"Just the front."

" Then we'll take the front.

There was death in his voice.

Caitlin's heart froze "Please don't hurt him. I'll do anything you

say, just don' hurt him."

Taylor laughed harshly.

"There's nothing you can do What's one more corpse, more or less?"

Taylor jerked he arm harder.

"And for what you put me through bitch you're going to watch him die

first."

Still holding her arm behind her back, he began to push Caitlin out of the storeroom just as Graham reached the rear of the shop.

His gun was drawn, ready.

Taylor turned to face him, his weapon aimed at Caitlin' temple.

She could feel his smile pulling his lips away from perfect row of teeth.

Ghoulish.

"Ut her go," Graham ordered, his eyes steely, flat.

her go and take me.

"Touching," Taylor snorted.

"Very touching, but I' not letting anyone go. Now, you put that down or she die right here, right now."

He was crazy, Caitlin thought.

He was actually enjoyin this.

Her mind scrambled for a way out before it was to late.

And then he drew the muzzle of the gun away from temple, aiming it at

Graham.

He was going to kill Gray, just as he'd said.

With a scream that was equal parts terror and rage, Caitlin rammed her

free elbow into his stomach, throwing herself against Taylor.

'the shot went wild as they both fell t the floor.

"Move, Caitlin!

She didn't know if she rolled away before or after Graham yelled the

order.

She just rolled.

On the floor, Taylor fired again.

The gun dropped from his fingers as the bullet from Graham's weapon

found its mark.

Just like that, it was over.

Without realizing it, Caitlin had squeezed her eyes shut.

She felt Graham's hand reach for hers.

Very slowly he helped her to her feet.

He was shaking inside as he held her to him.

He didn't want to think what could have happened.

"That was a damn stupid thing to do," he murmured.

She was safe.

He had her and she was safe.

"He could have killed you."

"Funny," she whispered, her words disappearing into his chest, "the

same thought occurred to me about you.""Detective?"Someone called from the other room."In here," he responded.His arms tightened around Caitlin.She sagged against him.Now that it was over, her knees didn't feel very strong."A little late, aren't they?"The next moment the storeroom was filled with uniformed policemen.Graham released her."Better late than never."',Detective?" the tallest policeman began." We found Reynolds in the alley.Taylor must'vo found a way to lure him away." He pressed his lips together." He's dead.'@ Graham nodded.He'd expected as much.Taylor had only one mode of operation.Elimination."Get this scum out of my sight."

Graham looked down at Caitlin, then tucked his arm around her shoulders.

"You need air."

She merely nodded and let him lead her out.

"Jake-?"

"He's fine. It was all a ruse."

It was over, she thought, looking around as evening flirted with the streets of Phoenix.

It was finally all over.

"Are you all right?"

He stroked her hair.

"Fair to middling."

She sighed, attempting to get hold of herself.

She might be, but he wasn't.

It was hard to forget what might have happened to her.

He held her by the shoulder looking down at her face.

"You scared the hell out of me. When I thoughtEmotion choked off his

voice.

Oh, no, he wasn't just going to leave her hanging like this "When you thought what, Gray? When you thought-?"

He backtracked, his hand cupping her cheek.

"When realized that he had set me up, that he was going to-dam it,

Caitlin, don't ever scare me like that again."

She smiled sadly.

"I'll try not to."

He must have been crazy to try to push her away.

"H won't bother you anymore."

"No, he won't. We can go back to life as usual."