenged.

"As long as we think someone is watching apartment, I don't know what
else--"

"You could come back to my place."

Just when she was trying to stick with business threw that at her!  She
didn't know how to

"What's the matter, Kate?"

"After last night, I thought--I mean--"

"Yeah, we were both a little awkward because of that.  I didn't mean to
make you for table "You weren't the only one involved," she When he
smiled, she looked away again quickly.  we're both mature..."

"Yes, we are," he said.

She wasn't able to read anything in if there was anything.

"We know nothing serious is going to develop tween us."  She paused, but
he had no time so she managed a little laugh.  well we got the kiss out
of the way.  Now to wonder--" She stopped and shut up.  It was ble, if
she kept babbling, she could talk herself and Amanda out of everything,
including a place to stay.  "I appreciate what you've done for Amanda
and me," she said, taking a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn from the
subject of their kiss.

He picked up on the serious vein.  "We still have no idea who's after
you.  I Wouldn't feel right cutting you loose or putting you up in a
strange place."  He turned on the engine again and this time pulled out
of the parking slot.  "I'm taking off for Mexico next week and there's
no mason why you and Mandy can't stay at my place until I get back.

You're safe there."  He drove past the gate and onto the street.

Then she remembered her phone call.  "We may not be here for the
holidays either," she told him.  "My cousin in Florida invited us to
visit them for Christmas."

"That sounds like a good plan."

Kate tried not to wonder if she'd heard relief in his voice as she
continued, "My cousin gave me another bit of information.  Amanda has an
uncle, her father's brother.  I guess we ought to check him out, too,
just in case."

"Will do," Ben said, "but if he wanted the baby, it seems likely he
would have contacted you, rather than shooting first."

"Same goes for Daniel Hedrick," Kate commented.

"Which, in your mind, leaves Brownley."

She nodded.  "Unless you have a better idea."

KATE WAS STILT.  thinking about Coral during dinner but had little
chance to share her concerns with Ben.  The Chinese food they'd picked
up fascinated

Amanda, and she fidgeted and fussed to get both hands into the Moo Shu
Pork, and Beef and Broccoli.  Finally, leaving Ben to clear the table,
Kate took Amanda upstairs for her bath With the baby settled in the tub,
playing with her rubber duck, Kate's thoughts again turned to Coral. She
was worried about her despite Ben's assurances that Coral was simply on
a well-deserved vacation. She couldn't get her friend out of her mind,
partly due to their friendship, partly to their parallel lives.

It was true that her life mirrored Coral's.  Coral lived alone in a
condo; she bearly knew her neighbors.-Coral vacationed by herself and
was totally involved in her work at the exclusion of a personal life.

Wasn't that what her own life had been like?  Until Amanda.  And Ben.

"Da-da," Amanda chortled, looking up with a smile.

"Why do you do that at the exact moment I'm thinking about him?"  Kate
asked the baby.

"No?"

"No!"  Kate laughed.  "You're some baby."  She squeezed the sponge over
Amanda's round little body and watched her giggle with glee as the water
cascaded over her.  Adding a little soap, Kate washed the soft skin, in
and out of the fat crevices while the baby beat the water, splashing all
over her bather.

"Enough!  You're going to drown me," Kate said, laughing as she picked
up the wet squirming child, wrapped her in a towel and held her close to
her heart, feeling a great surge of love sweep through her.  Amanda
could make a huge difference in her life; she already was making a
difference.

But what could she do for the baby?  What kind of life could she give
her?

Amanda pulled and tugged Kate's ear with pudgy fingers and cuddled
against her neck.  Her warm squirming body felt so natural against Kate,
who held her tightly, wishing she knew the answers to everything that
was happening in her life.

She felt tears prickle her eyes and hastily wiped them away with he free
hand.  "Answers?"  she murmured.  "Right now I don't even know the
questions.  But!  do know I love you, little girl, and I hope I can
protect you and care for you."  She kissed the baby's fat cheek, but
Amanda's attention was already drawn elsewhere.  Her eyes had fastened
on the light fixture over the sink.  She raised her hand and pointed.

"See the light?"  Kate asked.  "Light."  "Yight," Amanda repeated.

"Yight!"

"That's it!"  Kate said proudly.  "Wait until I tell Ben what a smart
girl you are."  She smiled at the image of herself and the baby in the
misty bathroom mirror.  "That's how real families react, Amanda.  Real
mommies and daddies."

She tried to visualize a real family, not her own, certainly; maybe her
cousins.  "Jack and Laura," she told Amanda, "they're real parents." She
stopped herself, steadfastly trying to push away the thought that popped
into her head: maybe they would be a more suitable family for Amanda.

No!  Families came in all sorts and sizes, and this was a family, too,
she and Amanda.  "For better or worse, babe," she said to the child's
reflection, "mostly, on my part, for worse so far.  But that'll change."

Amanda reached toward the two reflections in the foggy mirror and
laughed.

OUT OF THE CORNE of his eye, Ben had watched Kate climb the stairs as he
settled at the computer.  Then he'd gotten back to work.  Only his mind
was still with her, going up those stairs, taking the baby into the
bedroom.  What next?  Giving Amanda a bath, putting her on the bed with
her lamb while Kate stripped off her clothes and changed into--what, a
nightgown?  He wondered if she'd bought one at the mall, but even if she
had, it was wishful thinking to imagr inc he'd see her in it.

She would definitely keep on her clothes, and when she came downstairs
after Amanda went to sleep, she'd be fully dressed, ready to discuss the
next part of their plan.  Of course, his agenda was the same.  At least,
that was what he told him sell

Just hours ago, he'd thought he was on to something.  He'd been sure
he'd be able to prove Hedrick was after Amanda.  Then the police would
take over, and Kate and Amanda would go back to their lives.  But it
hadn't happened.  He still had no idea who had attacked Kate.

Besides, that wasn't what was on his mind, Ben realized.

He tried to concentrate on the screen, but he couldn't focus because he
was listening to the sounds from the loft.  Amanda laughing and
giggling, Kate talking softly.  Feminine sounds.

Family sounds.

What was it about those two that tugged at his heart?  What was it about
Kate that kept him from focusing on work?  Usually, his relationships
with women were Uncomplicated affairs that lasted until he--or she--was
ready to move on.  If a woman was too demanding of his time, he gently
extricated himself, and the woman understood--or said she did.

Kate wasn't demanding.  She was incredibly independent and determined to
take care of herself.  But somehow she and the kid were occupying an
extraordinarily large part of his life, which was all his doing.

Because he liked more than the excitement of the mystery; he liked the
excitement of her.

He went back in his memory to the day they met.  Kate had been
businesslike and harried.  But that Kate was also the one who tried on
the blond wig in the boutique, the sexy short-skirted, flirty, funny
Kate.

And then there was the Kate he'd held in his arms.  So many Kates.

He heard her footsteps on the stairs and called out.  "I found out a
little about Mandy's uncle, and it's not good."

"Uh-oh."  She stood behind him.  He could feel her warmth and smell her
sweet clean scent.

He forced himself to keep his eyes on the screen.  "Yeah, a bad-check
artist with a few arrests here and there.  Misdemeanors."

"Where is he now?"

"Don't know that yet, but I will soon."

Kate walked over to the fireplace, a look of concern on her face.  "I
don't like the sound of it.  Petty criminal..."  Her voice trailed off.

Ben turned off the computer and got up, stretching his arms above his
head.  "Don't worry.  A guy like that wouldn't want a baby."

"Except maybe to kidnap and hold for ransom," she offered.

"Then why the attacks on you?  With you out of the way, where would he
get the money?  It doesn't compute, Kate."

She sighed, dropped into a chair and leaned forward, trying to work the
tension out of her neck.  "Maybe he's into the baby-selling business,
too, or maybe he works for some kind of syndicate...  "She shook her
head.  "These guess' rag games are fruitless."

"We're going to find the answer," he assured her.  She looked over at
him, and he read the doubt in her eyes.  With one stride he closed the
space between them and put his hand on her shoulder.  "Don't worry." He
could tell she was trying to be optimistic, but her eyes gave her away.

He rubbed her shoulder, pressing his thumb against her upper back.

"Everything will be okay--unless you cop out on me--"

"Why would I--"

"Because your muscles have gone ballistic.  Right now, they're in
knots."

"I know.  I'm pretty tense, and I ache all over from my workout at the
spa.  I could use a muscle relaxant."

"Forget the artificial stuff.  Just leave it to me."  He moved his hands
again, placing them on either side of her neck.  "Let your head hang
forward."  As she did, he added, "Relax."

Kate dropped her head, but how did he expect her to relax when he was so
close and his hands were so warm and strong?  As he moved his hands
toward her hairline, he stopped, laughing.

"What's the matter?"

"It's that hair of yours again," he said, "getting in the way."  He
pushed the heavy strands aside.  "Now I can get to your muscles."

Kate closed her eyes and gave herself up to his powerful, hypnotic touch
as he worked the tenseness out of her aching muscles.

"Lean back," he instructed, and once again she did as he asked, tilting
her head, feeling her hair flow down her back.  As he stroked his
fingers along her shoulders and neck, she felt a tremor run along her
skin.  A warm golden glow suffused her.  Her breathing was rapid but no
more so than his; she thought she could hear the dual beating of their
hearts.  "Is that better?"  he asked, his voice a low whisper..

"Yes..."  She leaned against him and was enveloped in his warmth.

A heavy silence invaded the room, broken only by their raspy breathing.

Kate knew she should stand up, say good-night, go upstairs.  But she
didn't.  Instead, she looked up at him.  He'd taken the band off his
hair and, like hers, it hung loose, dark and shiny.  His eyes were black
as coals, and she became lost in their depths.

She never should have looked up with the need in her face so apparent.

It changed everything.

He dropped down beside her, putting them on the same level, their faces
only inches apart.  Then he leaned toward her and grazed her lips with
his.  The soft touch turned into a greedy kiss that went on and on until
they both gasped for breath but still clung together.

"This is crazy," she managed.

"I know."  It was, and he knew that he should apologize and give himself
a chance to cool off.  He couldn't do that with her in his arms or even
in his sight.  He'd have to go outside.  Take a walk in the cold. Regain
his sanity.  But he didn't consider it.

Instead, he pulled her close and kissed her again, hungrily.  He felt
her tongue against his, explored the soft recesses of her mouth, ran his
tongue along her lips.  The heavy throbbing of his desire couldn't be
ignored.  He wanted her desperately, wanted to make love to her--here,
now, in front of the fire, touching her, feeling her...

Ben felt her fingers threading through his hair, the softness of her
lips, the hardness of her nipples pressed against him.  His hands roamed
her body until he discovered the bare skin beneath her shirt.

When he heard her deep moan, his heart quickened.  She reached for him,
pushed aside his flannel shirt and slid her fingers along his back with
a touch that sent shivers throughout his body.  "I want to make love to
you, Kate," he murmured.  "In front of the fire."

Her answer was to cling to him more tightly, and that was answer enough
for Ben.  He picked her up and carried her to the soft rug in front of
the fire.  He could feel its heat and see its warm golden glow.  Or was
it the heat from their bodies, the glow of their passion?

She hadn't released her hold on him, but now her hands trembled a little
as she pulled his shirt from his shoulders and unbuttoned his jeans. His
own hands were more demanding.  He took off her warm-up jacket, tugged
at the waistband of her pants and began to undress her.

Then, to his surprise, his hands shook, too, making his movements
awkward and clumsy.  Even with that unexpected nervousness, he managed
to remove the flimsy, lacy bra and parities.  "Mall lingerie?  You won't
be needing them now," he whispered as he pulled off the rest of his
clothes and lay down beside her.

Kate felt a sigh escape her lips.  They were naked in the firelight that
seemed to caress them softly, as they caressed each other.  His golden
skin radiated a bronze glow in the shimmering light, and his eyes
flashed with desire.  She lay back, opening herself to him and almost
purring in delight at the pleasure in his eyes.  He touched her breasts,
ran his fingers over them, a soft feather-touch.  Then he leaned down
and kissed each one, caressed, rubbed his thumb across the hard nub of
her nipples.  Deep inside an ache of desire formed, grew, built.

"What can I do to make you happy?."  he whispered.  "I want to give you
pleasure, Kate."  His mouth on her breast was moist and hot.

Her words came out in little puffs of air.  "Just...  don't...  stop."

He gave a low laugh.  "I won't, not until we both have what we want."

As he continued to work wonders on her breasts with his lips, he
explored the rest of her body with eager hands.  Her heart pounded
explosively with a wild frantic beat.  Greedily, she guided him closer,
closer, until they touched and she opened herself up to him completely.

She gazed up at his face, framed by the soft black veil of his hair,
shadows from the firelight flickering across the hard planes and angles
of his face.  Their eyes locked, and he whispered, "This is crazy, Kate.
And wonderful."

"Yes--" It was the last word she spoke.  Then everything happened at
once.  She dug her fingers into the hard sinews of his back.  He moved
more fiercely, deeper and deeper inside her.  She wrapped her legs
around him, arching forward as waves of pleasure built and swelled and
held them at the peak for an endless moment.  Then his muscles stiff
cried hers did the same; he gasped for breath, and so did she.  At the
moment when she felt she could bear no more, he exploded inside her, and
she gave herself to him.

Sometime in the middle of the night they awoke and turned to each other
again.  Was it a dream then--or a fantasy come true?  She didn't know
and wondered if she ever would.  She just gave herself up to whatever
was happening...  Sleepily, dreamily, they made love as if in a kind of
slow-motion film, shot in muted colors.  The dwindling embers of the
fire glowed warm and golden.  All around them the light was soft blue.

They threw back the covers, which seemed to billow in rosy hues.

Through the window the night reached its darkest point and headed toward
morning.  Kate melded into Ben and let herself become part of him, and
then she slept--and he slept--again.

THE NVCCR TIME Kate opened her eyes, the dawn had begun to filter
through the windows, and Ben was still sleeping beside her.  She got up
quietly and stumbled upstairs, into the bed with Amanda.  Like Ben, the
baby was asleep, but Kate, although drowsy, was awake, filled with
wonder about what had happened between ihem--their first lovemaking,
passionate and yet tender; their second, a dreamlike fantasy.

She felt vulnerable--and confused, wondering what Ben had taken away
from their experience and what he'd be like in the morning.  How would
he act?

And more importantly, how would she handle the morning-after?

As it turned out, she didn't have to worry.  With the morning came an
easy rapport as he gave her a kiss, gave Amanda a hug and got on with
breakfast.  Just as before.  Only different, Kate realized as her heart
swelled with a love she knew she shouldn't be feeling.  She fervently
wished for the strength to fight it, to accept the night for what it
was--a time of exploration and desire, a coming together of two people
who, for a while, needed each other.  Nothing more.

But because the night had given her so much, she wanted more.

Ben brought her a cup of coffee and touched her cheek lightly with his
fingertips.  "We had a wonderful night together, Kate.  I'll never
regret that it happened."

"I won't either," she said.  And she wouldn't, but at the same time she
was very aware of what his words really meant: when this is over, then
we'll be able to look back with fondness on a fabulous night.  That was
all.  Nothing more.

She forced a smile, and they continued with breakfast in a companionable
silence.  When the last of the coffee was poured and downed, Ben sat
back, a satisfied expression on his face.

She tried not to let his physical presence overwhelm her as she asked,
"What's on the agenda for today?"

She'd done it--she'd managed to form the question in a totally
businesslike manner, even though all she could think of was him beside
her, the nearness reminding her of last night, and the joy and pleasure
she'd experienced.  And then that slow-motion dream--or movie--or
whatever it was...  She tried to suppress a smile at the next thought.

If Amanda weren't around, she'd probably be unbuttoning his shirt and
pulling at his zipper right now!

Ben Blackeagle wasn't merely dangerous, he was dynamite.  He was every
woman's fantasy, and last night the fantasy had been hers.

She listened with one car as he talked about Harley Baldwin and what he
planned to do in order to track the man.  He seemed energized and
vibrant.  That was what sex did for him, apparently, left him sure and
confident.  While she...  Kate could only wonder what in the world was
happening to her.

