Lendon realized how much he wanted now to get home to Allison.

'Coffee?' Jonathan repeated Dorothy's question. 'Yes, thank you. I don't usually have any this late, but I don't think many of us will have trouble sleeping tonight.' He studied Dorothy closely. 'How about you? You must be pretty tired."

He watched as an indefinable sadness crept over her face and understood the reason for it. 'I think I must tell you,' he said firmly, 'that any kind of self-recrimination you have is intolerable. We all ignored facts today in a way that might have contributed to disaster. One of the first of these is that every single morning as I walked past this house, I have been annoyed by the glint that hit my eyes. This very morning I considered asking Ray to speak to the tenant at The Lookout about whatever he had in the window. With my legal training, I should have remembered that. An investigation would have led us to The Lookout very quickly.

'And one irrevocable fact is that if you had not elected to keep that appointment and bring Mr Kragopoulos to that house, Carl Harmon would not have been deterred in his evil intent. He would not have had his attention distracted from Missy. Surely you've been listening to Michael's description of what was happening before your call.'

Dorothy listened, considered, and in basic honesty agreed. A weight of guilt and remorse dissolved, and she felt suddenly lighthearted and glad, able to rejoice fully in the reunion. 'Thank you, Jonathan,' she said simply. 'I did need to hear that.'

Unconsciously, she clasped his arm. Consciously, he covered her hand with his own. 'The roads are still treacherous,' he said. 'When you're ready to go home, I'd feel better if I drove you.'

It is over, Nancy thought. It is over. Her arms tightened around her sleeping child. Missy stirred, murmured 'Mommy,' and slipped back into even, soft breathing.

Nancy looked at Michael. He was leaning back against Ray. Nancy watched as Ray gently pulled him down oh his lap. 'You're getting tired, fellow,' Ray said. '1 think maybe you kids had better get to bed. It's been quite a day.'

Nancy remembered the feeling when those strong arms had grabbed her, held her, kept her and Missy from falling. It would always be like that with Ray. She would always be safe. And today she'd seen and known and been in time.

From the wellspring of her being, prayer permeated her mind and heart: Thank You, thank You, thank You. You have delivered us from evil.

She realized that the sleet was no longer pelting the windows, that the moaning sound of the wind had died.

'Mommy,' Michael said, and now his voice was sleepy. 'We didn't even have a birthday party for you, and I didn't get you your present.'

'Don't worry, Mike,' Ray said. 'We'll celebrate Mommy's birthday tomorrow, and I know just the presents to get for her.' Miraculously, the strain and fatigue left his expression, and Nancy saw a twinkle begin in his eye. He looked directly at her. 'I'll even tell you what they are, honey,' he volunteered. 'Art lessons from a really good teacher from the kids and a colour job at the beauty parlour from me.'

He stood up, eased Michael back into the chair and came over to her. Standing over her, he studied the part in her hair carefully. 'I have a hunch you make a hell of a redhead, honey,' he said.