There was silence in the room, and everyone stared at Kate. For a second Josh was afraid that they would make her into a scapegoat just as Turner had. He saw the corners of her eyes tighten, knew she was also worried, but she returned their stares with a steady gaze.

"What you're saying is that he won't be satisfied until he succeeds in his original goal and kills me," she said.

Ramsey nodded. "You cheated him. You mock him by your very existence. You also represent the ultimate goal, you died and were resurrected, so to speak."

"Hey, that's O'Hern, not the Virgin Mary," someone joked. There was nervous laughter, enough to break the tension.

Ramsey smiled but didn't laugh. "We're talking about primal forces here, life and death, male and female, good and evil. This man sees everything in black and white, no shades of grey. He won't stop until he's achieved his goal."

All eyes returned to Kate. Then slowly, one by one, the other officers began to look away, to look down, anywhere but at her. Kate shifted in her seat, and suddenly Josh realized what the others were thinking, what they wouldn't mention until she volunteered.

He opened his mouth to protest, was ready to break every rule and oath he'd ever taken if it meant protecting her. Carter caught his eye and shook his head, warning him to keep silent. Josh clamped his jaws shut, hoping he could trust Carter.

"What did you have in mind?" Kate finally broke the silence.

She didn't even look his way. Didn't care what he felt or thought about the prospect of her risking her life. That knowledge burnt, sharper than a slap on the face. This was her job, her life, he had no ties to bind her.

For the first time Cohen spoke up. "We place you somewhere visible, let the word leak out and-"

"Let him come to us," Kate finished for him. It was the same plan Kate had proposed last night, the same one Josh feared would get her killed. There had to be another way. But obviously, even with the help of the FBI, it was the best they had come up with. He stared at Carter, surely they wouldn't let someone as impaired as Kate play Judas goat?

"Have you got a better idea, Officer?" Somehow Cohen made her rank sound like an insult. Josh was right, Cohen was the detail man, Ramsey obviously was the "people person"-what a team.

Kate looked around the table at her colleagues, her friends. Even Carter didn't meet her eyes, Josh noticed. He reached for her hand, wanting to somehow interrupt this, but she had turned away from him to focus on the others. Leaving him on the outside. Again.

Kate sighed and nodded. "All right, but I'm not sure how much good I'll be to you," she gestured to her arm. "I want to be involved in the details. I don't want any of my neighbors hurt by mistake."

"We're the FBI, Officer O'Hern, we're not in the habit of making mistakes," Cohen informed her. "And we can't use your apartment, it's too obvious, he'll know it's a set up. In any case, we're not intending to use you; we'll use a woman agent as a substitute. As you suggested, your physical condition makes you unreliable."

Josh couldn't control his anger. First Cohen set her up, then insulted her. While Kate's fellow officers had sat by and watched. What kind of macho trial by fire was this? She had gotten shot for them-she had died, damnit!

He leaned forward, intending to give Cohen a piece of his mind, but Kate lay a hand on his arm to restrain him. Her touch reminded him that he'd gotten what he wanted-Kate safely out of the picture. He just hated the price they'd made her pay.

"Tomorrow you'll drive to your brother's house, for Sunday lunch," Cohen went on, "only it won't be you in the car leaving his house. After that we'll arrange quarters for you out of town and out of sight."

"I'll need a car to use," Kate replied. Josh marveled at her calm tone as she analyzed the details. At least Cohen's plan would keep her safe, out of the line of fire. "Mine's a straight stick, I can't drive it with one arm. In fact, it's still parked out back."

"I can drive you," he put in, happy to be able to contribute something. From the look on Kate and Cohen's faces, he wished he had kept his mouth shut. But damn it, someone had to watch after her, protect her if she had another spell. He wasn't about to let her go into danger alone.

"And you are?" Cohen asked in a condescending voice.

"Josh Lightner, Doctor Joshua Lightner."

Carter spoke up. "Doctor Lightner was kind enough to allow Officer O'Hern to stay with him last night after the attack at her apartment."

"Are you here with us today in the capacity of a chauffeur, Mr. Lightner?"

Josh wanted nothing more than to wipe the self-satisfied smirk off the federal agent's face. "No, Mr. Cohen," he replied in a steely tone he usually reserved for residents who needed disciplined. "You invited me."

"Dr. Lightner saw our man last night at O'Hern's apartment," Carter said.

"He's our other eye witness, why didn't someone say so? He should be going over mug shots, not sitting here holding O'Hern's hand." Cohen gestured at the officer beside him who got up and came over to Josh, obviously to guide him. Josh hesitated, but Kate nodded. He didn't want to cause her any further embarrassment, so he followed the police officer.

"Mr. Lightner," Cohen called out as he reached the door. "I really don't care what kind of living arrangements you and O'Hern establish after this investigation, but for now I'd appreciate it if you saw her in only an official capacity and certainly not in public. We're hunting for a murderer here, we don't need any distractions."