When the phone rang, startling her out of her reverie and Ben out of his
planning, he grabbed it immediately.

He listened carefully, and Kate could see the press ion on his face
change from casual interest to intense concentration.  He motioned for
her to bring him a pad and pencil, and he began to take notes.  "Twelve
noon at the Brown Palace.  Okay."

He put down the phone and turned to Kate, his eyes snapping. "Hedrick's
assistant called to set up a meeting.  About placing a baby boy with us.
Doesn't it seem strange that things are happening so fast?"

She sank down in a chair.  Amanda crawled over and pulled herself to a
wobbly stance, holding on to Kate's legs, fussing to get into her lap.

Automatically, Kate picked her up.  "What do you think this means?" she
asked Ben.

"That Healrick could be in the baby-selling business.  "

"

Kate held Amanda close.  "Does it also mean that he gets babies however
and whenever he can?  Is Amanda one of the bbies he'd like to get his
hands on so he can sell her to a higher bidder?  Would he kill me for
her?"

"I don't know the answer, Kate.  I wish I did."  "What are we going to
do?"  she asked.

"Meet "em," Ben replied definitely.  "And try to find the truth."

"Without calling the police?"

"I thought about that, but we don't have proof of anything.  They only
want to meet and talk about placing a baby with us."

"But at the hotel, not in his office.  Isn't that strange?"

"Yes, I'll admit it is.  Which is why we need to cover ourselves."  He
went to his desk, opened a drawer and rummaged around until he found
what he wanted.  "Mini tape recorder," he said, holding it up.  "It'll
fit easily into your handbag.  We'll hear the storymand record it--then
we'll decide what to do."

"But--"

"We need evidence, Kate.  And facts."

He pulled her to her feet and enfolded her and Amanda in his arms.

"This could be it, Kate, the end of the search."  His hug was strong and
full of enthusiasm.

"That would be great," she said, wondering if her words sounded as
conflicted as she felt.  Of course, it would be wonderful to live freely
again.  That was the up side.  The down side was that she and Amanda
would be out of Ben's life.

He gave her a quick kiss.  "Let's get going.  Call Tina and see if she
can baby-sit again."

She nodded as she watched him take the stairs two at a time.  Ben
Blackeagle, on the warpath.

Chapter Nine.

The Brown Palace, like every other hotel in Denver, was overdressed for
the holidays, with a huge Christmas tree in the middle of the
world-famous lobby and swags of greenery everywhere.  Ben gave the decor
a cursory glance.  He was only interested in meeting Kim and her boss.
He crossed the rotunda with Kate by his side and headed for the Ship's
Tavern.  Kim was seated at a table near the front, but the guy with her
wasn't Hedrick.

He took a second to register that fact and decide how to handle it.

Then with his hand under Kate's elbow, he guided her toward the table.

"We're missing Hedrick," he reminded her.

"I got that," she replied.

"Still play it as we planned, and be sure your handbag is on the table.

But don't make it look obvious."

"Don't over direct Kate whispered.  "I can handle my role.  You take
care of yours!"

Ben tried to hide a smile as they reached the table.  Kim introduced the
sandy-haired man beside her as Rudy Hall.  With his hair brushed back
from a high forehead and his round, open face, he was the antithesis of
Hedrick, more like an accountant or salesman than a high-powered legal
mind.  Who the hell was he?

Ben wondered.

Without hesitation, Kim began her spiel, her eyes meeting Kate's and
holding them corn passionately "I've been thinking and thinking about
you and how much you want a baby," she said.

"We're desperate," Kate replied, placing her hand bag on the table.

Ben thought the gesture was a little less than subtle, but the waitress
appeared just in time to negate any possible suspicions.  Ben and Kate
ordered coffee, while Rudy requested a beer, apparently not his first.
There were three empty bottles lined up beside his place, which he
didn't seem to want cleared away.

When the waitress was out of earshot, Kim con ting ued.  "I talked to
Mr.  Hedrick about your case, and he seemed to think--" She looked down.
"I shouldn't be telling you this."

But you will, Ben thought, or we wouldn't have been summoned here.

Playing her part, Kate pleaded, "Tell us, please."  It took no more than
a nanosecond for Kim to comply.  "Well, the truth is, Mr. Healrick said
that you two would more than likely have to wait a long time for a
baby."

"Oh not How long?"  Kate asked anxiously, into her role.

"Maybe four or five years--"

The gasp from Kate's lips sounded very natural, but with it her hand
flew to her throat in a movement so sudden that she knocked the handbag
off the table.

Ben cursed silently, hoping that it hadn't opened to reveal the tape
recorder, or worse, that the recorder hadn't fallen out.  He reached for
the bag.  So did Rudy.  Ben was faster.  But when he picked it up, one
end of the recorder was clearly visible.  He covered it with his hand
and pushed it back into the folds of the bag, not at all sure how to
close the damned thing.

"I'm sorry," Kate said breathlessly, as she found the clasp and snapped
it shut.

Good move, Ben thought.

The waitress returned with theft beverages, and Ben watched Kate take
advantage of the confusion to m-position her bag on the table.

An even better move, he decided.

"I am sorry," she repeated.  "But just hearing that our wait would be so
long--"

Kim was all concern.  "I know, and I understand what you must feel.

That's why I wondered--or Rudy and I did--"

"I'm her fiance," Rudy inserted.  "And we sham everything.  When Kim
told me about your problem, I saw how affected she was.  Of all the
prospective parents she's seen go through Hedrick's office, she was most
impressed by the two of you.  I told her that we had to do something to
help you folks.  So..."

Ben sensed what was coming as Kim leaned toward them and lowered her
voice.  "Would you consider an alternate source?"

"Such as?"  he asked.

"Maybe a mother who doesn't come dkectly through Mr.  Hedrick's office.

Maybe a woman who isn't equipped to take care of a child and who
desperately needs money."

Ben equivocated.  "I'm not sure..."  It was a good idea, he thought, to
show a little hesitancy, especially when he knew that Kate would be all
enthusiasm.

And she was.  "Of course, we're willing to consider any possibility."

"How much money are we talking about?"  He continued the role of
doubter.

"Well, I'd say around fifty thousand," Rudy answered.

Kate gasped.

Rudy seemed surprised.  "Is that too much?  Kim said you were willing to
pay any price."

"We are," Ben said, "with reservations.  For example, what guarantees do
we have, and where does Hedrick fit into this scenario?"

Kim had the answer to that.  "He's more a rules~ and-regulations kind of
person."

"Does he know about this meeting?"  Ben asked.  Kim looked down without
answering, but her companion had a response.  "We have to go around He'd
rick when we find couples who are special--"

"And have plenty of money?"  Ben asked.  "Let's face it, yes," Rudy
said.

"So I gather this isn't exactly legal," Ben suggested.

"Don't be so suspicious, Ben," Kate chastised.  "They're trying to help
us."  Then she made a remark that Ben found fit perfectly into their
plan.  "My only concern is that there might be some danger involved.

Could we be arrested for cooperating?"  She inched her handbag toward
the center of the table, and Ben smiled in satisfaction.  She was a
great partner!

"Let's just say we've done this before," Rudy responded, "successfully.

So far no one has been disappointed.  Kim works the inside," he
explained, "and I work the outside."  He couldn't seem to contain his
pride as he added, "I have contacts who can help me find young expectant
mothers who need money."

Ben gr'lrnaced inside as images of a baby farm played in his mind. "And
I assume you've found the young woman who'll supply our child...  "A
woman who probably got only a small portion of the money, he thought.

Rudy nodded, and Ben fought back his anger and disgust.

"Actually, the baby hasn't been born yet, but as soon as that happens,
he'll be yours.  It's definitely a boy," he added proudly.  "This is no
scam, believe me.  We're just trying to help."

"I'm sure you are," Ben agreed, repressing his feelings as he looked
over at Kate.  "So what do you think?"  he asked, knowing her answer.

"I say yes.  Yes, yes!"

"I sense some reserve on Mr.  Black's part," Rudy said, his open face
not so open anymore.

"Of course you do," Ben replied.  "And for a good reason.  We're talking
an awful lot of money."

"Not for a precious baby," Kate argued, staying perfectly in character.

"What if we wanted to meet the mother?"  Ben asked them.

Rudy and Kim exchanged looks.  "That might be possible," she said, "but
it would take time to arrange."

Kate clutched Ben's arm.  "Please, darling, don't let's wait any longer.
The baby's important, not the mother."

For a moment Ben appeared to think it over.  Enough stalling, he
decided.  "All right.  When do you want the money?"

"Oh, thank you, darling," Kate sighed, burying her face against his
shoulder.

"The sooner, the better," Rudy said.  "The baby's due any time now."

Ben decided to act quickly, get this over and done.  "We'll have the
payment tonight, but I'll want a contract with written guarantees about
the baby."

"No problem," Rudy assured them.  "None at all.  Half the money down and
half when you hold your baby in your arms."  After a beat, he added,
"Cash, of course."

Ben raised a dark eyebrow.  "Of course.  Oh, one more question before we
go.  Did you follow us after we left Hedrick's office yesterday?

Rudy looked embarrassed.  "Yeah, sorry.  Kim gave me a call when you
were in with her boss.  She said you might be potential clients for us,
so I thought I'd check you out, see where you live--"

"And see if we had the bucks to pay for a child?"  Ben asked coldly.

Rudy shrugged.  "A guy can't be too careful about who he deals with.

But you fooled me, turning into that garage so suddenly."

Ben stood up and dropped a ten-dollar bill on the table.  "Guys with
bucks learn to be careful," he said.  "Remember we don't like being
followed or cheated."

Rudy's face paled at the implied threat.  "No problem, Mr.  Black.  I'm
on your side all the way."

They arranged a meeting time, and before Rudy could order another beer,
left the hotel and headed toward the car.

"I can't believe it," Kate chortled.  "It's Little Miss. Helpful.  It's
Kim!  She's running her own adoption racket in Hedrick's office, right
under his nose.  Do you think he really doesn't know about it?"

"Hard to say," Ben replied.  "She could be his messenger.  But I doubt
it.  They have to pay the mother and then split the rest."  He shook his
head.  "Something tells me the profit wouldn't balance the risk for
Hedrick.  But we'll let the authorities figure that one ont."

She handed over the tape recorder.  "Did we get it?"  Ben pushed
"rewind" and played a few seconds of the meeting.  "Loud and clear.

Good job.  Now we go to the cops."

Kate settled herself in the car.  "But does this baby-selling racket
have anything to do with Amanda and me?  "

"

Ben shook his head.  "Damned if I know.  I can see our friend Rudy
slashing your tires, and I can even imagine him shooting at you with a
rifle--but what would be the point?"

"If we followed Tina's scenario, Rudy would shoot me, and Kim could
arrive on the scene with fake papers and spirit Amanda away in the
confusion."

"But why?"  Ben argued, "when they have their own baby farm?"

"That's a good question," Kate replied with a sigh.  "Maybe the police
can find the answers."

"WIC olxrvs are they?"  Kate whispered.

"Kim and Rudy aren't here yet," Ben said as he and Kate entered the
Ship's Tavern restaurant.

"What about the plainclothes detectives from the police?  The lieutenant
we talked to said they'd be here somewhere."  She glanced around the
Ship's Tavern.

Ben put a cat ming hand on hers.  "Don't be so obvious, Kate.  I have no
idea who they are, but I know they're here.  Relax."

"Relax when I'm in disguise in the middle of a sting operation?  Oh,
sure."  She studied the room under lowered lashes.  Surely the elderly
couple to their right weren't police officers.  Nor the two well-groomed
women in their thirties laughing over drinks at a table behind Ben.
Maybe the solid-looking man with a crew cut to their left?

She was so intent on her speculation that she didn't see Rudy and Kim
enter the room, and when Kim touched her shoulder, she jumped and gave a
little yelp.

"Nerves on edge," Kate managed.  "So excited about the baby..."

Rudy slid into a chair.  "No need to be nervous, Mrs.  Black.

Everything is going to be great."

Kim smiled reassuringly.  "We have the guarantee in writing that you
wanted."

"I like to see it," Ben said.

"And I'd like to see the twenty-five grand," Rudy countered.

Ben reached under the table and pulled out a briefcase, which he
deposited with a thump on the table.  "Here it is, one half the payment
in cash."

"You don't mind if I check?"  Rudy asked.

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Ben replied.  Kate held her breath
while Rudy popped the locks on the case but before he could open it, the
two women at the next table moved in.  The taller of them flipped open a
badge and said, "Denver Police.  Rudy Hall and Kim Minter, you are under
arrest.  Please put your hands on the table where--"

Kim was frozen in hr seat, horrified, but Rudy, after a moment's
hesitation, sprang to his feet, sending his chair crashing to the floor,
and sprinted for the door.  The smaller of the offieeers gave chase.  It
registered in Kate's mind that she was no more than five-two in her
heels and fast as a gazelle.  Rudy crashed into a waiter carrying a tray
of glasses.

Rudy was spun around from the collision but almost reached the door when
the police officer tackled him and knocked him to the floor.

Kate gave Ben a tremulous smile.  "Never underestimate the power of a
woman," she said.

IT WAS 3:00 a.m. when Ben pulled into the garage at his house. Strapped
into her car seat in the back, Amanda was fast asleep.  But she wasn't
the only one.

Slumped beside him, Kate was also sleeping soundly.  "Okay, ladies," he
said, "we're home."

Kate awoke, groggy and disoriented.  "So soon?"  "You've been asleep
since we left Denver."  He gave her a little nudge.  "Here's the key.

I'll get the baby.  You go on in."

Kate stumbled through the door and got as far as the stairs where she
plopped down, arms on her knees, head between her hands.  She looked up
when Ben came in.  "I'm so disappointed."  "Yeah, I know.  So am I."

"It's not over, is it?"

"For Kim and Rudy, it sure as hell is," he replied.  "But not for us.

They had nothing to do with the attacks on you.  Airtight alibis for the
time of the shooting."

She heaved a sigh.  "So we helped solve a crime that has nothing to do
with Amanda and me.  One that in our great detecting we simply stumbled
on."  "That's about it," he agreed.

"Well, it's left me exhausted."  She looked over at Ben.  "You don't
look so great either.  This has been a long night of waiting.  All the
statements to the police and the questions--" Kate struggled to her
feet.  "I want to sleep for days."

Ben made a move to hand over Amanda and then changed his mind.  "You're
too sleepy.  I'll bring her up and get her changed.  And by the way, you
can't sleep for days, because we're back to square one.  Tomorrow we
start over trying to figure out who shot at you, pushed you and slashed
your tires."

"Ohh," Kate moaned.

He took in her tired face.  "Don't think about it now.  Get some sleep,
and I'll wake you around noon."

She mumbled her thanks and while he changed the sleepy baby, fell
gratefully into bed.

KATE WOKE UP on her own, showered, dressed and was downstairs before
noon--but not by much, and still feeling exhausted.

Ben had gotten Amanda up and was holding her in the crook of his arm
while he punched computer keys with his free hand.  He called out,
"Coffee's in the kitchen."

Amanda squealed to be let down and crawled rapidly into the kitchen
after Kate, who scooped her up.  "You're fast enough for the Daytona
500, kid."  She was trying to keep an upbeat mood even while feeling
tired and discouraged.  As for Amanda, the baby seemed to be on top of
the world.

"If you only knew what was going on," she murmured, pouring juice into
the baby's no-spill cup.

Ben appeared at the doorway, looking just as chipper as Amanda.

"Am I the only discouraged one in this group?"  she asked.

"We've just been up longer," he reminded her.  "But I do have some bad
news."

"Oh, no."  She sagged against the counter, coffee cup in her hand.  "I
can't take anymore."

"Well, then let's call it good news.  Harley Baldwin, Mandy's uncle, is
not involved in your problems."  "

Kate busied herself blotting up the juice that Amanda had spilled from
the no-spill cup.  "How do you know that?"

"Because the guy's in jail.  Has been for six months."

"Drat."

Ben raised an eyebrow at the unexpected exclamation.

"Now that Amanda can repeat almost anything," she whispered, "I'm
cleaning up my language."

He nodded with a wry grin.

