"You're upset." "

" Worried, " he corrected.

She didn't challenge him on that. "About what?"

"Yesterday, all I could think about was getting that damn mind-control device out of your head. I'm just now realizing how hard it's going to be to pull this whole stunt off."

"Then why are we doing it? What would happen if you showed up at Castle Lockwood without me?"

"I can't go back without you: '

Noel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She'd been with this man lessthan two days, yet her knowledge of him was beginning to feel instinctive."Jason what is it you haven't told me? Why is getting Sir Douglas so important to you?"

A charged moment of silence passed as Jason turned to face her. "All right. You want the whole truth? He killed my best friend. Ray Donovan."

Ray Donovan. For some inexplicable reason, the name sent a prickle along her nerve endings. Jason hadn't taken his eyes off her. When she didn't speak, he wqnt on.

"Ray was a good guy, but he had a hot temper. He got. into some trouble in the marines, and they booted him out. Frye scooped him up. At first he was glad to have a high-paying job. He'd come to see me and brag about how well he was doing. Then he realized what he'd gotten into and wanted to quit. Like your uncle. He went into hiding and asked me to help him turn himself in to the authorities. But it didn't work out the way he wanted."

"The Sovereign tracked him down?" she asked, already sure of what the answer would be.

"Yes. Frye found him and had him killed. He makes an example of disloyal employees. Terminates them with extreme prejudioe. That's his phrase. He didn't just take out Ray. He got his wife, Peg, too. And their baby."

Noel stared at Jason, shocked. She knew that it was true. Knew it in some basic, elemental way that forced a paralyzing wave of coldness into every cell of her body.

She wanted to flee from the terrible knowledge. But Jason's next words riveted her in place.

"He found out your uncle was planning to quit: '

"My uncle had cancer! "

"Fryedidn't care about his personal problems.

Haven't you wondered why I came running into the jewelry shop right after the shooting? I was across the street videotaping everything in the store. "

"What?"

"I was supposed to be getting evidence that your uncle was double-crossing the Sovereign. But I spent a long time thinking about it last night. I can't prove it, but the most likely scenario is that Frye sent those thugs to his ; shop to beat him up and murder him. He wanted it on a-.tq so he could show obstreperous employees what "qppens when you try to give Sir Douglas Frye the boot." q. Feeling as if the air had been knocked out of her lungs, sank back into the chair. Jason was beside her then, qng down so he could pull her against him.

"Noel, I'd give anything if you hadn't been there. place Montgomery's men would look for them, Jason Seeing you on tape and knowing you were in the hospital- had said. tall-at his mercy-gave him the idea of using you as a They'd had four days of relative safety, where they'd courier." spent almost every waking minute going over the images She pre5sed her face into his shoulder. Sir Douglas had planted in Noel's head so that she could "Iast night, I was thinking about how dangerous this q call them up without a moment's hesitation. is for you. I can't demand that you risk your life." Tomorrow they were traveling north. And the danger She didn't move. would increase. "I'm hoping you'll see this job through to the end. It's A1though the guest house Jason ge5tured toward was not fair to ask you to do it just for Ray and his wife and called the Sea Side, it was actually a couple of blocks baby, but there are thousands of other people who have from the o0can. Noel didn't like the plastic geraniums in died because of Sir Douglas Frye. In chemical-plant ex- the window box, but there was an off-street parking lot. plosions. And nasty little jungle wars. Or, if you can't She shrugged. What did it matter what the place was deal with death and destruction on such a grand scale, like? A1l she wanted to do was get out of the close con think about your uncle. Maybe Frye was responsible for fines of the car. his violent death. Maybe that's just a coincidence. But She sighed. " I guess. " there's Henry's whole life to consider. He wanted money,q " Help you, gov? " asked a man lounging on the porch but it wasn't enough to compensate for a life of living when they climbed the steps. hell."

"We're looking for a room en suite," Jason said in a Noel considered the choice Jason was giving her, con- qckney accent that made Noel blink. He'd told her side red the basis for a decision and felt a shiver go Montgomery's men wouldn't expect them to head for a through her body. She raised her head and met his eyes. qday area. He hadn't said part of his camouflage plan "There's still something you're not telling me." was to turn native. She saw him swallow.