Josh said nothing, merely grit his teeth and kept going through the door. He'd just see about that. It was obvious these idiots were so distracted by the prospect of catching their killer that they didn't care about what happened to Kate. Not like he did.

That thought stopped him short. The uniformed officer turned to look at him, and Josh found himself following although his mind was far from the confines of the police station.

He remembered how Kate had looked this morning, the wide smile on her face as she played with Hershey. For one brief moment, it seemed that all thoughts of killers and death had vanished for both of them.

Josh desperately wanted to make that feeling permanent. He'd welcomed women into his house and bed before-never into his heart. Somehow Kate O'Hern had captured his heart without a battle. Worse yet, she didn't seem to know that he had surrendered it to her.

Blake pulled the rolodex card out of his pocket as he left the hospital. He should get himself officially on the payroll. Sure as hell was spending enough time here. He could teach them a thing or two about security. Emergency rooms had every doctor's address and phone number. Stupid to leave them lying around where anyone could waltz in and grab them.

He smiled in satisfaction. Doctor Lightner lived not far from the hospital. Not far from O'Hern either. He'd bet a million that O'Hern was staying with him. Why else would the good doctor have been at O'Hern's apartment yesterday? Oh how romantic, and what would the AMA say about that?

No matter, he wasn't quite ready for O'Hern. Not yet. Lightner was another story entirely.

Blake got into his Chevy and stared at the glossy white square, turning it over and over in his fingers. Lightner. The world famous trauma surgeon, stealing the living from death, walking on water, changing water into wine-what was good enough for him?

Shoot him and turn him into a trauma victim?

No. It had to be slow, he had to show Lightner who was in charge, that Lightner was just another victim, powerless. Blake thought for a moment, turning the car engine on to warm him from the chill November breeze. What to do? Cut off his hands-that would be poetic justice for a surgeon.

He pictured the scene, his fingers spreading wide in anticipation. No. Something even more primitive.

Burn him alive; every human had an instinctive terror of fire. Lightner was so handsome, think of that perfect face blackened and charred beyond recognition.

Blake laughed at the thought of it. Oh yes, this would be marvelous. Now he knew exactly how to get O'Hern's attention.

CHAPTER 29.

"I could care less who you sleep with, O'Hern," Cohen began once the door shut behind Josh. "Your partner, your doctor, whoever-as long as it does not interfere with this investigation. Because we are going to get this bastard, and a wounded cop with problems of her own is not going to be any help to us. Do you understand?"

The room went silent. Kate held Cohen's stare and stood. Normally she never let idiots like Cohen or Turner bother her with their myopic vision and condescending attitudes. But nothing about this situation was normal. God, how she'd love to meet Cohen in the gym. One round, full contact-even with a bum arm, she bet she could wipe the floor with him. It would feel so very good even to try.

Her fury made her face burn. Kate sent a glare in the direction of the FBI agent, ignoring the other officers as they watched the face-off. Cohen broke first, looking away as he shuffled some papers in front of him. Even that petty victory made her smile in triumph, which just showed how far she had sunk.

"You've made yourself quite clear, Special Agent Cohen," she said in a slow, deliberate tone. "Obviously you don't need me, so I'll be going now." She started for the door.

"Let us know where you'll be sleeping tonight," he called out casually, "so we can pick you up tomorrow." Then he turned back to the other members of the task force.

Kate went through the door, resisting the temptation to slam it shut behind her. It was a good thing because Anne Ramsey had followed her out.

"Officer O'Hern, may I talk with you for a moment?"

"Your partner made it clear that I'm at your disposal, Special Agent Ramsey," Kate replied in a bitter tone. She concentrated on relaxing the hand fisted at her side. God, she hated feeling like this, out of control.

"He's not my partner, he's a stuck up snob suffering from a severe case of short-man syndrome," Ramsey replied, "and I'm not an agent."

"I don't understand."

"I consult for the FBI. Now that more of their agenda is taken up with counter-terrorism, a lot of the Behavioral Sciences work is done by private consultants. I'm actually a psychologist, specialize in analyzing criminal behavior."

"And victims?"

"Yes."

"Are you analyzing me, Doctor Ramsey?"

"Anne will do. Of course I'm analyzing you. It's a lot like being a cop; you can't turn it off at will. Tell me Officer, hasn't anyone ever commented how you're always looking, observing, never completely relaxed, especially out in public?"

"Cops eyes, that's what one of my dates called it." Kate decided she liked this woman. Ramsey seemed a lot more human than the other representative of the FBI. "Call me Kate. What did you want to talk about?"

"You said your car was still here?"

"Parked out back. Green Explorer in the northwest corner of the lot. Why?"