Kate followed him to the dining room table with her coffee--Amanda
chugging along behind--and dropped into a chair.  "You realize we've
made no headway, Ben.  None of our ideas so far has panned out.  Yeah,
we solved a crime, but one that had nothing to do with us!"

He didn't respond for a long time, and then he said, finally, "We have
to face the facts, Kate.  All this time we may have been trying to make
connections that don't exist."

"Meaning..."  She knew what he meant.

"Yes, meaning that what has happened to you, the attacks, may have had
nothing to do with Amanda."

Kate picked up the baby and held her close, chubby damp cheeks against
her face.  "At least you're not a target," she murmured.

"Butyou are," Ben said.  "And we still have to find out who's after
you."

"So back to Brownley, Paige Norcross, the spa..."  "Yep.  Which means
back into your wig and tights."

"I guess you and Amanda will be hanging out at the Western bar while I'm
at Sky-High."

"Been there, done that," he said with a grin.  "No, Mandy and I are
moving on."

He held out his arms, and the baby went to him as happily as ever.

There was no competing with the attraction Ben had for Mandy, and
something about that warmed Kate's heart.  She'd never seen a man and a
baby with such an affinity, and she didn't even mind being left out of
their twosome.

"Who knows?  We might go back to the mall and see Santa again."

"Better you than me," she responded as she headed upstairs to change.

Each step beat a rhythm that reminded her that two female hearts had
been captured by one wonderful man.  But had they captured his heart,
and if so, for how long?

EVERYTHING they'd done so far had been carefully planned, including the
fake adoption meetings.  As Kate got ready for her second trip to the
spa, Ben had tried to give her a plan of action, but since they were
starting at square one again it seemed impossible.  There was no way to
anticipate what she'd find there.

"Probably nothing," he'd said, but with a warning.  "Be careful.  Don't
make any rash decisions.  If something looks suspicious, just get out of
there.  Then we'll decide what to do next."

She'd tried to keep that advice in mind as she chat ted with Edi, the
plump woman she'd shared that exhausting step class with on her first
visit.  They sweated through the machines, and atop the treadmills Kate
dropped questions instead of pounds.

But she didn't get many answers.  Coral still around, and the tall,
good-looking manager, Jennifer, who seemed to remember everyone's name,
didn, t remember Paige Norcross.  Or so she said.  to wad her reaction.

As for Edi, she was an book, and she drew a blank on Paige.

"She's a beautiful brunette," Kate told her.  "They're all
beautiful--brunettes or blondes.  around you.  Every one of them could
be a she grinned through the pain of the weight"--or a call girl at the
very least."

Kate tried not to react as her new friend padded toward the hot tub, but
the suggestion stayed with Could it be possible...  She shook her head
checked out the spa, which was definitely by beautiful young women.
Except for Edie, were the clients who wanted to get in shape, weight,
begin a nutrition regime?  Everyone in place looked like the "after" in
a before-and-after: Then another beautiful image popped into her Paige
Norcross.  The best-looking one of the the woman who'd been with
Brownie3 many others?

It was time to snoop!  The first stop, she would be Coral's office. She
would never spa was a front for prostitutes as long as Coral was running
things, but Coral wasn't around.  Maybe her disappearance had something
to do with...  With what?  Don't be absurd, Kate.  In all likelihood,
she told herself, she was once again on a wild-goose chase, going off on
a tangent because of a remark about prostitutes.  Just the same, she
would check out Coral's office.

She had a vague idea where it was, but she'd have to get there
carefully, in a roundabout and surreptitious way.  So she began at the
Sky-High restaurant, a chic room with a regular menu for OUTSIDE
customers, which included women and men, and a special nonfat spa menu
for members.  She ordered Herb Chicken with grilled vegetables, and
eyeballed the room filled with middle-aged men and young, beautiful
women.  That contrast certainly did seem to fit Edie's comment about
call girls.

To make matters more interesting, as Kate left, she passed a corner
table where an argument had erupted between two familiar people--Mark,
one of the managers, and the good-looking heartthrob, Dylan, who seemed
to be getting a dressing-down from his boss.  Dylan's face was redd cued
his voice defensive, a sign that he was fighting back.

Whatever was going on between the two men, at least it meant they were
occupied and not looking out for Coral's office.  On the floor of the
gym, Jennifer was also busy.  Now was the time!

Kate passed the lounge and moved on to the next door, where a sedate
brass marker declared Private.  She paid no attention to it as she
pushed through.

Then she immediately wondered what in the world she was doing.  Ben was
the sleuth.  She didn't have a clue how to proceed.  But he had given
her a good bit of advice: move quickly, look around, check things out
and then get the hell away from the danger area.

VSTH that in mind, she headed down the hall, passed the offices of the
co managers Jennifer and Mark Kersten.  Then she stood before the closed
door of the one she was looking for, that of Coral Lampiere, owner and
president.

She looked both ways.  The hall was empty.  She reached for the doorknob
of Coral's office, took a deep breath and turned the handle.

The door swung open, and she stepped inside.  Her body trembled, as much
with excitement as fear.  This was it.  She touched the light switch,
illuminating the office.

Coral's office.  She felt a sudden awareness of her old friend, an
intimacy and a closeness, as she moved toward the desk.  She stopped for
a moment as the feelings swept over her.

During that pause, something happened.  She hadn't heard anything, no
turn of the knob, no footsteps on the carpet.  But somehow she knew
someone else was in the room!

She stifled a scream as his hand clasped her shoulder.  Turning, she
faced the buff, bald-headed Mark Kersten.

"What are you doing here?"  he demanded.  "I...  well, I was looking
for--"

"The lounge?"  he asked sarcastically.  She shook her head.

"The gym, the restaurant, what?"  His face was close to hers and he
still held on to her shoulder.  She tried to find her voice.  "I--"

"Didn't you see the sign?"

"Yes, but, I was looking for...  Coral Lampiere."

"Coral's on vacation," he said.  "And this area is off-limits."  His
hand grasped her until she cringed in pain.  Then he released his hold
and stepped back.  "Sorry, I didn't mean--"

He didn't need to keep his hold on her.  All he needed was to stand
there, arms crossed against his broad chest, muscles bulging in his
powerful shoulders.  That was enough for Kate.

L'dee a frightened child, she bolted and ran.

Chapter Ten.

Kate dashed out of the spa and stood blinking in the afternoon sun,
looking for Ben.  She wasn't desperate, she told herself; she just
wanted him--here now!

She glanced quickly at her watch--nearly time for Ben to meet her.  It
would be just her luck that he and Amanda were having so much fun at the
mall they decided to spend the day with Santa and the hordes of kids.
She looked back toward the spa, half expecting to see Mark chasing her.
All was quiet, serene and peaceful.

Then the big mahogany and brass doors opened, and she headed for the
street, not looking back to find out who was behind her.  She caught her
breath, watched the traffic whizzing by and had almost gotten up the
nerve to dash across the street when Ben pulled up at the curb.

"Where did you come from?"  she asked, breathless, as she slid into the
passenger seat.

"We were parked across the street, and we saw you come running out as if
a guided missile was after you.  What happened?"

Kate hesitated.  She knew if she told Ben that she'd poked around in
off-limits territory, he'd be justifiably angry at the chance she'd
taken.  On the other hand, weren't they partners in their amateur
investigation?

"Kate--"

She decided on a near-truth.  "I had a little run-in with Mark Kersten.

In fact," she added quickly, "I seemed to be running into or up against
the entire staff.  Jennifer denied any knowledge of Paige Norcross,
though she prides herself on remembering everyone's name.  And
Dylan--well, he had problems of his own."

"What kind of run-in?"  He was back to Mark.  "Nothing, really.  He's
just...  creepy."  She couldn't help shuddering when she thought about
hll the massive strength in the man's upper body.

Ben didn't press further except to advise her.  "I think you'd better
stay out of that place."  He pulled into the traffic.  "Ready for some
big news?"  "Only if it's good."  "That depends."

"Okay, okay.  While you were inside, Tina reached me on the car phone to
say that Robert Brownley called ESS.  He's in his office and wants you
to get in touch."

"He's finally ready to talk!"  Kate reached for the phone, but Ben
stopped her.  "Before you make the call, take a deep breath, stay cool
and think dearly."  She took a deep breath and tried to do the rest.

"Ready?"

She nodded and he handed her the phone.  "Don't say anything foolish."

"I mow what's on your mind," Kate said as they finally
settled down to lunch at a neighborhood diner.  "You think I should have
arranged to meet Browriley at his office."

"I asked you to be careful about what you agreed to, and under the
circumstances, his office would have been the safest place.  He wouldn't
dare try anything with his staff around."

"But the museum is just as safe.  There'll be people all over, visitors,
staff, even guards.  It's no different from your meeting at the Brown
Palace.  That could have been dangerous, too.  Besides, you'll be there
as backup.  Isn't that what the police call it?"

"We're not the police.  And what about Amanda?"  Amanda perched on Ben's
lap, plunging her spoon in and out of a bowl of mashed potatoes and
getting them as far as her face but not quite to her mouth.  "Maybe Tina
could watch her while we're at the museum?"  Kate offered tentatively.

Ben sighed.  "She's already running your office from her home."

"Which is what I should be doing," Kate added.  "Don't start feeling
gu'fity.  You took a couple of days off during a traditionally slow
time.  Then there was an attempted break-in.  Considering the situation,
you're both entitled to a break.  But we certainly can't double Tina's
workload by adding Amanda to it."

"I know," she admitted.

"Kate, is there any way I can talk you out of keeping this appointment?"

She shook her head adamantly.  "Browriley knows that I know about Paige
Norcross, and he's ready to talk about it.  You should have heard his
voice on the phone, so conciliatory, so...  well, almost humble." "Maybe
he's a good actor."

Kate leaned forward and wiped Amanda's mouth.  "Drink your milk,
Amanda," she said absently.  "We won't know until I meet him."  She
looked at Ben earnestly.  "We've ruled out Amanda's arrival as the cause
of these attacks on me, haven't we?"

When he didn't immediately respond, she continued, ticking off on her
fingers, "Amanda's uncle is in jail.  Hedrick seems to mna clean
operation.  Kim and her boyfriend may be crooks but they're not after
me.  We ruled that out, too."

She paused for him to nod affirmatively.

"So that leaves Brownley and the spa and Paige Norcross.  Doesn't it
make sense that a prostitution ring is being run out of the spa?"

"It's a viable possibility," he admitted.  "But that doesn't diminish
the danger--it increases it.  If Browriley tried to get rid of you twice
because you saw him with a hooker, what makes you think he's Mr.

Nice Guy now?"

"Because of his voice--"

"Kate," he said, shaking his head.

"And because he agreed to meet where I wanted.  He could have said in a
park--or at a roadside cafe, but the museum..."

"You could be shot at in a museum just as easily as on the street."

She tried to dismiss that thought with reason.  "Too many witnesses."

"There were witnesses on the street," he countered.

"But there was also a getaway car.  Isn't that what you call it?"  she
asked.

Ben managed a smile.  "After bank robberies, maybe.  In your case the
shooter was already in the r."  "

"Yes, and all he had to do was drive away.  Not so easy in a museum.

It's the perfect place for me to meet him, Ben.  Maybe they have a
kiddie museum for you and Amanda--"

"No way am I leaving you alone with Brownley," he countered.

She pushed her plate away and slumped back in the booth.  "You didn't
bargain for being a full-time bodyguard when you showed up to fix my
computer system, did you, Ben?"  She meant the words to be light, but a
serious tone had slipped into her voice.

"Let's just say when I took on the job, I had no idea it would be so
demanding, but it's too late to back out now," he added jokingly.  "So
I'll call my sister and see if she can take care of Amanda for a while.

She has a houseful of kids of her own--one more shouldn't be a problem."

"I knew you'd come through!"  Kate flashed him a dazzling smile, and he
felt his heart tighten in his chest.  Every minute he spent with her got
him more and more involved in her life.  What the hell was happening to
him?  Whatever it was, he wouldn't stop until it was over.

After that...  He shook the thought away and stood up abruptly, handing
Amanda to Kate.

"You clean her up.  I'll make the call."

Ba'rs SISTR'SOUSE was on a well-kept street in the Denver suburb of
Lakewood.  A huge wreath adorned the door, and outdoor lights--blazing
colorfully even though it was still broad daylight--were wrapped around
two small fir trees.  A couple of black-and-white cats raced across the
porch and disappeared over the fence into the backyard where Kate caught
a glimpse of a child's swing set and a jungle gym.  Inside, a dog barked
at their approach.

This was a house that celebrated Christmas, children and pets.

There was only a trace of resemblance to Ben in the high cheekbones and
dark eyes of the woman who greeted them at the door.  Joan Talmadge was
short and a little stout with auburn hair and a wide smile.  She
immediately held out her arms to Amanda.

"What a cute baby!"  The Blackeagle magic worked again and Amanda went
eagerly to Joan, regarding her curiously but not at all fearfully, even
though a fuzzy brown puppy scrambled at her feet.

Joan gave the dog a loving push with her foot, set-tied the baby more
comfortably in her arms and greeted Kate.  "Hi, I'm Joan."

"And I'm Kate.  Thanks so much for baby-sitting for us."

"I'm happy to do it."  She cut her eyes at Ben.  "It's not often that my
big brother asks me to take care of a baby for him."

Kate could tell that Joan was bursting with questions.  Her curious eyes
darted from Kate's face to Ben's, looking for clues, too polite to ask.
Instead she said, "How about some coffee?"

Ben shook his head.  "We've got to get moving.  Kate has a pressing
engagement."  He handed Joan the laden diaper bag.  "This is packed with
enough gear to last for a week."

Just then two small figures burst into the room, grabbed Ben's legs and
tried to shin up them like climbing a tree.  He picked up one child in
each arm and whirled around.  Wild laughter ensued, and Amanda,
imitating, joined in as the dog barked frantically and jumped around
Ben's legs.

"This is my number-one niece, Nikki, aged four."  "Four and a half,
Uncle Ben," she insisted.

"Sorry, Nik.  And this is Tyler, who is two.  Is that right, Nikki?"

"Uh-huh."  The little girl was now giving all of her attention to
Amanda.

"Where's your older brother?"  Ben asked Nikki.  "Playing computer
games.  Can I hold the baby?"

"Later," Joan promised, "after you help me get her out of this
snowsuit."

Nikki almost jumpext with joy at the opportunity.  A few minutes later,
Ben and Kate slipped out of the house, and Amanda hardly noticed their
departure.  All her attention was on the two dark-haired children wooing
her with their favorite toys, and the puppy, amazingly gentle as he
nudged her with his damp nose.

Kate paused in the doorway, and Ben noticed the expression on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said.  "But something's very right for Amanda.  Just look
at her.  She's glowing, with a real family, a mother and kids...



Firmly he took her arm.  "You're too hard on yourself, Kate."

She followed him to the car.  "Sometimes I think I'm not tough enough."
The rest of her thoughts she left unsaid.  If she were really tough,
she'd know what to do about Amanda, what would be best for both of them.

Tm D.w Agr MUSEXRM wasn't as packed with visitors as Kate had expected;
in fact, it was almost deserted when they arrived.  Apparently Christmas
and culture didn't go together, Kate thought as they picked up maps to
the special traveling exhibit where she'd suggested meeting Brownley.

"American impressionism.  How did you know about this?"  he asked.

"I read about it in the newspaper a few weeks ago.  It's here through
January so I didn't rush out to see it since I thought I had plenty of
time."  She smiled ruefully.  "Obviously I didn't imagine what would
happen in the meanwhile."  Kate chattered on, trying to cover her
nervousness, but Ben didn't hide his concern.  They hadn't gone but a
few feet before he began making negative noises.

"I don't like this, Kate.  Not enough people around."

"You're around," she said lightly.  But her heart was pounding in spite
of his presence.  Maybe she had made a mistake setting this up with
Brownley in the museum, but he hadn't wanted to meet in his office or
home, and she certainly wouldn't have suggested her office.  No matter
where they met, she would still be on edge.

"There'll be a guard in the room," she said, reassuring herself as they
got closer to the exhibition.  "Maybe you should walk behind me so
Brownley won't see us together."