"You and the missus? No kiddies?" After a long moment he said, "When it's over, I'll tel1 " Left 'em with their gran. " you everything you want to know." q'qI've got one private loo left. But only for tonight. Nothing had changed. Yet everything had changed. we re booked for the weekend. " " I'll stay with you," Noel whispered. A1though Jason pretended to be disappointed, Noel qthat a short stay fit in perfectly with his plans. " TqIIS PLACE LO0KOKAY? " " qme on up and have a look, then. " Noel peered out the car window, considering the un- the rqm had only one bed. Noel shot Jason a ques pretentious clapboard guest house on the fringes of cen- " =qqg glqce, but he was already discussing checkout tral Brighton, a resort town on the south coast. The la5t "Noel, I'd give anything if you hadn't been there. Seeing you on tape and knowing you were in the hospital -at his mercy-gave him the idea of using you as a courier."

She pressed her faq into his shoulder.

"Last night, I was thinking about how dangerous this is for you. I can't demand that you risk your life."

She didn't move.

"I'm hoping you'll see this job through to the end. It's not fair to ask you to do it just for Ray and his wife and baby, but there are thousands of other people who have died because of Sir Douglas Frye. In chemical-plant explosions And nasty little jungle wars. Or, if you can't deal with death and destruction on such a grand scale, think about your uncle. Maybe Frye was responsible for his violent death. Maybe that's just a coincidence. But there's Henry's whole life to consider. He wanted money , but it wasn't enough to compensate for a life of living hell."

Noel considered the choice Jason was giving her, considered the basis for a decision and felt a shiver go through her body. She raised her head and met his eyes. "There's still something you're not telling me."

She saw him swallow.

After a long moment he said, "When it's over, I'll teli you everything you want to know."

Nothing had changed. Yet everything had changed.

"I'll stay with you," Noel whispered.

" qIIS PLACE look OKAY? "

Noel peered out the car window, considering the unpretentious clapboard guest house on the fringes of central Brighton, a resort town on the south coast. The last place Montgomery's men would look for them, Jason had said.

They'd had four days of relative safety, where they'd spent almost every waking minute going over the images Sir Douglas had planted in Noel's head so that she could call them up without a moment's hesitation.

Tomorrow they were traveling north. And the danger would increase.

Although the guest house Jason gestured toward was called the Sea Side, it was actually a couple of blocks from the ocean. Noel didn't like the plastic geraniums in the window box, but there was an off-street parking lot.

She shrugged. What did it matter what the place was like? A11 she wanted to do was get out of the close confines of the car.

She sighed. "I guess."

"Help you, gov?" asked a man lounging on the porch when they climbed the steps.

"We're looking for a room en suite," Jason said in a cockney accent that made Noel blink. He'd told her Montgomery's men wouldn't expect them to head for a huliday area. He hadn't said part of his camouflage plan was to turn native.

"You and the missus? No kiddies?"

"Left 'em with their gran: ' q'I've got one private loo left. But only for tonight. We're booked for the weekend."

Although Jason pretended to be disappointed, Noel qwthat a short stay fit in perfectly with his plans.

"Come on up and have a look, then. , The room had only one bed. Noel shot Jason a quesqqqng glance, but he was already discussing checkout The two men went back downstairs, and she was left staring at the double bed.

She'd kept her emotions under tight control all day. Now that she was alone, her defenses crumbled. All at once she had to steady her hand against the wall as scenes from her "honeymoon" with Jason began to jump in and out of her head like a travel agent's slide show. The opulent room. The view of the beach. She and Jason tangled together on the sheets, breath ragged, perspiration glistening on their skin.

Noel closed her eyes and tried to breathe deeply.

Jason picked that moment to walk back into the room, his duffel bag slung across his shoulder, her flight bag under his arm and her suitcase in his other hand. Slamming the door with his foot, he stood looking at her. " " What's wrong? " q Her eyes focused on him. " " I've seen. . you. . standing like that. . "

He set down the case with a thunk, his face hidden from her. "When?"