"Do you mind if we go take a look at it?"

"No. Keys are in my locker."

Kate led the psychologist into the women's locker room. She retrieved her car keys and her wallet from the pocket of the coat she'd worn to work over a week ago. She stood for a moment, staring at the jacket, at the jeans and sweatshirt hanging beside it. Somehow she was surprised anything had survived that night intact, but here they were, a small part of her life that was still normal, untouched by the bloodshed and madness.

"The lot's this way," Kate said, closing the door on the last remnants of her normal life.

Kate led the way out to the parking lot, pulling her jacket tight against the sharp November wind. She hesitated. Rob's car was still parked beside hers. Of course, it was a partner's job to take care of little things like that. She needed to find the courage to face Jenn. Soon.

Cops were a superstitious lot. Kate's Explorer was the only car left parked near Rob's Camry. "Why do you want to see my car?"

"Playing a hunch."

They reached the Explorer. Kate held the keys out to open the door, then paused. Something was wrong. She couldn't see anything through the tinted windows, but even with the doors and windows shut, she could smell a rotten stench, the smell of death.

Ramsey caught it too. They looked at each other, then Kate opened the door, using the key as a lever so that she didn't touch the door handle.

"How did you know?" The interior of the car had been converted to some kind of warped sacrificial altar. The half-burnt corpse of what appeared to be a large rat lay on the driver's seat along with the charred remains of several newspapers.

Kate could make out a few of the words, enough to tell her that they were articles about the killings. Her glove compartment door lay open, its contents strewn about. The tiny statue of St. Christopher her father had given her when she had first gotten her drivers license hung upside down from the rear view mirror, the saint's head twisted almost completely off, dangling at a hideous angle.

"I can't believe it," Kate whispered, unable to comprehend the destruction of the interior of her car. She sank back against the side panel. "He did it right here with cops coming in and out-what kind of freak is this?"

Ramsey pulled her head out from her own inspection of the carnage. "Remember, he's only a man. That means we can find him, stop him. He's not invincible."

Kate glanced at the chain link fence surrounding the parking lot and shook her head. "I'm not so sure anymore."

CHAPTER 30.

Kate sat on the picnic table beside the precinct's back door, watched the lab techs swarm over her Explorer. The flashes from their cameras and the reporters' mingled together in tiny star bursts. Tony Martini came over after telling his photographer what shots to get.

"Any comment, O'Hern?" he asked in his best reporter voice.

She shook her head. He put his notebook away and once again became her friend. Kate had seen him do this many times, but it always amazed her, the schizophrenia they lived with on a daily basis. Without it, they couldn't have remained friends. Right now she was grateful for everyone she could count on. With Rob gone, the people she could truly call friend were dwindling in numbers. At least she had met Josh.

Looking past Tony to the station house, she found herself wishing that Josh was here now. Holding her hand, sharing his strength like he had earlier. Damn, she hated this feeling, this neediness. Never before had she leaned on anyone-what was it about Josh that made her want to start now?

"You gonna be okay?" Tony asked. "What me to go get the doc?"

Kate gave him a half smile. Tony always could read her mind. "No, he's busy. I'll be fine."

"I heard what happened with Turner. He's saying he'll have an announcement about the case tomorrow." He paused and stared at her. "Even if the task force makes no progress."

She shrugged. She no longer had the energy to worry about Turner or his delusions.

Tony turned serious, glancing over his shoulder before taking her good hand in his. "Let me talk to my source in Internal Affairs. Maybe I can find something. Meet me tonight, Thai House at seven, all right?" With a wave and one last concerned look at her, Tony got into his Mustang and drove past the crowd out of the parking lot.

Kate shifted a little, the cold creeping through her jeans into her bones. Carter broke away from the crowd surrounding her Explorer and walked toward her, his face tight with worry. Great, Carter in full-blown Papa Bear mode. Probably wouldn't let her out of his sight. Wouldn't trust her not to get herself killed. Or someone else.

"You notice anything missing?" he asked.

She watched a tech pull the rearview mirror with the grisly remains of her St. Christopher statue from the car and drop them gingerly into a plastic box. Another tech was busy cutting the upholstery from her seat cushions.

"Kate? You all right? Want me to get Lightner?"

Jeez, why did everyone keep asking her that? When had Lightner been promoted to her guardian angel, anyway? She straightened, arched her eyebrow at Carter.

"You think I'm going to swoon or something, Mel? Do I look that far gone?"

There was a discernable pause before he answered. As if he had to think twice. "Course not. So, anything missing?"

"Nothing I could see. I don't keep anything in it except some tools, spare tire, there was an old blanket and a windbreaker."

"What about your backup piece?" She started to answer, but he held up a hand. "All I need to know officially," he stressed the last word, "is if the killer got it."

"No, it wasn't in the car."