Ben dropped back, his words unintelligible.  Kate suspected half of them
were curses.  But she was right, and he knew it; Brownley wouldn't
approach unless she was alone.

She walked into the first room of the xhibition with Ben close behind,
but not too close.  There was a bench in the middle of the room.  She
walked over to it and sat down.

Ben moved around the room, looking at the pictures but not seing them.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath.  "How does this keep haplning to
me?"  He glanced around.  There were two other people wandering from
painting to painting, talking in low voices, finally moving on to the
next phase of the exhibit.

They were now alone, Kate on the bench, Ben walking the room, one eye on
her.  Where the hell was the guard?

Another couple passed through, quickly, disinterestedly followed by a
lone man.  Ben's body tensed.  He made a quarter turn toward the door,
watching but with his eyes still ostensibly on the painting.  Three of
them, alone in a huge room filled with valuable art-work--and no guard.

But this wasn't their man.  He could tell by the expression on Kate's
face.  Damn, he shouldn't have had to wait for her reaction; he should
have asked for a description of Browriley.  He could only hope his
amateurishness didn't get them into trouble.

Then a group of a dozen or more people came into the room, all
middle-aged, most carrying catalogs, not the guides given away at the
entrance but expensive books.  Obviously a serious group, following
their professorial docent, who stopped in front of the first painting
and began what turned out to be a lengthy explanation of its merits.

Ben couldn't decide whether their presence was a detriment to their
cause or not.  Surely, Brownley would be less likely to try anything
with a crowd around; on the other hand, they could inadvertently create
a diversion for him.  Ben circled the room, casually glancing at the
pictures, and made his way to the one across from where Kat was sitting.
He positioned himself between her and the door and stepped back to look
at the pain frog a large landscape resplendent in pinks and greens.

As he studied it, a stocky, middle-aged man in an expensive suit
approached.  He stopped a few feet from Ben, whose instinct told him
this was Browriley.  But as he turned from the painting to look around
the room, his eyes swept past Kate to the members of the tour group,
clearly none of them the right age.

He looked back at Kate, frowned and checked his watch.

What the hell was going on?  Ben figured it out just as Kate waved the
man over.  He hadn't recognized her in the blond wig.  At least the
disguise was successful.

Too bad that he couldn't keep the woman wearing it under control.

He watched carefully as Brownley walked toward Kate, his hand extended,
perfectly civilized.  She remained seated on the bench but reached up
and shook hands before gesturing for him to join her.  So far so good.

Ben quickly crossed the room and took a position directly behind them so
he could watch without being observed by Browriley.

To his surprise, Kate reached up to touch her hair and actually wiggled
her fingers at him behind her back.  The woman was incorrigible.

"IT'S TH WIG," Kate was saying.  From the moment she saw him, she felt
certain that Brownley was no threat, and she was proud of the wave she'd
given Ben to let him know.

"Yes," Browriley said, almost wearily, "I was sure I remembered you as a
redhead."  He sighed deeply.  "I might as well get fight down to it, Ms.
McNair.  I'm in a very difficult situation."

Kate bit her lip, determined to keep quiet and listen.

"The woman you saw me with that night in the house...  well, she wasn't
my wife...  which you know, since you've now met Martha."

"Yes," Kate said, carefully adding, "your wife seems like a fine woman."

"She is and I love her very much.  That...  incident with the other
woman--"

"Paige Norcross," Kate blurted out, no longer careful.

"You know her?"

"I know of her.  That is, I saw her one other time."  Browriley digested
that information.  "Well, I haven't seen her again, and I never intend
to.  That night was a middle-aged man's foolishness, a momentary
indulgence.  I wish it had never happened."

"And do you wish I'd never seen you, Mr.  Brown-ley?"  Kate challenged.

He smiled faintly.  "Yes, I must admit, I do."

Kate felt a momentary pang of pity for him.  "I've been trying to reach
you for a long time," she said.

"And I've been avoiding you, trying to decide what to do."

"Did you consider getting rid of me?"  she challenged.

His expression was incredulous.  "Getting rid of you?  You mean firing
you?  Canceling the ESS contract?  No, i've wanted you to have the
contract from the beginning, but after you saw me with...  Paige
Norcross, well, I thought a lucrative deal might make you look a little
more positively toward me."

"That sounds like blackmail, Mr.  Browriley."  "On the contrary, Ms.

Men air I was wondering if you might be the kind who holds men like me
up for blackmail."

"That's not my style, I assure you," she said.

His mouth tightened.  "If you told what you saw at my house that
night--"

"Your career would be ruined..."

"Along with my marriage."

Kate glanced over her shoulder and saw that Ben was now seated on a
bench at the opposite side of the room, his long legs stretched out, his
attention on a painting.  He knew she was safe.  What he didn't know was
that the man she'd been afraid of was even more afraid of her!

"I'm no danger to you, Mr.  Browriley, but I expect Paige Norcross could
be."

"You mean she might tell my wife?"

"I don't know," Kate said honestly.  "I don't know anything about Paige.
Do you?"

He shrugged.  "I know nothing about the woman.  I met her at a cocktail
party.  We struck up a conversation, and she gave me her number.  I was
a little surprised, frankly, but when Martha went out of town..."  He
looked away, embarrassed.  "You know the rest of the story.  But maybe I
don't," he observed.  "Is there something I should know about her?"

"I'm not sure," Kate replied.  "Have you ever been to the restaurant at
Sky-High Spa?"

"Coral Lampiere's place?  No, I've never been there."

"But you know Coral?"  she asked eagerly.

"I met her once or twice at fund-raisers.  That's about it.  Did Paige
work at the spa?"

"I don't know...  "Had she been wrong again?  Maybe Paige was only a
patron of the spa and Edie's comment about call girls an offhand remark.
"I saw her there and thought...  It doesn't matter."  As usual with her
theories, two and two weren't making four.

Brownley gave a relieved sigh.  "I'm glad I finally faced you."  He
looked at her beseechingly.  "Of course, you'll keep the contract with
United Charities, but because it may be difficult for us to work
together, I'll have one of my assistants handle your job search for us."

"You don't have to worry," Kate said.  "If we run into each other at
United Charities, it will be as if this never happened."

Browriley got to his feet and said sadly, "But I'll know and you'll
know."  He held out his hand.  "Merry Christmas, Ms.  McNair.  We'll
talk after the new year."

"Goodbye, Mr.  Brownley."

Thoughtfully, she watched him walk away.  Ben was beside her before
Browriley was out of the room.  "So?"

"He confessed--"

Ben looked skeptical.

"To being unfaithful to his wife.  Nothing more."

"I figured as much.  He couldn't be scamming you, could he?"

Kate shook her head.  "He's afraid of me, Ben.  That's why he was hiding
out.  Now that he realizes I'm no threat, he has to worry about telling
his wife."  "Do you think he will?"

"I don't know, but I put a little scare in him with talk of Paige. That
might just prompt him to tell Martha.  I hope so.  She seems like the
type who can handle it."

"Meanwhile, back to Paige..."

"I hate to say this, but I could be wrong about the call girl angle,
too.  He didn't hook up with her through the spa."  She sighed deeply.

"We're back at square one again, Ben."

"Maybe not," he said.  "Hey, would you like to have a look at the rest
of the exhibit?  It's pretty interesting."

She shook her head.  "Another time, when I'm more in the mood for art
and less in the mood for puzzles."

"We've had a long day, Kate.  Enough of puzzles for a while."

"No, Ben, I have another thought.  Listen to this."  With a sigh he
dropped down beside her.

"I was thinking about that chart you made of the events in my life
before the first accident."

"Yeah, the night appointments with Brownley and Coral, the arrival of
Amanda--"

"Three events.  We've eliminated Brownley or he's eliminated himself.

Amanda's connections aren't connections at all.  That leaves the spa."

He raised that dark eyebrow, waiting.

"Maybe I did see something that night.  Something I didn't even know I
saw."

"You saw a janitor."

"That's all I can remember."  She looked at him with a sly smile.  "Do
you think I should be hypnotized so I can recall the rest?"

He grinned.  "Why not?  We've tried evepjthing else.  Unfortunately, I
don't have the necessary powers."  He cut his eyes at her.  "And if I
did, I might be tempted to use them for something else."

She felt herself blushing.  "You wouldn't need to hypnotize me to..."

"To?"  He nudged her insinuatingly.  "To--whatever you were thinking."

"It's what I've been thinking about most of the day, when we weren't
racing around putting pieces of a puzzle together."

"I have an idea!"  she said.

"Damn."  He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and looked at the
picture directly in front of them, trying to get his mind back on their
search.  He might as well admit it.  Kate was obsessed at this moment
with only one thing, and it wasn't him.  "Okay," he said.  "Tell me."

"It's about the spa."

"Of course.  Because of your friend Coral."  "And Paige Norcross and the
call girl ring."  "If there is one."

Kate didn't seem to be listening.  "Coral and I talked on the phone, we
met for lunch, we made an evening appointment.  If she wrote any of that
on her calendar and someone saw it--"

"Where are you going with this, Kate?"

"I'm not sure, but I know Coral wanted to replace some of her personnel.
And I can't imagine that person-or people--would be happy about it.
Mark Kersten, for example.  He's a tough-looking guy, really scary.  He
could easily be the kind to run an illegal operation."


"Because of the way he looks."  Ben's tone told her he wasn't buying
that.

"Then there's Jennifer.  All warm and friendly on the outside, but cold
as ice inside."

"You can tell that from the way she looks, too?"  Ben was trying to play
devil's advocate, but Kate wasn't ready to give up her line of thought.

"And Dylan--if there's a call girl ring, he could easily be the front or
shill or whatever they're called, the one who lures women into the
spa--"

Ben laughed in spite of her dirty look.  "And then turns them into
ladies of the night?"

"It doesn't work that way, right?"

"Right."

She couldn't contain an irritated frown.

"But you may be on the right track," he admitted.  "The spa could be a
cover for something."

"And with Coral gone, they have free rein to do whatever they want.

God, she'd die if she knew."

Ben's voice was ironic.  "The way you almost did."  Kate didn't want to
think about that.  "Maybe someone at the spa thinks Coral told me about
the call girl ring.  That makes sense!  Listen to this--Coral finds out
someone's running an illicit business out of her spa, and she decides to
replace the person--or people."

"Go on."  He looked interested now.

"So she calls me to find a replacement before she axes the culprit or
calls the police.  Someone sees my name on her calendar--"

"And decides you know too much?"

"It's possible."

"Then why wouldn't the bad guy--or gal--try to get rid of Coral, too?"

A shiver ran down her spine.  Her cheeks felt clammy.  "Maybe someone
did."

The room was eerily silent as Kate's words hung in the air.  Then a
voice boomed out.

"Time to leave, folks.  We'll be closing in five minutes."

They turned to see a guard standing in the door.  "Now the guard
arrives," Kate said.

Ben called out, "We'll be right there.  Just give us another minute or
two with this picture."  He turned back to Kate.  "It's not plausible."

"Why not?  You were going right along with me for a minute there."

"Here's what stops me--that out of all the phone calls, appointments,
meetings on her calendar, they pick your name and decide to get rid of
you.  Too convenient, Kate."  He stood, gave her a hand and pulled her
to her feet.

"Then...  what?"

"There's still that night.  You must have seen something, or someone
thought you did."

They left the room and walked down the deserted' corridor, their
footsteps echoing on the marble floor.  "If only I could remember..." "A
janitor, that's all?"  "Hmm," she murmured.

"What was he doing?"

"I tried to ask him a question, but he was busy cleaning up..."

"With a broom, with a vacuum cleaner--with what?"  Ben prodded.

"No, he was pushing a trash thing.  He just kept going."

"Trash thing?"  Ben chuckled.

"You know, those big canvas things they dump all the wastepaper baskets
into."

"Was anyone with him, helping him?"  "Nope.  Damn.  Why aren't I more
observant?"  "Don't worry about it.  Whether you saw anything or not,
I'm beginning to believe that they think you did."

"Suddenly you see the light!"

They left the building into a late afternoon that was crisp but not as
cold as it had been.  Kate didn't even bother to zip her jacket as they
headed toward the car.  "What convinced you?"  she asked.

He laughed.  "Your persistence.  No, it's the idea that Coral..."

"Found out?"

He nodded.

"Ben, we have to do something!  Coral could be in danger--or worse." She
grabbed his arm.  "If there's an illegal business being run out of the
spa, there'll be records.  Probably buried in a computer file.

Someone like you could find them."  She looked up at him pleadingly as
he opened the car door for her.

But she had to wait for his response until he got in, started the car
and drove away.  Even then he was silent for a long while.

"There's a limit to what I can hack into, Kate.  If I could get in
through a modern, maybe, but the spa's personal computer system...  I
doubt it."

She paused a beat before offering her next suggestion.  "What if you
were inside the spa--after hours?

Then you'd have plenty of time to hack around, and while you were doing
that, I could go through Coral's desk and look for the name of her
travel agent, her cruise ship--"

"No, Kate."

"What choice do we have?"

"I told you before, I draw the line when it comes to breaking in."

"We wouldn't have to break in.  We could just hang around until the spa
closes.  If we accidentally get locked in, it's not our fault, is it?"

"We're picking up Amanda and going home."  Ben pulled onto the turnpike
and headed toward Lake-.  wood.

"Then I'll go alone," Kate said with stubborn termination.  "If you
aren't interested in getting to the bottom of this, I can't force you to
help.  God knows, you've done more than your share."

"And willingly, Kate," he reminded her.  "But I stop short of going to
jail."

"We won't get caught, Ben, and if we do, we just say that we were...
uh..."

"Making love in the linen closet and time got away from us?"

She was determined not to smile.  "I'm going, unless you tie me up or
handcuff me--"

"Now that sounds like fun."

She ignored him and continued.  "We say that we didn't realize the spa
closed so early, and we were just about to call the police to extricate
us.  No one can call us on that."

"Except someone with half a brain."

"I'm going How're you getting there,

"In a cab, if I must."

He shook his head.  "Not a good plan."

"In my car.  It's certainly ready now."

"You mean the car that had its tires slashed, the one that's about as
recognizable to the wrong person as your red coat?"

"I'll get there--somehow.  And I'll get into Coral's office.  Either
you're with me or not."

"Not."

But Kate caught something in his voice.  She could tell he was
weakening; she knew deep down he was intrigued.  She had learned to read
his thoughts, which both encouraged and saddened her.  It showed how
close they had become but reminded her that the closeness was only
temporary.

Quickly, she got back to her argument.  "It'll be a challenge..."

He didn't respond.  "A wonderful hunt."  Silence.

"You know you're dying to do it and just too stubborn to give in. Admit
it.  You want to know the answer as much as I."

"I'll only admit that I'm not letting you go alone.  If you're right
about the spa and Coral and the call girl ring, this could be
dangerous."

"Not if we're careful.  My disguise has worked perfectly at the spa. No
one knows I'm Kate McNair, Coral's friend from ESS, and besides, they'd
never try anything there.  You should see the place.  It's crowded with
women on the machines, taking classes, in the Jacuzzi. And the
restaurant's always packed."  She decided not to mention her lone foray
into Coral's office where she had been accosted by Mark.

Ben pulled the car to a stop two houses away from Joan's.  They could
see her and the children in the yard, building a Showman.  At least the
older kids were budding.  Amanda was grabbing hunks of snow from the
round body as fast as the others added it.  Soon a snow fight ensued,
with the kids tumbling about, laughing and squealing while Amanda
clapped her hands in approval.

For a moment, Kate forgot her argument with Ben.  "Look at Amanda," she
said, "holding her own with the others and loving it."

"Mandy adapts fast," Ben said.

Kate nodded, unable to stop watching or thinking about how happy the
child was, how right it was for her to be with a family.  The messages
seemed to be coming louder and clearer all the time: Amanda would be
better off almost anywhere than with her.  "Let's pick her up," Ben
urged.

"No.  Let her be happy for a few more hours.  She needs a break from
me."

"Don't be down on yourself, Kate.  You're getting there."

"I'm trying."

Ben took in the scene once more.  "But I see your point.  She's having a
good time, and the kids are crazy about her.  So..."  He turned the car
around.

