But that time she didn't, and Hank's answer to her rejection turned out to be,

"If I can't have you, nobody cao'1 Killer Smile She spent the six monthsfollowing the incident waiting to testify at his trial. Once Hank wasfound not guilty by reason of insanity and institufionalized, shelowered her guard. But she discovered he could use that sameinnocent-looking expression of his to fool the experts, too. Heeventually won his release with the help of a slick lawyer, naiveparents and some web-greased judicial palms.

Ellen parried his threats with injunctions, but his cunning, wealth andmadness triumphed. It was a lethal trio from which she had littleprotection.

So Ellen ran and kept on running until she found her mountain hideout.

Isolated. Safe. Alone.

Until now.

Now, things had changed. She was no longer alone. No longer safe.

Ellen looked over at the dark-haired man stretched across her bed, a manwith no memory other than an unshakable feeling he knew her. Was heHank? Had Hank finally gotten to the last stage of his revenge?

If so. Jack shot her a confused haft smile, then closed his eyes.

Drawing in a shaky breath, Ellen glanced at the not book she'd left onthe arm Of the chair.

Oh, Tess. What would you do if you were me?

Her strong alter ego always met danger with panache, romance withpassion and life with an unflagging joie de vivre, succeeding in thevery same world Ellen had been forced to abandon. Tess would protectherself. That's what she'd do.

Ellen sat on the floor beside the bed.

Unsure. Uncertain. Unprotected.

She watched him carefully, to make sure he'd really fallen asleep.

Once she was positive, she stole into the Killer Smile kitchen area,wincing when the drawer scraped open. Inside it lay the knife--the onlyreal weapon in the house. Holding it by the worn wooden handle, shecontemplated its deadly edge.

Could I do it? Could I actually use this to defend myself?

She jumped when she heard a noise. Staring toward the bed, she watched ahand reach up and brace against the iron headboard. She caught herbreath, trying to come to grips with her sudden panic. The knifetumbled. from her hand and embedded itself in the floor near her shoe.

Jack jerked in reaction to the sound, turning to see its source. Hisbleary gaze dropped to the knife stuck in the floor.

"What happened?"

Her heart lurched painfully in her throat.

"I ... uh ... I dropped a knife. Go back to sleep. It's all right."She trained her attention on him while she bent to retrieve her weapon.When her fingers closed around the blade instead of the hilt, it bitinto her hand, the painful sensation slicing through her control and herpalm with equal efficiency. She released the knife with a gasp andexamined the thin cut.

"A line of blood formed in the 'mcision.

"Did you cut yourself?"

She waited, expecting the amount of blood to match the stinging fire ofpain that creased her palm. It was easy for her to equate fear withpain, and the combination of the two made her weak in the knees.

She leaned against the sink, fighting a wave of tears.

Suddenly she became aware of a presence beside her. "Do you need abandage?" He stood beside her, supporting him. qelf with an elbow on thecounter, straining to focus on her injury.

"Jeez, you do. That's bad."

When he reached for her hand, overwhelming terror returned to replacethe phantom pain.

"NOV' She stepped A Killer Smile back from him. Where's the knife? I'vegot to get the knife Jack seemed totally oblivious to her anxiety.

"Let me help you. It'll be hard to put a bandage on, one-handed. I can"-- He stopped and stared at her.

"Are you all right? You look as bad as I feel."

His pale smile evoked opposing emotions within her. Something akin toattraction dared to baffle with what should have been an overpoweringsense of dread. Weak, Ellen. Yolk're so weak! Don,t fall for thepackage. You know what's inside.

When he reached down and pulled the knife out of the floor, Ellen dosedher eyes, unwilling to watch the final blow. At least there were noinnocent bystanders this time. Just a murderer and his victim.

The oppressive silence' of the cabin absorbed the pounding of her heart.

She opened her eyes.

He offered the knife, handle first.

"Better take this before I drop it." His pallor grew.

"I think I stood up too fast."

When Jack carefully phced the weapon in bling hand, hilt first, hersinking feeling stopped its downward spiral. She studied the pat-s oflight reflecting in the blade.

She had expected death. And she'd received gentleness. Her conscienceclimbed back from the numbing depths of resignation as she watched Jack sag toward the counter. He leaned against the sink and cradled his headin his hands. Ellen released some of her apprehend on when sherecognized his posture of pain. The desire to help him replaced thefear. She wrapped a dish towel around her hand.

A Killer Smile The words came after a moment's hesitation.

"Let me help you back to bed."

When she reached out to place a supporting arm around his waist, he

waved off her help.

"That's okay. You just take care of yourself."

Jack turned and began to shuffle back to the bed.

"I made it over here by myself," he mumbled.

"So I'll take the responsibility of getting myself back." He grimaced

when he reached the bed.

"I just thought if I could do something to help you, then I wouldn'tfeel like such a damn valid." Ellen pushed back the curtain that formed the bathroom. She returned with the blue metal box of supplies, If he was aware of her discomfort,he chose to ignore it and instead, tended to her cut. He unwrapped thetowel and pried open her clenched fingers, revealing the bloodied dashin her palm.

He said nothing as he squeezed a blob of first-aid o'mt-ment on thewound, then covered it with gauze. After anchoring the bandage in placewith strips: of white tape, he turned her hand over and pressed herknuckles to his lips. "All better, now?"

His hooded gnz and devilish grin bored a hole through her reserve and her heart quickened. Fear or attraction? Ellen wasn't sure which.

Indecision made her pull her hand away.

Concern rephced his smile, "Why are you frighlened of me?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

A chill brushed down both of her arms.

"I'm not f-frightened."

He reached up to touch her cheek, but dropped his hand before she could flinch.

"You're a bad liar. I know some, thing's bothering you and I'm fairly

sure that something is me."

Killer Smile A Killer Smile Their gazes locked for a moment until Ellen turned away, unable to meet his intensity head-on. Somewhere, deep inside herself, she knew he could read her thoughts by merely looking into her eyes.

Her chill developed into a full-blown case of goose bumps, which she

tried to halt by wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm c-cold," she said, stuttering.

"Are you? I think I'll put more wood on the fire." After throwing

another log on the healthy flames, she paused to stare out the window.

"It looks like the snow's not going to let up,"

"You're changing the subject," he said, over the sound of the crackling

flames.

She sighed. Caught.

"I know."

Outside, the wind kicked up, creating a mournful lament through the flu.

A small cloud of smohe wafted into the room, and Jack inhaled deeply.

"That smells good. It almost reminds me of. something."

She felt her spine stiffen.

"What?"

He ran a hand through his hair, pointedly avoiding the bandage on his

forehead.

"That's the problem. It's so frustrating to be on the verge of

remembering, then have your thoughts fade away like a puff of smoke."

His face grew pensive and his words hushed.

"Do you think any-one is missed me yet?"

Ellen shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe. Most people hike around here in pairs, at least."

"I wonder if they're worded."

"I'd guess so."