"Honeymoon," she said in a wa very voice, pressing stiff fingers against her flushed forehead. "The cabin.. . when we first got there. You brought the luggage in from the car." She blinked, confused. "No.. . it was the hotel on the beach. We didn't have a car."

Jason took a step toward her, his hand extended. " " This is hard for you. What I've asked you to do. " She nodded, wanting to go into his arms but feqling so unsure of herself with him. At first, she'd felt so relieved to have the controller out of her head. But the more time she spent with Jason, the more difficult it got. The more confused she felt.

The room wasn't very large. Again her gaze collided with the bed. "We could have looked for someplace elsq so you wouldn't have to sleep in the chair again," she said.

He came closer, standing only inches away as he said softly, "You're almost letter-perfect when I drill you on the questions Frye will ask. But knowing the script isn't good enough. You're going to have to convince Sir Douglas that you're madly in love with your husband."

She swallowed hard, unable to meet his gaze. " " Is it so difficult to remember what it felt like? "

"No. It's not difficult at all. That's the problem. I'm so.. . my emotions are so confused."

He murmured her name, crossed the space that separated them and took her in his arms. She settled against him, closing her eyes and simply absorbing his scent and the familiar lines of his body the way she'd been wanting to do. It felt good. Totally right. Not some emotion engraved on a chip.

She felt his lips skimming her hair. All she had to do was lift her face, and her mouth would touch his. But she was afraid to put her feelings to the test. Or his.

He sqemed to sense her uncertainty. Gently he shifted no that there were a few inches of space between them. qqe'd better go out and get something to eat. "

"You like lamb shashlik," she said slowly, as a cozy picture of the two of them together in a dimly lit Greek qtaurant drifted into her mind.

"Yes, I do. Did Frye put that into your Caribbean al She shrugged, feeling confused. qqqqs q what the landlord can suggest. ::q'qoe1 followed after Jason, still struggling with emothat she couldn't sort out.

Jason requested Greek food, they were directed q,qq restaurant with red checkered tablecloths and Greek folk music playing in the background. A booth in the rear gave them privacy.

"What else am I supposed to like?" Jason asked as they studied the menu.

She wished that for just a little while they could have a normal conversation without thinking about the implications of every word and every emotion.

"Shrimp in spicy sauce," she mumbled.

"Okay, I'll have that for an appetizer. What do I drink with this kind of food?"

As if someone else were talking, she answered in a dreamy voice. " " Thatnight at your cousin's, the men were drinking-" Noel paused, trying to comeup with the name of the potent licorice-flavored drink. " Ouzo "

"You had a sip and didn't like it," he murmured.

Noel stirred the spoon qin the bowl of brown-sugar crystals on the table.

"How do you know? You weren't there."

" Of course I- " He stopped abruptly.

"I wasn't there, either. It's just a memory someone else put in my head."

He stared at her for a moment, then gave her a smile. "But I was picturing you tasting it, picturing you wrinkling up your nose."

"I did. At least, that's what I remember: Noel lifted the spoon too high,and some of the sugar spilled on the tablecloth. " We're talking about it asif it really happened" " "Yes, and that's what we're going to keep doing,until it's the most natural thing in the world."

It was a welcome respite when the waiter came and took their orders.

"So what else do you know about me?" Jason asked when they were alone again.He stretched out his legs under the table, and one of his feqt hit Noel's.As she automatically drew back, he gave her a long look. Then hedeliberately stretched out the foot again until it was resting against theside of hers. Their flesh was separated by layers of cloth and leather, yetthe contact was intimate. Neither one of them moved.

An instant later, Noel said in a rush of words, "Your father was in the merchant marines, and he was away more than he was home. Your mother didn't have any control over you, so she kicked you out of the house."

Jason cocked an eyebrow. "Is that one of Frye's little goodies?"

"I picked that up in the girls' room behind the cafeteria at school. A lotof girls used to talk about you. The ones who didn't date you used to wonderwhat it would be like to kiss you or spend an evening making out at theWestview Drive-In."

Jason snorted.