They were on the turnpike before Kate's mind left Amanda and got back to
their plan--or lack of one.

He glanced over at her.

"Since we have tune to kill, why not take a run by the spa, just to
check it out?"

He heaved a sigh.  "I might as well agree because if I don't, you'll
never give up, but we have to do it my way, Kate."

She smiled innocently.  "Of course, Ben.  I wouldn't think of doing it
any other way."

Chapter Eleven.

Parked near the back of the spa, Ben watched deliw cry trucks come and
go.  There seemed to be no end to -deliveries to Sky-High Spa, even as
darkness fell.  Two women in running suits with Green Thumb logos on
their jackets carried in a potted palm.  Aren't We Clean?  made
deliveries of laundered towels, and a skinny redheaded kid hefted a
carton of Fruity-Tooty drinks and disappeared through the delivery
entrance.

But the white truck from Poolside People interested Ben the most.  It
had been parked at the curb since he pulled up.  As he watched, a hefty
young man came out of the spa carrying pool-cleaning equipment, which he
loaded into the truck.  He wasn't wearing a uniform; there were no logos
on his shirt.

"All right," Ben said aloud.  This would be his way in.

He waited patiently as the pool truck drove off and then forced himself
to wait another fifteen minutes before making a move.  He'd promised
Kate that he could get into the spa and hide out until dosing time.

That was the trade-off to keep her from finding a way to let him in. He
was worried enough about her getting past the "receptionist and into the
locker room without being noticed by Mark.  Ben sensed, whether she
admitted it or not, that something had happened during her last visit,
and he didn't want to take any chances this time.

He checked his watch.  Time to go.

He walked to the delivery dock and rang the bell.  Nothing happened.

"Damn."  Was he too late?  He waited and then rang again.

Finally the door opened and a harried young woman in a warm-up suit
greeted him.  "Another delivery?"  She saw that he was empty-handed.

"What now?"

Ben smiled to himself.  She was overworked, and he couldn't have been
happier.  "I'm from Poolside People."

She looked confused.  "Your guy was already here."  "I know.  But we
forgot one important water test."  He shook his head.  "This is
embarrassing to admit, but..."  He took a chance.  "The guy we sent is
new, and he made a mistake.  We wouldn't be the city's leading pool
cleaner if we didn't make sure everything was perfect."

He looked down at her with a sly smile.  "We aim to please."  He stuffed
his hand into his pocket.  "It's just a simple test.  Only takes one
dipstick."

She shrugged.  "If Coral were here, I'm sure she'd want everything to be
perfect, but she's gone and Jennifer's busy--"

"And you're overworked," he said sympathetically.

"You;re right about that."  She sighed heavily.  "It's too late for
repairs, deliveries or anything else, but go on in."

He paused.  "Sorry, but I've never been here so you'll need to point me
in the right direr ion B" tsstsd to th closhg sounds in sid S-High Spa.
Doors shung, 1 clang, voi calling out goodbye.  Stcg, s-f stiffly h the
thy changhg s11. How noal-siple man-ag to get out of eff cloth and into
bathing surs in th pla, he didn' tow but R'd wor, he did as he ttl down
to wt.

A few mu hter, he hrd e sold of e door to e pool m ong'd held his bth.

A man's voi call out, "body here?  It's closg time.  is the last c."
Apparently satisfi that the a was p, e staff m fiip off the ligh and dos
the door.

n loo at the fa of h watch, the only illuafion h the tight spa.  T afar
the.  How much longer would he have to wait until he uld safely unfold
his cram body and t out?  patient, he de-dd on n mhu; , wang to
cautious, he chged that to enw mu.

To pass the te, he mrn though tote most nt that e spa was a front for
an da borate call gifting.  It sound tike a go th, n ad mitt to himlf,
butte had absolutely no proof.  Was her id other dd end like all the
others?  he wonders.

In the dars, n shook his he and smil wly.  o would have thought, when he
arrive at utive Srch to play a simple duty job, he'd end up playing Jam
Bond?  No, not just Bondl Was there a spy chacmr who also doubl as a
daddy?  Probably not, but it might make a great sit corn, Ben decided.
Only what they were about to do tonight wasn't all that funny.

Especially Kate's role.  She'd have to get past the reception desk and
the exercise room without be' rag spotted by Mark or Jennifer.  Even
though Ben hadn't heard the full story of what happened on her last
junket into the spa, he knew that if any of her theories were right,
Mark would be on the lookout for her, and his questions would be his
wife's questions, too.

Ben took a deep breath, uncut led his body and opened the changing-room
door.  Dark.  Quiet.  Both good signs.  He'd calculated the distance
from dressing room to pool door, and in the dark he easily skirted the
pool, pushed through the door.  and headed for the exercise room, using
Kate's directions as a guide to the executive offices.  She was there to
meet him.  "What kept you?"

He couldn't help smiling.  The woman was remarkable.  "Oh, a little
thing called caution."

"Never heard of it."  She laughed, but he could tell from the way she
sounded that she was scared to death.  He kept that observation to
himself.  "Where'd you hide?"  she asked.

"Pool changing room, just as you suggested.  How about you?"

"Shower stall.  It was clammy but fragrant.  Everything around here
smells great."

"I noticed that," he said, inhaling a scent that had nothing to do with
the spa but was Kate's alone.  He tried to ignore it and concentrate on
what they were here for.  "Now, let's get going--"

"Did you have any problems?"  she asked.

"Not a one..."

"I didn't either," she told him.  "Slipped right past the receptionist,
never saw Mark..."

"Kate, we'll talk about our espionage experiences later.  Right now,
let's get organized.  I don't want to spend more than an hour here."

"Will that give us enough time--"

"See to it," he ordered.  "You take Coral's office, and I'll check out
Mark's and Jennifer's."

"They left on the hall lights," she said.  "Pretty convenient."

"These buildings never sleep, which is a good reason to get a move on,"
he nudged.  "Let's get going."

KATE Ot.NED the door to Coral's office and closed it quickly behind her,
before turning on the light as Ben had instructed.  Then she flew to the
desk, grabbed the December calendar and flipped through it.  She was
looking for two dates--her lunch appointment with Coral and the night
meeting that never happened.

All the appointments were written in pen, she noticed as she went
through each date.  Good.  They'd be difficult to doctor so if...  She
stopped, flipped back and then forward again.  Her heart skipped a beat.
Both pages pertaining to her had been torn out!

Had Coral ripped out the pages--or had someone else gotten to the book,
the same someone who attacked Kate and who might have harmed Coral?

Ignoring for a moment Ben's instructions to hurry, Kate sank into the
desk chair and took a deep breath.  There was no disputing the facts,
but missing pages in a diary would mean nothing to the police.  She had
to find something else.

She opened Coral's desk and began methodically to rummage through it.

No travel folders.  No cruise brochures.  Not a single notation that
Coral planned a trip.

The door opened, and she jumped, startled.

"Don't go creeping around like that," she admonished.

"I thought that was the idea," Ben teased.  "Quiet, creeping searches.

Find anything?"

"Pages are missing from her calendar."  "Your pages'?"  "Yep."

"What else?"  he asked.

"It's not what's here but what isn't--no hint of a cruise."  "

Kate got up so he could sit down at the desk and turn on the computer.

"That stuff could be at her house."  "

"I doubt it.  Now I'm sure she's not on a cruise.  That's just what they
want everyone to think.  Did you find out anything in their offices?"

"Nothing incriminating.  Jennifer's a fitness freak with a drawer full
of granola bars and low-fat cookies.  As far as paperwork is concerned,
she seems to run the day-to-day operation, instructor schedules, work
out programs, that sort of thing.  Nothing financial."  "And Mark--"

"Girlie magazines everywhere."

"I knew it!"

Ben didn't seem to be listening as he hit a series of keys on Coral's
computer.

"He's running the call girl ring," she insisted.

He shook his head.  "The spreadsheets look legit in the ratio of income
to expenses.  The spa does a good business."

"No wonder.  He probably makes most of the money on the side with his
sleazy operation," Kate said, not giving up.

"Umm.  The figures aren't that good, Kate.  Prof its are in the normal
range.  Nothing ctraordinary."

"Then it's hidden away somewhere," she insisted, "buried in a
innocent-looking file."

"Don't think so.  I'm pretty good at unearthing hidden files."  He
continued to hit computer keys, pausing between each series.  "Damn."

"That's the matter?"

"None of the obvious codes work."  He paused to think for a moment
before shaking his head.  "No,.

that's too simple."

"What?"

"Her name.  What did you say it was before she came here?"

"Carol Lain--"

He'd hit five keys before the last name was out of Kate's mouth.  "I
don't believe it.  She used Carol for her password."  Ben shook his
head.  "Three easy accesses in a row.  This place should have hired me
to hack-proof."

Kate laughed.  "Especially since you always leave a back door open."

"Only until I'm sure my clients know what they're doing."

"And I don't?"

"Nope."  He looked up at her with a wink.  "Maybe I'll give you a few
lessons once all this is behind us."

She cocked her head and frowned slightly.  That was the first time he'd
mentioned anything that hinted at the future, even if it was only
business.  She started to respond, but he was back to the keyboard.

"Let's see What we have here..."

The moment was gone, and it was clear that he hadn't even noticed it.

He was teasing, and she was taking it seriously.  She bent over, trying
to concentrate on the screen.

"I-Iram, this is interesting.  Look at the file named Xmaslist."

"Christmas cards, I imagine," she said as he opened the file.  "My
name's probably in there."

Ben chuckled.  "Oh, I don't think so.  Not in this one, anyway, unless
your name is Scarlett or Bambi...  or Paige."

"Oh, my God, it's the hooker list!"

"Looks like it.  Beside each name is a number--" He hit a few more keys.
"Some kind of code.  Okay, I've got it.  Separate sub files on each
woman, more codes, more numbers..."  He turned to Kate.  "Be patient.
This may take a minute."

She glanced at her watch.  "Besides the janitor, do you suppose there's
a night watchman?"

"Probably.  We'll just have to hope his rounds aren't hourly."

"Or even every two hours," she said.  "It's past ten "She stopped,
afraid of putting pressure on him.

But he wasn't listening.  His concentration was total, and Kate had no
choice but to wait, standing by nervously until at last he uttered what
sounded like a victory cry.  She focused on the screen as he told her,
"It's all here.  Dates.  Times.  Escorts, as they're called. And--fees.
Look at this, Kate, they charge astronomical rates.  This isn't some
streetwalker fifty-dollars-an-hour deal.  We're talking top-of-the-line
prostitutes.

Three, four, five grand.  And your friend Carol, alias Coral, is the
brains behind the operation."

"No!"  Kate protested.  "It can't be true.  It's not possible.  Coral is
so...  nice."

"The two things aren't mutually exclusive.  Haven't you heard about the
madam with the heart of gold?"  He exited the document and hit the print
key.  "This is quite an operation, Kate, bringing in huge amounts of
money.  It's mind-boggling."

He leaned back in the chair, stretching, almost languidly, as the
desktop printer began spitting out pages while Kate, dumbstruck, slumped
in a corner chair:

It wasn't possible that her mentor, her teacher, was involved in
something so sleazy.  She remembered the last time she'd seen her
friend, now known as Coral, at lunch in a downtown restaurant.  Her
hair, worn short, was tinted a becoming shade of blonde, and her neat
trim figure was shown off to advantage in a designer pantsuit.  She
looked much younger than her forty-plus years.  She was warm, witty,
charming.  How was it possible, Kate wondered, that such a together,
classy-looking woman was running a call girl ring?  "Ready?"  Ben asked.
"Let's hit the road."

When she didn't respond, he got up and touched her shoulder.  "Kate?"

"It can't be true," she said in a muted voice.  "I was sure Mark was the
ringleader.  How could Coral have done something like this?"

"One word," Ben said coolly.  "Greed with a capital G. Obviously, your
friend Coral has a secret side."  He ripped the list from the printer
and tucked it into his pocket.  "Now I'm beginning to agree with you
about her vacation.  I think it could be bogus."

"Should we call the police from here?"  Kate asked, getting to her feet.

"Sure.  We'll tell them we broke into the spa and gathered all this
information by hacking Coral's computer.  I don't think so, Kate.

Getting arrested for burglary won't do either of our careers any good."

"What happens next?"  she asked in frustration.  Ben took her face in
his hands.  "Let's talk about that after we get out of here.  We've done
all right so far.  Don't worry."  He kissed her quickly.  "That's for
luck."

"I needed it," she said, holding on to his strength for a moment.

"Okay, I'm ready.  Let's go."

She led hirfidown the hall, through the reception room to the spa
entrance.  As she headed for the door, he grabbed her arm and pulled her
back.

"What's the matter?"  she asked, frightened.  "Nothing--yet.  But this
is the only area with outside windows.  It's too exposed.  Plus there's
an alarm," he added, pointing to a yellow box at the entrance.  "Better
go out the delivery door."  "Won't there be an alarm there, too?"

"Probably, but it's closer to the car and not so exposed.  Come on." He
grabbed her hand and headed for the door he'd come in almost two hours
before.  "Yep.  There's the yellow box."

"We can't get out," she said in near desperation.  "Oh, we can get out
all right, and the door'll lock automatically behind us.  But the alarm
will definitely sound."

"Can't you bypass it or something?"

"I know computers, Kate.  I'm not a master electrician"

"

"But there's a number pad so there must be a code..."

"

"Sure, but security companies are a little more careful with their cods
than the managers here at the spa.  I might b able to crack it if we had
all night."

"But we don't," she said, looking nervously at her watch.  "Wait, I have
an idea.  What if I call the rity company, tell them I'm Jennifer and I
forgot the code--"

"Yeah, and they'll take your word for it.  No way, Kate."  He looked her
up and down.  "How're your legs?"

"My legs?"

"Are you all toned up from the machines?"  "Well, my thighs could be
better, but I'm getting there.  A few more sessions on the leg press
and--" She stopped mid-sentence.  "This isn't the time for teasing, Ben.
We could be in trouble."

"You're right, and that's why I asked about the legs, because they're
going to have to get you to the car in Olympic-record time."  He moved
to the door.  "When I open this, I want you to run like hell.  My car is
parked about a hundred yards from here, at the end of the alley--"

"Why so far away?"

"So nobody would connect it with this place."  That made sense.  But a
hundred yards...  at top speed...  Kate wished she had more spa workout
time under her belt.

"The cat's locked so stand by the passenger door--"

"Yeah, like I'll get there first."  Her heart pumped with alarming speed
as the enormity of what they'd done finally hit her.

"The alarm's going to be real loud.  Don't let it frighten you," he
advised.

"Oh, no.  Of course not," she replied sarcastically.

"Ben, I'm already as frightened as I'm going to be."  "I doubt it," he
said under his breath.  "What?"

"Nothing.  Just that the alarm will alert the night watchman.  We'll
just have to hope he's not nearby."  "And if he is?"

"Run even faster," he suggested.

She began to tremble.  There was a very good chance they'd get caught.

And arrested2 And booked.  Reporters would come.  Newspapers would carry
the story.  Maybe eventually they'd prove their case, but it wouldn't
matter because by then her job would be history.

She'd be in jail, and Amanda would" be in limbo.  "That kiss you gave me
for luck..."

He looked down at her, his eyebrow cocked.

"It didn't last long enough.  I need a little more encouragement."

With a smile he leaned over and kissed her again, this time more
thoroughly.  "How's that?"

"I'm ready to try out my legs."

Ben turned the handle, the door opened and they rushed into the night.

FOR   FEW SECONDS all was quiet except for the noise of their feet
pounding across concrete.

Then the sound of the alarm cut through the night with an endless wail.

Kate raced beside Ben for a few seconds, until, just as she expected, he
outdistanced her.  That was okay.  He'd get to the car, start the
engine, and then she'd be there.

She felt a sharp catch in her side and slowed down for an instant.  Her
breath came in short gasps, and her heart pounded with the turbulence of
a bass drum.  Damn, she cursed to herself, she was in no shape to run a
hundred-yard dash.  About halfway to the van, clutching her side, she
tried to speed up.

That was when she heard the footsteps behind her and a voice yelling out
for her to stop.

