impossible.

She kept wondering how Jake was doing.

As if to make things worse, the steady influx of customers into her

store had abated.

A lull set in, the way it usually did right after two.

This time it grated on her nerves.

If there had been wallpaper handy, she just might have repapered the

store the way she had jokingly said to Kerry.

She glanced at her watch.

Why hadn't he called her?

He, been gone almost thirty minutes.

That was enough time t reach the hospital and find Jake.

Why-?

The bell rang softly.

Caitlin looked up from the displ she had rearranged three times.

But it was only the patrol man Graham had left to guard her.

The tall policema closed the door behind him with great care.

"Too hot for you out there, Reynolds?" she asked pleasantly He nodded shyly, the brim of his cap dipping down into his eyes.

"Have you heard anything from Detective Redhawk yet?"

She didn't expect he had, but it didn't hurt to ask.

"No."

Well, he certainly wasn't talkative.

Must be a requirement to join the force, she mused.

"I've got some cold sod in the storeroom in the back," she offered.

"I'll get you one."

Without waiting for the man to comment, Caitlin turn toward t

storeroom.

area seemed particularly airles to her when she opened the door.

The cool air that waft out of the refrigerator was more than welcome.

She un gered a moment, though the soda was right at her finger tips.

She'd just closed the refrigerator when her hand was grabbed from

behind.Her heart jumped, beating wildly a she tried to turn around.She'd been held like this before.the fast-food restaurant.But how?There was a patrolman just a few feet away The patrolman.She twisted, trying to get a look at the man' face."Taylor?" she whispered."Yeah."The voice, low, raspy, was filled with pleasure with glee.It made her flesh creep."It's me. And now, bitch you're about to pay for all the inconvenience that you' caused me."

Graham knew he was operating on maximum overload.

He felt pushed to the wall and exhausted.

Otherwise, h would have been thinking more clearly and telephoned the

hospital back after he'd received the call.

He wouldn't have driven halfway there before the thought occurred to him.

Fear drove icy spears through Graham.

A bright red light was winking madly on the roof of his car as a siren

screamed, demanding the cars before him scatter.

He'd already called for backup.

No one had called him from the hospital.

His son wasn't lying there mangled.

He was still home with his grandmother.

A call patched through for him by dispatch had given Graham that information.

In addition to another piece that should have made him happy.

Celia had dropped the suit.

But right now the only thing that would've made him happy was having

Caitlin at his side.

He'd driven off, leaving her life in the hands of one inexperienced patrolman.

Damn, where had his mind been?

Reynolds was far too new at this to be a match for someone clever

enough to learn the ins and outs of someone's life in order to get at his target.

To get at Caitlin.

The psychological profile on Taylor had labeled him as obsessive with borderline traits of insanity.

And Caitlin was his target.

Graham floored the gas pedal, shooting through lights with almost reckless abandon untie he reached Caitlin's store.

He was the first oneathere.

His car fishtailed as he brought it to a stop beside the patrol car.

One glance showed him it was empty.

It could very well be that Reynolds had just gone inside to stay closer

to Caitlin, but something just didn't feel right.

Now his instincts kicked in.

Where the hell had they been when the phone call had come?

He knew the answer.

Buried beneath a father's concern.

Just as Taylor had known they would be.

If he so much as touched herCaitlin!

" Graham yelled out her name as he ran into the store. It was eerily deserted. Damn it, where was she?

"Caitlin!"

He'd come back too soon.

Taylor had counted on at leas five more minutes.

Enraged, he pulled the woman's arm al the way up, twisting it behind

her.

Caitlin bit her lower lip to stifle the whimper.

It felt as i her arm was snapping off.

"Any other way out of here?"

Taylor demanded.

She moved her head from side to side, almost dizzy from the pain.

She fought to remain conscious.