“But then, I always knew what a wonderful man Jason was.” She shook Ron Murphy's hand. “Thank you for being so kind to me. I know it wasn't easy for you to talk about it, but it means a lot to know the details of that night.”

“Call on me if there's anything I can do for you. Jason would want me to take care of you.” He glanced at Kerry and said jerkily, “Good-bye, Kerry.” He walked quickly toward his car, parked behind the limousine.

Kerry turned to Laura. “Do you want me to go back to the hotel with you?”

Laura shook her head. “I'm going to my mother's house. I thought maybe I'd try to work in her garden. I need to keep busy, and there's so much life and rebirth in a garden.” She tried to smile. “It's funny how we go back to the womb when something tragic happens, isn't it? We haven't progressed very far from the time we lived in caves.”

“I think that's a great plan.” Kerry hugged her and then stepped back. “I'll call you in a few days.”

Laura nodded. “Yes, do that.” She got into the limousine. “But not now. Later . . .”

Kerry stood watching as the limousine pulled away from the curb. Life and rebirth. Even in her despair, Laura was reaching out to try to find some sense, some continuity to the meaning of life. She wished she was that far along in the grieving process.

“Kerry?”

She whirled to see Carmela standing a few feet away. “What on earth are you doing here?”

Carmela didn't answer, her eyes on the green awning over the grave. “What a bummer. I'm so sorry, Kerry.”

“Thank you. It's very kind of you to come.”

She shifted uncomfortably. “Well, I didn't exactly come to tell you that. I kind of hate funerals.”

“Me too. So, why did you come?”

“To take care of you.”

“What?”

“Mr. Silver said you needed someone to take care of you. He said you were pretty much alone right now and that sucked. He said that Rosa and I had the job.” She rushed ahead as Kerry started to speak. “I told you I owed you. I don't want a free ride. I can do all kinds of things. I'm good at cleaning and cooking. I'll get my driver's license soon and then I can do the grocery shopping. I'm going back to school, but Rosa can help out.”

Kerry shook her head in bewilderment. “Silver sent you?”

She nodded. “He picked us up last night and drove us down here. He said he'd originally had another place in mind for me to go, but this was better. He knew I wouldn't want to go to strangers. I don't trust many people.” She moistened her lips. “So I said sure, I'd take care of you. Rosa and I packed our bags and Mr. Silver dropped us off here.”

“And where's Rosa?”

Carmela nodded down the road. “I told her to wait for us by your SUV with Sam. Now, can we get out of here? Rosa doesn't like cemeteries.”

Rosa or Carmela? “Cemeteries are sad, not scary.”

“Whatever. Can we go?”

Silver had no right to do this to her, dammit. He was trying to run her life, trying to “fix” her.

“It's okay. Don't feel bad.” Carmela's gaze was on Kerry's face. “Mr. Silver was wrong, wasn't he? You don't want us.”

“I didn't say that.”

“Because you feel sorry for us.” She lifted her chin. “Well, you don't have to do that. We'll get along just fine.”

Pride, fear, and resilience were all there in her expression.

And the dawning of life and rebirth.

“Silver wasn't wrong.” She took Carmela's arm and started toward the car. “I do need you. I'm a lousy housekeeper and I'll work you to the bone. And Sam will drive you crazy. You have no idea how messy he can be.” Her pace quickened as she saw Rosa. “And I have a yard that I've neglected terribly. I want to plant something wonderful. How are you and Rosa at gardening?”

EPILOGUE

OAKBROOK

ELEVEN MONTHS LATER

It's about time you got here.” George's face lit with a smile as he opened wide the front door. “I was about to bail. Brad's been as mean as a lion with a thorn in his paw.”

“So what's new?” She stood there smiling at him. “Brace yourself. I'm going to do something that will offend your sensibilities.” She took a step closer and gave him a quick hug.

He sighed. “Some people never learn to strike the correct balance.”

“I didn't say good-bye. So I said hello. That's the correct balance. I wasn't sure you'd still be here, George.”

“Why not? I never leave a job unfinished. It's terribly untidy.”

“I thought you considered this job finished.”

He shook his head. “But I think it may be heading in that direction. How is our Carmela?”

“Fine. She and Rosa are both in school and doing well. I don't know what I would have done without them. There's nothing like teenagers to keep you from dwelling on the past. They always live in the present.”

“That's what Silver intended when he sent them to you.”

“I know.” She looked past him at the library door.

He was there. She could feel him.

And soon she would see him, touch him.

“I believe I'm de trop,” George said. “Did you bring luggage?”

“Just Sam.” She was already on her way down the hall. “Would you get him out of the car?”

“My pleasure. I haven't been trampled or slurped in months.”

She paused outside the library door. Stupid to be this scared. She knew what waited for her in that room.

She opened the door.

“Good God, it took you long enough.” Silver scowled as he turned away from the window. “If I wasn't as patient as Job, you'd be in big trouble.”

She started to laugh. “Patient? You? Are you trying to tell me that you haven't been nudging me for the last three weeks?”

He was silent a moment. “Maybe a little. But you could have shut me out anytime.”

“Yes, I could. And I should have done it. You've got to learn to let me make my own decisions. You're lucky I'd made up my mind before that.”

He went still. “About what?”

“That I shouldn't let you intimidate me, that I can hold my own with you, and that there's no reason why I shouldn't take what I want.”

“And what do you want?”

She smiled at him. “You tell me.” She started across the room toward him. Jesus, she loved him. She loved every rough edge, every protective barrier, and that vulnerability he'd never show to anyone but her. “Come in and see for yourself.”

He looked at her, and a slow smile lit his face. “Don't mind if I do.”

Linked.

BOOKS BY IRIS JOHANSEN

FIRESTORM

FATAL TIDE

DEAD AIM

NO ONE TO TRUST

BODY OF LIES

FINAL TARGET

THE SEARCH

THE KILLING GAME

THE FACE OF DECEPTION

AND THEN YOU DIE

LONG AFTER MIDNIGHT

THE UGLY DUCKLING

LION'S BRIDE

DARK RIDER

MIDNIGHT WARRIOR

THE BELOVED SCOUNDREL

THE MAGNIFICENT ROGUE

THE TIGER PRINCE

LAST BRIDGE HOME

THE GOLDEN BARBARIAN

REAP THE WIND

STORM WINDS

THE WIND DANCER

FIRESTORM

A Bantam Book / April 2004

Published by

Bantam Dell

A Division of Random House, Inc.

New York, New York

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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