The night watchman!

Kate wasn't about to stop, even though she was nearly doubled over from
the pain in her side, and her breath was coming out in short, sobbing
gasps.  She.  was determined to make it, especially when she heard the
sound of a car door opening and slamming, the engine starting.  Ben was
in the Bronco!

But the guard was closing in.  She could hear his breathing, almost as
ragged as her own.  She was almost there.  Just a few more stepsa hand
grabbed her jacket, pulled hard and stopped her in her tracks.  She
tried to lunge forward, but he held fast.

"No, you don't--" His voice was raspy and deep, and somehow Kate knew
that the man was as winded as she.  If she could only break away.  She
whirled, lashing out with her fists.  "Let me go," she cried.

Then Ben was there.  She heard a dull thud, the guard dropped to the
concrete and she was free.

Ben dragged her toward his car, holding her arm tightly.  "Get in." The
driver's side door was open, and he lifted her high enough to propel her
inside, across the driver's seat.  She scrambled out of his way as he
vaulted in and slammed the door.

As they sped off, she looked out the back window to see the guard lying
in a crumpled heap.  "Is he--"

"He's all right.  Just knocked the wind out of him long enough, I hope,
to keep him from getting the license number."

He stepped on the gas and propelled the Bronco around a co ruer just as
Kate saw the guard struggling to his feet.  "I don't think he had time
to see the number," she said.  "Unless he saw it before you hit him."

"No way.  He was too busy trying to capture you."  Ben made a sharp
left, then a right.  The alarm was still wailing as they came to an
intersection and he pulled out into the traffic.  Only then did Ben hit
the headlights and slow down.

Kate let out a shaky breath.  "We're okay, Ben.  We made it!" Adrenaline
pumped through her body, energizing her.  "Oh, boy, what a trip!"

Ben threw back his head and laughed.  "You're a hell of a date, Kate
McNair."

BFJ USHF.  D the car to the maximum speed.  Even if the watchman hadn't
seen the tags, even if there were no police cars in sight, there was an
urgency inside him to get home.  Fast.

And her name was Kate.

He'd called his sister in advance and asked if Amanda could spend the
night.  In case of repercussions from the break-in, Joan's house would
be a safe haven.  To be honest, Amanda's well-being was only part of the
reason for his call; Kate was the rest.  He wanted her alone for a
night.

She'd taken off the blond wig, and her hair fell damply around her face.
She looked incredibly provocative as she pushed her hair away with
nervous hands and looked out the window, seeming to watch the night fly
by.

Was she as keyed up as he?  As anxious?  As much on It was difficult to
tell when they were both silent...  expectant, as if there was an
unspoken agreement about what would happen when they got to his house.
He stepped on the gas and the Bronco leaped forward, its headlights
eating up the dark mountain road.

The excitement of their adventure, the thrill, still hung thickly in the
air; it enveloped them both, and heated the already charged atmosphere.

Seated beside Ben, Kate clasped and unclasped her.  hands.  She was
possessed by an overpowering urge to reach out and touch him.  She
closed her eyes and tried to control her raging heart, but it was
impossible.  Her whole body vibrated with need for him.  What was
happening to her?  She'd never had this kind of hot yearning before,
never wanted a man as she wanted Ben.  Now.  This minute.

She took a deep breath and let it out through open lips.  Calm down, she
cautioned herself.  We'll be home soon.

But her body still throbbed with memories of his kiss and touch, their
lovemaking, the feeling of him inside her.  She wondered if her legs
would be strong enough to climb the stairs from the garage to his house.
From his living room to his bed.

It didn't matter.  If she couldn't walk, he'd have to carry her.  That
would be just fine.

ONE SMALL LIGHT burned when they finally reached Ben's living room. "Do
you want me to build a fire?"  His lips were dose to her ear, his breath
sending shiv "No," she whispered, admitting, "I have enough heat for
both of us."

She met his eyes boldly, and he saw the fire there.  His arms enclosed
her and he pulled her toward the stairs.  At the bottom of the stairs he
stopped, unable to go another step, and pressed his body hard against
her.  The clothes she wore felt heavy, keeping him from her.

"Let's get rid of these...  "His hands shook as he peeled off her
jacket, shirt and bra, leaving her naked from the waist up.  He let his
hands roam her skin, stopping to place one over the curve of her left
breast.  "Your heart," he said.  "It's pounding so..."  "The chase.  The
excitement."

"Right," he agreed wryly.  "Me, too."  He kissed her hard, and while his
tongue and lips explored hers hungrily, she pulled at his shirt, opening
it to his waist.  Then, struggling with his zipper, she pushed it down
and reached inside to touch him.

He felt as though rockets had gone off inside his head.  Swaying, he
grabbed on to the railing.  "I don't think I can make it upstairs."

Her laugh was soft and low.  "Don't worry.  We can make love here."

"On the stairs?"  he asked as he buried his face in her hair.

"Have you ever..."

"No.  Have you...  ?"

She shook her head as she sank back slowly.

He held on and dropped to the stairs on top of her.  "I wonder if this
is possible..."

Her throat was so tight she could hardly speak.  "With us anything is
possible."

He knelt in front of her and hungrily kissed her mouth.  Warm liquid
heat flowed through her as if she'd been freed from a winter's chill.

He broke the kiss, and their eyes met and held.  His handsome bronzed
face was intense with pleasure.  She leaned forward and kissed him,
mating her tongue with his, pressing her damp skin against him.  Just as
their bodies touch physically, she yearned to be part of his heart, part
of his life--forever.

And then there was nothing but the moment and the magic of being
together.

WHE BF OPEI his eyes, it took him a moment to realiz where he was, what
had happened to him, whom he was with.  But when it came back to him, it
came back with a wash of emotion.

Kate was curled up next to him in his bed, a strand of her red hair
splashed across his shoulder.  He stayed quiet, barely breathing,
feeling her close and reveling in the feeling.

He shifted slightly, and she eased away from his body for a moment.  He
felt alone and empty, and then she murmured and rolled back closer,
cuddling against him.  That was more like it.  He smiled and ran his
hand along the softness of her back.

What a time they'd had.

Both of them, high on adrenaline from the chase at the spa, had used
their energy in a way that had re-suited in a night he'd never forget.

First their lovemaking on the stairs, which had been spontaneous and
highly passionate.  Later they'd showered together and made a meal of
sorts before stumbling to bed.  He'd expected that they would fall
asleep then, but to his amazement, he found that he wanted her again and
that she was just as eager for him.

He opened his eyes and twisted a strand of her bright hair in his
fingers, whispering, "You're quite a woman, Kate McNair.  You're getting
under my skin...  which isn't what I had in mind.  But..."

He thought about getting out of bed and going downstairs to make coffee,
but Kate was still nestled tightly against-him, and the bed was still
warm and inviting.  There would be a tough day ahead of them. Why rush
it?

Chapter Twelve.

"What a great night that was," Ben said, squeezing Kate's hand as they
walked along a winding path in the woods behind his house.

"It was a pretty wonderful morning, too," she responded and then felt
her cheeks redden.

He looked down at her with a grin.  "Is that a blush I see?"

"No," she denied.

"Well, you sure weren't blushing last night--or this morning," he added.

She remembered vividly their wonderful lovemaking, and then she really
did blush.

His eyes held her, and his smile caused her to smile in return.  "Were
you?"  he prodded.

"It was dark!"

He laughed and gave her a hug.  "We'll have to remember to turn on the
lights."

She nodded without reply as they walked on.  He hadn't said' tonight or
even "next time."  She listened to the silence of the outdoors, broken
only by the sound of their feet crunching on the icy edges of the snow.

She had no idea whether there'd be a tonight or a next time.

He helped her up a rise where they sat on a huge rock with indentations
that perfectly accommodate their bodies.

"I carved this for us," he said.

"Sure you did."  She settled comfortably onto the rock and heaved a
sigh.  Before them rose the jagged snow-covered peaks of the Continental
Divide, etched against the wide blue sky.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"  he asked.

"It's overpowering," she said, barely able to take in the whole panorama
without turning her head, first to the left and then the fight.  There
was so much sky, she thought.  "I guess this is what they mean by "big
sky ountry."  "

"

"Yup," he said with a Western twang.  ""This is it, ma'am."

"It's fabulous."

Ben put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug.  "Not as
fabulous as being curled up in bed with you."

She didn't blush this time but looked him directly in the eye.  "No, not
as good..."

"But?"  he nudged.

"But we have work to do, and we couldn't have done it in bed."

"We could have tried."

"All right.  We needed a walk in the crisp mountain air to clear our
heads and subdue our hormones."  He kissed her behind her ear.

"Temporarily."

She leaned back beside him, letting the sun warm her skin and seep
through into the depths of her body.  "The sun on my skin..."  she said,
tilting her face upward and closing her eyes, "feels so good."

"That's what's so surprising about Colorado weather.  We
get these warm days in the middle of winter, but then we get a foot of
snow," he added.

"That won't happen in Mexico at Christmas time," she said, feeling a
momentary pang of jealousy.  "The weather should be perfect down there."

"Umm," he replied idly, letting his fingers play in her hair.  "No
surprises south of the border.  It's a different world.  But the sun
will be shining in Florida, too," he reminded her--and himself--thinking
of what was ahead for both of them.

Instead of anticipation at his upcoming vacation, he felt a sudden wave
of sadness.  He shook it away, determined to keep his priorities
straight.  First, solve Kate's problems; then, take off for Mexico.

"But before either of us goes anywhere," he said, "let's figure out
what's happening at the spa."

"Face some facts, you mean.  Like the fact that Coral was running a call
girl ring..."

"That's looking more and more likely."

"And someone found out and decided to make trouble."

He nodded.

"And she called me to find a replacement," she continued, ticking off
the facts as she saw them, "and--he killed her."

"By "he" do you mean Mark Kersten?"

"Who else?"

Ben shrugged, looking up into the clear blue sky.  Above them a hawk
made giant, lazy circles over the pines.  For a moment, he thought about
his grandfather, the times they'd spent together in the forest, and
wondered if the old man could have put all these clues any better than
he.

"So, why wouldn't Mark turn her over to the police instead of killing
her?"  he asked.

"Because he wanted in on the deal?"  she suggested.

"Sounds reasonable.  But we can't take that to the police."

"Unless he killed her," Kate suggested.

Overhead, the hawk continued to circle.  "There's no evidence, Kate," he
reminded her.  "No body."

She shrugged her shoulders in a frustrated gesture.  "I know, and
everyone at the spa seems to believe she's on a cruise."

The sun reflected on the rocks and on the bright snow, sending shards of
light upward toward the soaring hawk.  It was a beautiful scene, Kate
thought as she leaned against Ben, feeling the warmth of his body merge
with the sun's heat.  But the beauty around her couldn't blot out the
jumble in her mind or the half-formed ideas and images.  Coral as she'd
last seen her.  Mark's anger.  Jennifer's cold eyes.

"One of the people at the spa knows where Coral is."  She spoke the
thought aloud.

"And that person thinks you know something or saw something that puts
your life in danger."

That thought still frightened her, in spite of the comfort of Ben's arm
around her and the security of his nearness.  "I didn't see anything
that night but the janitor--"

"And he saw you."

"Definitely."

"Were you wearing your red coat?"

She nodded.

"Without a hat--your red hair hanging down for him to see?"

"Yes, but I don't think the janitor is a likely suspect?"

"Unless he wasn't a janitor.  Think about it, Kate.  You pretended to be
a blonde.  I pretended to be a pool guy.  Couldn't someone just as
easily pretend to be a janitor pushing a cart that's big enough for--"

Kate grasped his arm with a moan.  "Big enough for a body?"

"That could explain a lot.  A missing body.  Someone on your trail.

What else can you remember about the guy?"  he prodded.

She closed her eyes and tried to dredge up the memory.  "A little above
medium height, between five ten and six foot, I'd say."

"Mark's height?"

She nodded.  "But Jennifer's, too.  And Dylan's," she added.

"Anything about the clothes?"

"Nope.  Dark.  Nondescript," she replied.  "You couldn't see the face?"
She shook her head.

"Hair.  Didn't you say Mark was bald?"

"Yes.  And both Jennifer and Dylan have blond hair..."

"Which was it?  Think, Kate."

"I'm thinking so hard it's giving me a headache," she shot back.  Eyes
still closed, she worked on the memory.  "Wait!  I didn't see any
hair--because the janitor had on a hat, no, a cap, a knit cap."

"That could have hidden long hair..."

"Or a bald head," she added, sinking back against him.  "Masquerading as
a janitor is a perfect disguise.  Just think about it.  The janitor
could have been Dylan or Mark or even Jennifer.  Taking Coral's body
from the building in that cart and hurrying off when I asked about the
spa hours.  We need to find out who it was."

"First of all," he admonished her, "the body in the cart is just another
theory, and if you remember, our detecting is definitely
nonprofessional.  I was totally wrong about Hodrick and Mandy--"

"And I was off base about Browriley."

"But you scored on the call girl ring."

"After Edie at the spa put the idea into my head, and then I was sure
Mark was running it--but maybe I'm finally right this time.  Practice
makes perfect."  She got up and began to pace in the crunchy snow.

"The janitor practically ran from me.  I should have realized at the
time how weird that was.  Why would he run unless he had something to
hide?  If there was just some way to confront the staff at the spa...



"Kate, I doubt if any of them is going to confess."  "Not willingly, but
if there was a way to--"

"No more breaking and entering," he cautioned, letting her pace, but
bracing himself against whatever scheme was brewing.

"I have a great idea," she said, her eyes bright with excitement, "one
that's safe and simple."

"No, Kate."

"Listen, Ben.  It's as simple as--" she looked down at the footprints
she'd left in the snow"--as tracking with your grandfather when you were
a kid."

Ben laughed.  "The animals we tracked didn't have guns."

"But they were dangerous unless you knew how to outsmart them."  She
stopped in front of him, blocking the sun.  "We can outsmart Coral's
murderer by drawing him out, tricking him into meeting me."

"I'm not using you as bait.  We tried that with Brown Icy "And it
worked," she reminded him.

"Because he was a frightened man, not a murderer."

"Aha!"  she said.  "So you admit one of them is a murderer."

"I'm not admitting anything, Kate."  He couldn't help laughing.  "And
we're not opposing lawyers arguing in court."

"No," she agreed.  "We're detectives working on the same team."  She
leaned over, put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.  "And this
time, we could be on the right trail for a change."

"MARK KERST EN please."  Kate gestured for Ben to pick up the other
phone.  "He's coming," she mouthed.

"Kersten here."

Kate tried to speak slowly and calmly, but her first words were rushed.

"This is Kate McNair.  I need to meet with you."

There was a pause and then, "Do I know you, Ms.  McNair?"

"In a way.  And I know you...  at least, I know something about you--and
"Coral, and what happened to her."

His voice was brusque.  "Hey, what the hell is this."?  You sound like
some kind of nut.  I'm not listening to--"

Quickly, Kate jumped into her prepared speech.  "Meet me at five o'clock
this afternoon at the Cherry Creek Mall.  I'll be sitting on a bench by
the fountain.

By the way, I have red hair, and I'll be wearing a bright red coat. You
remember that, don't you?"

"Lady, I got no idea what the hell you're talking about."

"You're a smart man, Mr.  Kersten, you can figure it out.  When you do,
I'm sure you'll decide to be there."

She hung up the phone and looked at Ben.  "So, what do you think?"

"Either he has nerves of steel or he knows noth "When I said my name, he
hesitated before he answered.  That could mean "A lot of things.  I
don't think he'll show, Kate."

'"Well, I do, but just in case, I'm going to call Jennifer."

"Why bother?  He'll tell her himself--"

"Not if he's in this alone," Kate said.  She frowned, deep in thought.

"Or she could be in it without him.  Anyway, I'm calling her.  Then
Dylan.  It's possible that--" She decided to keep her last bit of
speculation to herself.

"Suppose they all show up?"

"They won't.  Only the guilty party will be there," she said with
determination.

"And you.  And me, sticking by you like glue."  "No, Ben.  The shooter
knows what you look like.  And a six-foot-two,
hundred-and-seventy-five-pound bodyguard isn't that easy to camouflage."

