She went in, stopping in front of the elevator.

Where to?

No idea.

He’d come get her.

And he did-sunken eyes, pale lips, and a complexion that was florid and pallid at the same time. He wore black sweatpants and a loose white T-shirt. His feet were bare. He crooked a finger and she followed. The silent ride up was incredibly slow. As they got out, he put his finger to his lips, then took her through an anteroom with a metal detector. When Rina set it off, he shushed her silently and waved her forward, through a door and into a spacious loft filled with windows that framed city lights. A pile of broken glass and tangled metal took up most of the center area. To the right was a zone devoted to photography equipment; three doors took up the left-hand wall. He opened one of them, then stepped aside, indicating that she should go in first.

She did.

The room was spacious enough, but claustrophobic simply because it lacked the tall windows of the studio. No windows period. He bolted the door shut, then turned on a series of switches that illuminated a panel in Christmas-tree colors, and started the whirling of an overhead fan. Monitors from video cameras showed different positions around the building. The man wasn’t taking chances.

He sat down, and so did she. She was much more nervous than she thought she would be. She allowed herself a minute of thinking time, then spoke.

“I just have one question.”

Donatti waited.

“Do you know who hurt Peter?”

He took in her clear aqua eyes and said nothing.

“Was it you?”

Still, no response.

“Did you punch my husband?” Rina demanded to know.

He smiled, but it was a weak one. “Mea culpa.”

Rina slumped back in her chair and placed her hands over her mouth. Tears dropped down from her eyes. “Thank you, God!” She exhaled exhilaration. “I thought someone was trying to kill him.”

“Maybe someone is.” His voice was a whisper. “Maybe that someone is me.”

“Nonsense!” Rina dismissed him. “Why would you let him go? Why would you have let me go?”

“I like playing head games.” His eyes locked onto her face.

Abruptly, she felt herself go hot. She said, “I woke you up.”

“No, I was awake.”

For the first time, she realized how compromised he was. His face was sopping wet. He dabbed his brow with a damp towel that had been on his desk. She felt ashamed of herself.

“You’re ill. How can I help you?”

“Interesting question.” A look. “You can start by taking off my shirt.”

She got up, and so did he, towering over her. That was okay. She was used to that. With steady hands, she lifted the cotton tee over his gun, over his bandaged ribs, then over his head. Her nose was hit with a strong stench-sweat, decay, and infection-made even more intense because the room wasn’t well ventilated. The gauze was saturated and had turned rusty brown. “Let me take a look-”

“Leave me alone.” He sat back down. “I haven’t had a mother in over a decade and I don’t want one now. You have to get out of this city, Mrs. Decker. The lieutenant would be wise to leave, but he probably won’t because he’s a stubborn man. Besides, he can take care of himself.”

“Was… you know… was it for you or for me?”

“This?” He pointed to his ribs.

Rina nodded. “Yes, that.”

“I have some ideas. Don’t worry. I’ll find out. I have to find out. Something like this can ruin a hard-earned reputation like that!” He snapped his fingers. “Whoever it is… whoever he was after… he’s not too good at what he does. Because we’re both still alive.”

Rina shuddered. “Why would he be after me?”

“I’m not saying he is. But if he is, you can probably answer that question better than I can.”

“I didn’t think Peter was even close.”

“Then maybe it’s time to stop and take stock.” He closed his eyes and tried to breathe away the pain. “Whoever this was meant for is irrelevant. Outcome is outcome. You owe me.”

“You saw the person?”

“I saw enough glint of metal to know what was coming. I’m attuned to that kind of thing… very… detail oriented.”

Again she heard him gasping for air. “Let me see the wound.”

“It’s nothing. Strictly superficial. It nicked a few ribs. Listen, Mrs. Decker, if you get out now, no one has to know. Especially your husband.”

“I plan to do just that. Originally I was supposed to go out tonight. As a matter of fact, the lieutenant thinks we’ve gone out tonight.” She took out her cell phone. “Can I make a call?”

Donatti pushed his phone over the desktop. “Your cell won’t register in here.”

Reluctantly, she picked up the phone and called Peter, pretending that they had landed and everything was fine. He kept asking her if she was okay. He could hear the anxiety in her voice. Somehow she managed to convince him that Hannah was too cranky to talk to him, and Randy had to concentrate on his driving. He believed her. Why should he not believe her? She knew she should feel guilty, but she didn’t. The subterfuge was worth everything. That his swollen face had come from Donatti’s fist was a big relief. A known quantity-albeit evil-was still better than the unknown.

When she hung up, Donatti was looking at her, an amused smile on his face. “Very sneaky, Mrs. Decker. And not very religious, if you ask me.”

“On the contrary, it’s called keeping the peace on the home front. Shalom bayit.” She clasped her hands together. “How did you know I was in danger?”

Donatti slumped back in the chair. “I could give you a line. Tell you lies and you’d believe every one of them. About how I was being chivalrous and trying to protect you. I didn’t know you were in danger until I saw the piece. The truth is, I was stalking you, Mrs. Decker. I get a real sexual buzz by spying on women who are unavailable to me. After Terry broke with me-before we reestablished contact-I used to spy on her all the time. I still do. It really excites me.”

Rina couldn’t hold his eyes. A warm blush swept through her face.

“You’re nervous. That also gives me a buzz. Don’t worry. I’m not going to touch you. I don’t believe in taking women by force. However, if you’re interested, all you gotta do is wink. I’m not as sick as I look.”

“Remember what I told you that day at the park?” Rina said. “I’ve reinstated every single word.”

Donatti managed a fleeting smile. “Well, then, since sex is out and your plane isn’t scheduled to leave for four hours, do you want to crash here?”

Rina’s eyes went back to his bandage. “Your wound is oozing, Mr. Donatti. Please let me take a look at it.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. You’re in pain. If it’s only pain, then you’re fine. But if your wound is festering, you’ve got a serious problem. Just stand up and let me take a peek. Even if you’re fine, your bandage needs to be changed.”

Donatti stalled, then got up from his chair. A moment later, she was close to him, her eyes level with his waist. He could feel her breath on his oversensitive skin. She began to peel back the layers of bandage. As she worked, he focused in on her face, a mask of concentration. Instantly, he was aware of her fingertips brushing against him. Not even a smidgen of sexual overtone.

Rina regarded his wound-red and swollen and oozing. A brownish raised ring sat on the left side of his rib cage. Next to it, the skin was torn and shredded. It was especially jarring because the bullet holes sat on his otherwise perfect body. “You got hit twice. First one’s just a graze wound. Second one went in and out.”

“I’m all right.”

“That may be, but it’s more than superficial. What do you have by way of medicines?”

He reached into his file cabinet and handed her a large plastic shopping bag filled with dozens of vials of pills, creams, ointments, and medical supplies-bandages, tape, clips, cotton balls, cotton swabs, and even a suture needle. The pills were prescription drugs that had been tagged but were without proper labels. No dosage, no Rx, no instructions whatsoever. There were antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, anabolic steroids, including a full course of prednisone, and at least ten different types of pain medication, including codeine and morphine.