He began to guide her across the street.

"The captain wouldn't have assigned me to you if there wasn't that

chance."

Her mouth felt dry.

Caitlin nodded in agreement, hardly aware that she was following him.

This was a nightmare.

How could her life be turned upside down so easily, so quickly?

The police didn't do things on a whim.

They believed that she was a potential target.

Digging deep, Caitlin tried to make light of the situation.

She didn't quite carry it off.

"So how long are you going to hang around like this?"

The light turned red at the corner, forcing them to wait.

"Tentatively,'two weeks."

That was how long the captain projected.

Graham knew it would become a private matter for him if the killer

hadn't been located by then.

With luck, the leads we have might get us somewhere by then.

She heard the skepticism in his voice.

"But you don't think so."

The light turned green and he stepped off the curb.

Graham scanned the imme(iate area as he walked.

It was second nature to him.

"I don't believe much in luck."

She glanced at him and remembered the way Gray had looked when he had proposed to her.

He'd sounded so sure of himself, so sure of their future.

"You did once."

His mouth hardened a little.

"Yeah, and I learned from that experience."

He ushered her toward his car.

"Where do you want to go?"

Somewhere far away.

From everything.

She banked down her fears as well as the other emotions swirling within her.

Reason set in.

Caillin glanced over her shoulder toward the store.

That was reality, she thought.

That was her anchor.

"Somewhere quick. I have to get back to work. Kerry doesn't like

handling everything by herself and Eva works only half days."

Caitlin began to walk toward her own car.

It was parked in the lot directly behind his.

Graham remained where he was.

He saw no reason to take hers when his was closer.

"Why don't we take my car?"

"I like mine."

If she had to go with him, she wanted to drive.

It relaxed her to drive and she desperately wanted to relax, to ease

this tension away and pretend that everything was still all right.

"I enjoy driving."

Graham shrugged.

If it made her happy.

"Have it your way."

As they approached her car he stopped in front of it.

"Pop the hood."

Caitlin tapped her code out on the car's keypad and the locks snapped

open on all four doors.

She looked at him, puzzled.

"Why?"

There were too many horror stories for him to recount.

He didn't want to frighten her any more than was absolutely

necessary.

"I like being thorough. It makes me breathe easier at night."

Shrugging, she leaned in and pulled the hood release.

When the hood popped up, she walked around to the front of the small

car and looked down at the mass of hoses, belts and gears.

What was he looking for?

"Afraid the engine won't start?"

Caitlin asked whin.

sically.

Nothing looked out of order.

No colorful wires, no surprises.

"Checking for explosives."

"Explosives?"

That brought to mind organized crime.

Professionals.

The color drained from her face as she stared at Graham.

"Just who was it that you think I saw kill that man?"

For a moment he thought of protecting her.

But she might as well know all of it.

She had the right.

Besides, it would keep her from taking foolish chances.

"The dead man was connected to,a drug cartel. As a rule, they don't