"That's what you think."

"A disguise?"  she asked with a look of disbelief.  "Wait until you hear
my ho-ho-ho's."

ITOT conyin.rig helf that they were, as in had warned her on the way to
the mall, on a deadly mission.  How could anything be serious, much less
dangerous, in the "ush of all th Christmas shoppers?  Over the sound of
recorded carols, babies howled, mothers called to children running off
in all directions, wives scolded husbands laden with packages, and
Santas pretended to be jovial.

Among them, Ben Blackeagle.  With his cheeks rouged to a rosy glow, and
his muscular torso well-padded, he made an impressive-looking Kris
Kringle, she had to admit, but he wasn't playing the merry part of Santa
well at all.  At nearly five o'clock, she'd taken her place on the bench
with Ben hovering nearby, .  looking grim and not at all Christmassy.

"You're too dose," she said out of the corner of her mouth.  "Move away
and do something jolly."

"Ho-ho-ho," he responded, unconvincingly.  "I'm just as Santa-like as
the dozen other bearded men in red suits around here.  The place is
crawling with them.  Must be collecting for some kind of charity."

She started to answer just as a little boy approached Ben with a
determined look.  She suppressed a grin and tried to overhear the
conversation.  "Are you a real Santa?"  the boy asked.

"Of course.  That is, I'm a real Santa's helper.  You may have noticed
lots of us around."

Kate smiled to herself at that sensible explanation.  She'd always
wondered how parents explained all the different sizes and shapes of
Santas around the holidays.

"Where's the real one?"  the boy asked.

"At the North Pole, of course, getting ready for Christmas."

"Then if you're a Santa's helper, let me sit on your lap."  His round
eyes were hopeful.

"Well, I can't do that because..."  Ben hesitated.  "I'm the standing
Santa.  I bet there's a sitting Santa around here somewhere."

The child didn't seem convinced, but his response was drowned out in the
din of Christmas music.  From somewhere, a band had materialized, brass
instruments blaring.

As Ben tried to detach himself from the persistent child, Kate glanced
at her watch.  Ten after five, and not a face from the spa anywhere in
sight.  Ben was probably right.  This was a dumb idea.  The call seemed
to have baffled Jennifer as much as Mark As for Dylan-he'd assumed Kate
was a woman who wanted to meet him for a date!

She decided to give it until five-thirty.  That would probably be about
all the Santa-ing Ben was up to.  Besides, even though Joan had been
generous about keeping Amanda, they'd imposed on her long enough.

She turned her head to look toward Ben and the little boy, when she saw
a red suit looming beside her.  "Ben, how did you--" She looked up and
realized this Santa wasn't her Santa at all.  He was shorter, and his
face was almost obscured by the big white beard.

When he spoke, his voice was low and gravelly.  "I have a gun in my
pocket, and I won't hesitate to use it.  Stand up now and walk beside
me."

Somehow she found her voice.  "You wouldn't shoot me, not here in front
of all these people."

"The hell I wouldn't.  I'd kill you and probably hit a couple of kids,
too.  Now move."

She did as she was told, but not before one frantic look in Ben's
direction.  He was leaning over, talking to the little boy, only a few
yards away.  So near, and yet so far!  She felt the gun be' rag jammed
into her side and started walking.

Ben, tired of the little boy, had made eye contact with the kid's mother
and given him a little shove in her direction, ignoring the complaints.

"More, this Santa won't let me sit in his lap."  "Sorry," Ben said.

"Not in my job description."  He turned back toward Kate, only to find
that she had walked away through the crowd with another Santa, and she
hadn't looked back.  What the hell?  He knew she would never leave
without him.  Unless Ben began to run, pushing aside everyone in his.
path, wondering how she'd gotten so far away, so quickly.  "Stop that
Santa!"  he called out.  "He's kidnapping the woman in the red coat."

People turned to look at him, surprise--even fear--on their faces.  As
he forced his way through the crowd, he heard the mumbled comments.

"Crazy..."  "Dangerous..."  "Call security..."

But Ben kept on running and kept on yelling.

And Kate heard him.  His voice echoed across the mall and into her
brain.  It filled her, gave her hope--and made her fight.  She stopped,
digging her heels into the floor of the mall, pulling and pushing,
straggling to get free.  Then she felt the cold metal of his gun against
her skin and stopped her struggle.

He pushed her violently, into a wall, through a door, down a stairway.

This was no spontaneous reaction.  The man knew what he was doing and
where he was going.  Kate and Ben had made no such plan.  But Ben was a
tracker--he wouldn't let her get away!

If she could delay long enough for Ben to see which way they were going,
Kate was sure he'd find them.  In spite of her fear, she Struggled
harder.  But she was no match for this Santa.

Desperate, she tried going limp and slumping against the wall.  He was
there to grab her and push her forward, not caring if she missed a step,
moving faster than she could imagine--down a flight of stairs, onto the
parking deck.

He flung open the door and they crashed through--right into a pair of
middle-aged women just getting out of a car.  The force of their forward
motion almost knocked down the women.  As Kate was thrown into the
taller, more solid one, she yelled, Help!  Get help!"  Then she screamed
in pain as her captor twisted her arm sharply back.

"Call security," he ordered.  "This woman is shoplifting.  I'm an
undercover officer taking her in."

As they rushed away, Kate could see the women had their doubts.  They
stood for a moment, like statues, indecision on their faces, and then
they scuttled like rabbits, heading for the stairs.

Kate looked after them, hoping they would be her saviors.  Then she and
her captor reached a car, and he threw her against it.

She hit the fender so hard the breath was knocked out of her.  Still,
she struggled, aware that she was going to have to fight her hardest
now.  If she was forced into the car and out of the mall, that would he
the end.  She would be as good as dead.

She kicked with all her might, out in front and then behind.  She
missed, missed again, and then hit her mark with her booted foot.  She
felt a thrill of pleasure when the Santa let out a moan of agony.

Then the agony was all hers.

Something hard and cold hit her head and sent waves of intense pain
radiating through her body.

B Trnw o?  the door into the stairway and stopped short.  Had Kate gone
up or down?  A mis-judgment on his part could cost her life.

In that instant, a security guard barreled in behind him, shouting,
"Hey, mister, stop right there."

A weathered-looking cowboy type, old but lean and probably in good
shape--that registered first.  Then he saw the glint of metal in the
guard's hand.  He wasn't" prepared for armed security, but if he stopped
to explain, he'd take up precious time.  And Kate's life was in danger!

Ben turned and with a sharp upward thrust knocked away the gun.

Startled, the man hesitated.  With all the strength he possessed, Ben
charged forward, hit the guard low and hard and pushed him back against
the wall, where he slum pea and then slid to the floor.

Ben made an instinctive decision and bolted down the stairs.  He didn't
stop to think or pick up the gun; he didn't stop for anything until he
reached the bottom level and threw open the doors.

"Oh, no!"  a woman wailed.  "Another Santa!  We just saw someone be' rag
arrested--by a Santa," she added breathlessly.

"Where?"  Ben shouted, tearing off his beard and hat and throwing them
aside.

The women shrank against the wall but one of them pointed, "That way."

Ben surged ahead as the woman muttered to her friend, "And you said
shopping would be relaxing!"

He saw a car backing out, driven by a bearded Santa.  Without
hesitating, he raced toward it.  His breath came in gasps as he pounded
down the concrete.  He had to get to Kate.

She prayed Ben was coming for her, but she had no way of knowing from
her position on the floor of the car.  There was something warm and
sticky in her hair, and she felt as though a herd of elephants was
racing through her head.  But she was alive--and she knew Ben was out
there.  That gave her hope and enough strength to force herself to a
sitting position.  Spots of light flickered in her eyes, and the pain
was almost overpowering, but she was spurred on by a familiar
sound--Ben's voice, calling out her name..

The ear stopped, shuddered and shot forward again, and with every ounce
of strength she possessed, Kate pushed herself up from the floor.  Weak
and groggy, she fell forward against the Santa at the steering wheel and
tore at his beard, ripping it off to reveal his handsome baby face and
his long blond-streaked hair.

Ben reached the car as it surged forward, and he wrenched open the door,
grabbing at the steering wheel.

"He has a gun!"  Kate cried as Ben got a grip on the driver's wrist and
twisted fiercely.  But his strength was equaled this time, and for a
horrible instant both men held fast, and then the driver swung around
wildly, pointing his weapon at Kate and then at Ben, who tightened his
grip and pushed upward.  The gun fired.

Its deafening report missed them both as it echoed throughout the
building.  Kate screamed, and the sound of her terror generated an extra
rush of adrenaline from Ben, who slammed the man's wrist downward,
causing the gun to clatter to the floor.

But the driver continued fighting blindly, powerfully, Ixying to hurl
Ben out of the way.  That was when Kate became a dynamo of energy as she
sratched and flailed.  Btwcen the two of th era Kate pushing and Ben
pulling, they forced the driver aside.

In a final move, Ben slammed his fist into Santa's face, hurled him from
the car, taking his place in the driver's seat and bringing the car to a
full stop.

They'd hit half a dozen other cars in the melee, and as Ben stepped on
the brake, the security guard, recovered gun in hand, was beside the
car.

"Okay, all of you, both Santas and the woman, hands up!"

Ben and Kate climbed slowly out of the car, and Dylan struggled to his
feet.  The guard was serious, gun steady in one hand, as he called for
backup on his walkie-talkie.  "Now what the devil is going on here?" he
asked.

Dylan leaned against a pillar, his red suit torn, his face battered.

"This man and woman tried to hijack me.  "

"

"That's a lie!"  Kate broke in.  "He tried to kidnap me.  There're
witnesses, two women.  And he's a murderer.  He killed my friend, Coral
Lampiere."

Dylan attempted a cool look of disbelief.  "She's insane.  The truth is
that she's been stalking me, hanging out where I work, wearing some kind
of a disguise.  I recognize her now."

The guard shook his head in confusion.  "This looks like a situation for
the police to straighten out, and they'll be here soon.  Everybody just
relax and don't try nothing."  He cut his eyes at Ben. "Especially you.
We got a score to settle."

"Sorry for knocking you down," Ben said, "But I had to get to Kate.

This guy was going to kill her--"

"You're nuts," was Dylan's response.  Blood was dripping from his nose,
and he wiped it away with the sleeve of his jacket.

Kate's fear was replaced by a bright burning anger.  It was stronger
than the throbbing pain in her head.  If they believed him, Dylan could
get away with his ridiculous story that she and Ben were the culprits!

She had to take a chance.  "I saw you that night, Dylan.  That's why I
came to the spa."

"You see--you see--" he said to the guard.  "She's confessing that she
came after me!"

"Give it up," Ben said roughly.  "We found Coral's body, and we know you
did it."

Dylan's face blanched and his eyes roved from Kate to Ben and back
again.  "You don't know what you're saying."

"You left your cap at the scene, Dylan," Ben persisted.

"No!"

Kate jumped in.  "I bet there are fingerprints, too."  "That's where
you're wrong."  For a moment, Dylan looked almost confident.  "She wiped
them--I mean--"

"She?"  Ben looked over at Kate.  Now they both knew--Dylan hadn't acted
alone!

Kate felt her pulse race.  She remembered how the janitor had bolted and
run.  He'd been afraid.  Now she had to play on that fear.  "You didn't
do it alone, did you, Dylan?  You were too afraid, but someone else was
there, someone strong.  It was Jennifer's idea, wasn't it?" she chanced.

"No--no--no--" He shook his head hopelessly as if to make her words
vanish.

The guard spoke up.  "This guy really murdered someone?"

"Yes," Ben said.  "He did."

"I didn't," he cried out.  "You don't have any proof."

"But we do."  Ben's voice was totally convincing.  "You can't run and
you can't hide, Dylan.  We've got too much evidence.  The best choice is
to make a deal Otherwise, you're going to jail, and Jennifer is going
free."

"No, she wouldn't do that!  Would she?"

"You know her better than we do," Kate said.  She thought of Jennifer's
cold, hard eyes.  "But I imagine she'd do just about anything.  Even set
you up to take the blame."

Dylan looked shattered.  "She told me she wiped the prints off Coral's
ear when we dumped it.  She told me it would be okay.  It would look
like an accident in the spring when the car was found.  Everyone would
think she'd run off the road.  She said no one would know.  Jennifer
came up with the cruise story, not me."

Tears were cascading down Dylan's swollen face.  He was no longer the
handsome young trainer from the spa, but a pitiful broken child.

Ben kept pressing.  "Why'd Jennifer do it?"

"I figured out the call girl ring, and Jennifer wanted in.  So we went
to Coral.  She said she'd close the operation down before she'd give us
a cut.  She knew we'd been nosing around and she was already looking for
replacements for us.  Jennifer and Coral started yelling at each other,
and I tried to stop them--" He fell to his knees, shoulders shaking.

"I didn't mean to kill Coral.  I just grabbed her neck and--" He looked
up at Ben and Kate through bleary eyes.  "If Jennifer had come today
things would have been different.  I told her to come.  I said I needed
help, but she said Mark would be suspicious with both of us gone.  I
think he knew about our affair...  Was she setting me up today?"

The wail of a siren intensified as a police car wheeled into the garage.
The guard's attention was totally on Dylan.  "That's a hell of a story,"
he said.

Kate felt suddenly dizzy.  She swayed a little and reached out for Ben.

He took her in his arms.  "It's over," he said.  "It's really over."

Chapter Thirteen.

"Do you think you'd be more comfortable in bed, Kate?"  Joan asked.

Kate shook her head and then winced slightly at the pain caused by the
movement.  "No, the sofa is fine.  The doctor said all I need is
twenty-four hours observation."

"We can take care of you here," Joan promised.  They were in the living
room of the Lakewood house, waiting for Joan's husband to return with
the kids and two large pizzas.

"Thanks.  I need to be around friends."  She gave a shudder, thinking of
Dylan's hands on her.  Those hands had killed her friend--and could have
killed her!  "It seems strange," she mused, "to be warm and safe here
when only hours ago I was close to death."  She turned to Ben, and her
eyes showed her gratitude.

"We don't have to talk about it anymore," Ben assured her.

"It helps to talk," Kate replied.  "That way, I won't dream about it."

"And I want to hear everything," Joan jumped in.  "First you believed
someone wanted Kate out of the way to get at the baby, but that wasn't
true.  Then you decided her life was in danger because of the call girl
ring..."

"But it was really because of what she saw," Ben explained.  "Kate went
to the spa for an appointment, found the place closed and saw a janitor
pushing a big trash cart."

"Only the man wasn't a janitor," Kate said.  "He was Dylan, one of the
spa trainers.  I tried to ask him about the spa but he turned and ran.

He thought I saw his face, but I didn't."

"That's where the red hair and red coat comes in," Ben explained to his
sister.  "Kate was too damned easy to identify.  He never got a glimpse
of her face that night, but he remembered the hair and coat."

"He knew who I was because he'd seen my name on a calendar when he'd
been in Coral's office, and he and Jennifer, his lover, decided to get
rid of me.  Thus the gunshot and the threats.  I'm not sure if he really
wanted to kill me or just make me go away and forget about Coral.  He
even tried a break-in at the office--"

"All of this, I imagine, planned by Jennifer," Ben commented.

Kate nodded.  "All along I suspected Mark, but he was almost as ignorant
as we were at first.  He must have known something was going on, though.
Remember the day I saw them arguing at the spa?"  She spoke carefully,
sorting out the information in her mind.  "Dylan and Jennifer were
having an affair, and he was probably getting wise to them.  Now both of
them are in jail.  And as for the spa--I guess Mark will keep that going
for a while."

Joan was wide-eyed.  "It's hard to believe that you two were involved in
something so frightening."

Kate agreed.  "I'm finding all this difficult to believe.  I still can't
accept that Coral is dead, any more than I can believe her involvement
in the call girl ring, but the evidence is all there."

"And you and Ben unearthed it," Joan said proudly.  "And if that hadn't
happened, you wouldn't be together.  We wouldn't have Amanda in our
family.  Now, speaking of family, I hope you'll both be here for
Christmas day."

Ben's response was immediate.  "Sorry, Sis, I'm on my way to Mexico.

You know I love you, but these family gatherings are too much for me."
He glanced.  at Kate as if for affirmation.  "Besides, Kate and I both
made separate plans for the holidays.  We never meant to spend Christmas
together, did we?"

Kate tried to meet his eyes evenly as she nodded in faint agreement.

"Amanda and I are going to Florida: We'll be with family there."

Joan's face fell.  "But I thought...  I was sure--" She looked from Kate
to Ben, her face registering embarrassment.

Kate stepped in and tried to fill her own empty hurt with a flurry of
words that would get Joan off the hook.  "Ben and I are great friends,
Joan.  He's been a wonderful help, taking care of me and Amanda, and of
course being my detective partner."  She managed a smile.  "But I
understand that he needs his space."

She'd always hated the phrase and wondered why she'd felt compelled to
use it in explaining Ben to his own sister.  The whole thing sounded so
manufactured and trite.  And false.  Which of course it was...  on her
part, anyway.

Ben jumped in, apparently to smooth things over with both women.  "I'll
be seeing Kate and Mandy when I get back.  There's a great friendship
among the three of us, and I certainly don't want to give it up.  Do
you, Kate?"

An awkward silence fell over the room, broken finally by the sound of a
car door slamming and the babble of children's voices.  "I'll go help
with the pizza and the kids."  Ben got up quickly and left the room to
the women.

THUGS going downhill fast, Kate decided as she hurried to get dinner
ready for herself and Amanda.  They'd been back in the apartment for
three hectic days, and life was not getting any easier.  How could any
child get used to what Amanda had gone through and was still going
through, thanks to Kate's frenetic life-style?  Permanence, which kids
needed most, hadn't been evident in Amanda's life since her parents
died.

And what about what adults needed?  It was true that not being shot at
or hit over the head was a relief, but in a way Kate missed the
excitement of the chase.  And she missed Ben.  It would be absurd to
deny that.

Amanda, tired of playing on the kitchen floor, scooted toward the living
room.  Kate followed and sank tiredly into a chair as Amanda crossed the
room on hands and knees, looking back a couple of times to make sure
Kate was watching.  Then she pulled herself to a standing position at
the coffee table.  "Mama."

Kate laughed.  She was getting used to the title but it still didn't
seem to fit.  What exactly was her relationship with this adorable
child?  She was still considering the problem when Amanda grinned at
her, let go of the table and made a wobbly move forward.

Kat saw the grin and smiled back.  Only then did she realiz what was
happening.  The baby had taken a step--unassisted.  Amanda was walking!

"Amanda!"  Kate tried to keep her voice soft and controlled, not showing
her excitement as Amanda took a second step, flailed her arms for
balance and then toppled backward--and crashed into the table before
Kate could get to her.

She swept the screaming child into her arms in one movement and in the
next grabbed the telephone and punched in 911.

"Is this an emergency?"  a voic asked.

"Yes!  Yes!  My baby hit her head--"

"I GUESS I OVEP, READ," Kate told Tina the next day.  "There was just a
little bump on Amanda's head, but she was yelling so loudly I could
hardly hear the 911 operator."

"What'd she say?"

"To hang up" and call my local pediatric Jan She said it wasn't an
emergency, and I felt like a fool."

"You aren't a fool," Tina assured her.  "You're just "First-time
mother," Kat finished for her.  "I know.  I've heard the expression
every time I've ben to Amanda's doctor."

"After a little experience you'll b fine," Tina encouraged.  "This kind
of thing won't happen again."

"Oh, it'll happen, Tina, at least it would happen if I gave it a chance.
But I'm not going to.  That's why we're going to Florida. This visit is
going to be a test.  If it works out, Jack and Laura will legally adopt
Amanda."

"You'd let them do that?"  Tina was horrified.

"Let them?"  Kate repeated.  "I'll be grateful to them, but more
importantly, in the long run, Amanda will be much better off.  Look at
me, Tina.  The baby's recent life has been a mess.  First, I got
involved in Coral's murder--"

"Inadvertently."

"But it put Amanda in all kinds of danger."  "That won't happen again,"
Tina replied.

"Then we went to Ben's where she bonded to him and loved him and started
to rely on him, and now he's opted out of our lives."

"Rat," Tina murmured.

"No," Kate defended.  "He was always up-front and honest.  He said he'd
had too much family as a kid and wasn't interested in more."

"But you didn't know--"

""Course I did," Kate denied.  "I knew everything when I got involved,
and I did it anyway.  You know why?"  she asked.

Tina hesitated.

"Because I wanted to, Tina.  And because he was there when we needed
him.  That's all anyone can ask."

"

"Humph," Tina muttered.  "I'd ask more."  "What would be the point?

He made it clear from the first that commitment wasn't a word in his
vocabulary.  Why should I be surprised that he's happy to be back to his
old life?  When he moved us back to my apartment, he talked about
staying in touch.  He said he'd call us after the holidays, asked me to
be sure and invite him to Amanda's birthday party in January, said--"

"The old "let's be friends routine,"" Tina said darkly.

Kate didn't rspond.  This was hr problem, not Tina's.  After a while she
admitted, "Now that we're on our own, Amanda and I, it's obvious I'm not
much of a mother."

"You found a day-can center," Tina minded her.  "It's only temporary,
but with Laura and Jack, I know she'll be well taken care of and loved.

There'll be no guesswork and no insecurity, with two parents at home to
see to all hr needs."

"But how do they feel?  I can't believe they want a kid at their stage
of life."

"Obviously, they thought they were finished with child rearing, but they
also understand the problem.

They're family, and they're willing to help out."  "Willing?"  Tina
prodded.

"It's say they're cautiously optimistic," Kate said.  Tina shook her
head.  "Well, I'm pessimistic.  This is a big mistake, boss.  You and
the kid belong together.  She loves you."

"And I adore her," Kate admitted, "but I'm trying not to be slfish.  I
want her to have what I never had, a family of hr own."  Kate's voic
trembled, and she realized she was about to lose control.  "I've made up
my mind," she said decisively.

Tina nodded.  "You'r a stubborn woman so I know what that means."  Then
she asked philosophically, "What can I do to help?"

"Tak us to the airport tomorrow.  I know it's an imposition, but with
all the baby's gear I can't do this alone."

"Don't worry.  I'll b there."

Kate checked her watch and reached for her coat.  "I have an appointment
with United Charities at two and then..."

Tina waved her out the door.  "I'll take care of things here.  Get going
and good luck."

The moment she heard the elevator doors open and then close on Kate,
Tina reached for the phone, pulled a number from her Rolodex and dialed.

"Pick up," she mouthed to herself.  "Be there."

She let out a long sigh of relief when she heard the click of the
receiver at the other end.

"This is Tina at ESS.  I need to talk with you--"

"THIS is night.  This is for the best."  Kate talked out loud as she
flung clothes into her suitcase.  "Laura and Jack can give Amanda
everything I can't.  It doesn't matter how I feel because..."  She began
to repeat the litany again.  "This is right.  This is for the best..."

She finished packing, wiped her tears away and zipped Amanda into her
snowsuit.  When Amanda smiled up at her, Kate felt the sting of tears
and almost lost control of her emotions again.

Then she heard the knock on her apartment door.  Tina was early.

"Coming," she called.  She took a quick glance in the mirror, satisfied
that she didn't look as if she'd been blubbering half the day.  With
Amanda in her arms, she went down the hall and opened the door--but not
to Tina.

"Hello," Ben said with an easy smile.  "Heard you needed a ride to the
airport."

"Ben..."  Kate took a moment to recover.  He looked wonderful, tall and
handsome, with a feathering of snow dusting his black leather jacket and
gleaming in his hair.  She felt the familiar rush of excitement at
seeing him.  As usual, his presence dominated the space around them.

"I thought Tina was--"

"She was," Ben said.  "But something came up so she called me to step
in.  As it turns out, we're leaving for our vacations at just about the
same time.  So why not drive to the airport together?"

He held out his arms to Amanda, and Kate released the squirming baby to
him.

"Hi, Mandy.  How ya been?"  Round, blue eyes shining, she gurgled
delightedly.  And how are you doing, Kate?"

"All right."  She forced a smile.

"So you've decided to take Mandy to your cousins for good?"

"Tina told you," she said with a sigh.

"And about Mandy's fall, too."  He checked the baby out, tenderly
touching the small bump on her head, smoothing back her golden curls.

"She seems fine.  Don't be hard on yourself.  All kids have accidents.

There'll be more.  Bruises, broken limbs, even teeth knocked out.  It
comes with the territory."

"But I don't know how to handle the territory.  That's the problem." Her
voice was sharper than she meant it to be.

"You're taking her to Florida because of one little fall?"

Kate looked away.  "Plus everything else that's happened.  I was on the
phone with Laura and Jack for hours.  We've discussed everything, and I
think this is the best solution for Amanda."

"For God's sake, why?"  he asked angrily.

"You know why," she burst out, "better than anyone.  You know firsthand
what an inadequate mother I am.  Amanda needs so much that I can't give
her."  She struggled for control.  "I've made the decision."

"I don't think it's a good one, Kate," he said as he tried to stay calm.

Her eyes met his coolly.  "But it's mine, isn't it?  I'm the one with
all the responsibility so I make the choices."

His mouth tightened.  "You're right.  I was out of line.  This had
nothing to do with me."  He walked purposefully toward the bedroom,
where he picked up Kate's bag.  "Let's get going."

IT SEEMED SO familiar, Kate thought, riding in Ben's car with Amanda
dozing in her car seat.  Except today, they weren't talking.  His
handsome profile seemed carved in stone.

He finally broke the silence.  "Traffic's building up already.  The
airport will be a madhouse."  He tapped -the brakes, slowed the car to a
crawl and turned to her.  "Listen; Kate, I know this is none of my
business, but I still have to tell you what I think."

She remained silent.

"You should reconsider this Florida deal.  So you don't know everything
about raising a child, but...  love is what counts.  You love Amanda,
and she loves you."  "

"Amanda's very adaptable," Kate said.  "She'll bond with Laura and
Jack."  She paused before adding adamantly, "She's too wonderful a baby
not to have the best--two reliable, experienced parents who love her."

The traffic began to move, and he eased down on the accelerator.  "And
you're too stubborn to see what's right in front of you.  You and Mandy
are a family.  Why are you fighting that?"

She thought before answering.  "Maybe because I'm scared."

"You?  Come on.  You broke into the spa, outran a security guard, fought
off Dylan.  You're not afraid of anything, Kate."

"Of course, I am.  We're all afraid of something, and my fear is I'll
fail with Amanda.  I couldn't bear to hurt her."

"I never thought you'd run away from anything, Kate."

"I guess we all run at some time," she said softly.  "Even you."

BE, BUCKLED in his seat on the aircraft, shut his eyes and tried to
think of the trip ahead, but all he could see was Kate, the unreadable
look in her eyes when he said goodbye at her gate, her smile, Mandy's
tears.

Why did their faces keep invading his mind and heart?  He had everything
he wanted.  A great life.  Freedom.  Money.  Time.  But somehow all that
didn't seem enough.

The pilot's voice came over the intercom.  "Sorry for the delay, folks,
but we're faced with holiday traffic and holiday weather.  We'll be
taxiing away from the gate in approximately ten minutes.  So sit back
and relax"

"

AT HER GATE, Kate stood patiently at the head of the check-in line where
the agent checked her boarding pass.

"Just a slight delay, Ms.  McNair.  We'll be boarding shortly, and I'll
call for passengers with children first."

Kate nodded, shifted Amanda in her arms and sat back down.  Amanda
seemed fascinated by the lights and sounds of the airport and sat
quietly in Kate's lap.  Now and then she'd see a tall dark-haired man
and point, asking "Da-da?"

"No, darling.  I'm afraid not."

Kate looked at the clock above the desk.  Assuming Ben's flight was on
schedule, he'd already taken off and was on his way to Mexico and his
old life.  She couldn't help feeling anger at Tina for arranging their
encounter, even though she knew her assistant meant well.

But seeing Ben had only made the hurt in her heart more intense.  He
didn't love her; that was obvious.  Sure, he cared about her and Amanda,
but only as a fleeting part of his life.

Why had she ever thought it would be different?  Because she loved him!

"Mama."  Amanda looked up and smiled, and that trusting, loving
expression tugged at her heart.  The baby had total faith in her. Tears
stung Kate's eyes.  She didn't deserve that trust!

To her surprise, Amanda turned away from the fascinating crowd of
travelers, put her pudgy arms around Kate's neck and clung lovingly.

Then she leaned back and touched Kate's wet cheeks.  What was going on
with this enchanting baby?  Was Amanda trying to sway her and change her
mind?

Of course not!  She was simply reacting instinctively.  But what loving
instincts!

"Mama," Amanda repeated as she leaned forward and planted a wet kiss on
her cheek.

Tina's voice invaded Kate's mind.  She loves you, Kate;

Ben's voice joined in, speaking wor he'd said only half an hour ago.

You and Mandy are a family.

Kate tightened her arms around the baby and felt the cold hard pain
she'd been carrying inside suddenly melt and fill her with a surge of
warmth.  All the planning, the phone calls to Jack and Laura, her
ra-fionalizations, came down to this: a baby in her arms, blue eyes
shining with love and trust.

Her flight was called, and Kate stood up, holding Amanda tightly.  Yes,
they would spend Christmas with Laura and Jack.  After that, she could
only hope that her cousins would understand her decision.

"Here we go, babe.  Time to fly."

"I'M SORRY, SIR, but we're ready to dose the exit door."  The attendant
on Ben's flight was polite but firm.

"I suggest you change your mind," Ben offered, "because I'm getting off
this plane now."

"Is there an emergency, sir?"  A male officer materialized from the
flight deck.

"You could say that," Ben told him.  "The woman I love is about to make
the biggest mistake of her life."  Ben realized that he was smiling.

The woman I love.  Dammir, that sounded good.  "The crew hasn't prepared
for takeoff yet so will you please let me deplane?"

The attendant stepped aside, and Ben bolted through the boarding ramp.

Kate's gate was at the other end of the huge terminal, and he sprinted
toward it, not stopping to look at the departure screen, just hoping
that she'd also been delayed.  He elbowed past the throngs of travelers,
dodging, pushing peo pie aside, not caring about the dirty looks or
threatening comments.

Then he saw her gate up ahead.  The plane was still on the ground!  He
caught a glimpse of Kate's red hair.  The agent was taking her ticket,
and Amanda was waving goodbye.

"Stop that woman!"  he cried.  "She has my baby!"  Kate whirled and
looked wildly around in time to see Ben jumping over a row of chairs as
if it were an Olympic high hurdle.  He called out to them, "Don't get on
that plane!"

"Da-da!"  Amanda cried.

Ben was beside them, pulling Kate out of line and into his arms.  "Stay
with me, please, Kate."  There was urgency in his face and voice.

"I thought you were on the way to Mexico," she stammered.  "I thought--"

"Why would I go away when everything I want is fight here?  I love you,
Kate.  I want to marry you--and Mandy!"  He kissed her long and hard,
and only when the crowd around them began to applaud did he end the
kiss.

"I love you, too," she murmured, "but loving is a commitment, and you
said--"

"Whatever I said, I was wrong."  He rescued Amanda, who had been
squeezed between them, and hoisted her into the air.  "Merry Christmas,
Mandy.  What do you say we go shopping for a tree and presents and
stockings?"

He took Kate's arm and pulled her out of the flow of the crowd. "You're
the fight mother for Mandy.  And I'm the right father.  We can handle
it, Kate.  Together.  Get on a phone, call your cousins and say Mandy
stays with you."

Kate burst into laughter.  "Td already decided to tell
them that!  I couldn't get along without my baby, any more than I can
get along without you."  He kissed her again, oblivious to the hurrying
passengers all around them.  "Merry Christmas, Kate."

"Merry Christmas, darling."

Amanda, secure in Ben's arms, reached out a small hand toward each of
them.  "Mama, Da-da."

Ben and Kate looked at each other and laughed.

"This time, you're exactly right, Mandy," he said.  "Come on, let's go
home."