other rest-room areas in small restaurants built for high traffic

rather than for high quality.

She hesitated, looking around.

It was dark in here.

Get hold of yourself, Cait.

Graham was just exaggerating, she told herself.

Maybe this was his way of getting back at her.

She couldn't continue behaving like a frightened child.

Life went on.

She reached out to push the swinging bathroom door open.

A hand darted out from behind her, grabbing her wrist just before she made contact with the surface.

Her heart caught in her throat, hammering wildly.

Her purse fell from her other hand.

"Don't turn around," a low voice growled in her'ear.

The man was behind her, closer than a shadow.

"Just walk-to the side."

She'd seen a flash of gray material, the sleeve of a suit, when he'd

grabbed her wrist.

The smell of perspiration was heavy in the air.

His?

Her own?

She fought to keep her head from whirling.

"Who are you?"

She knew, though the question came automatically.

If she kept him talking here, maybe Graham wouldThe man pushed her head

against the doorjamb as she tried to turn around.

She swallowed a gasp of surprise and pain.

"Don't look, just follow orders. There's an exit right here. We're

going to use it."

Wrenching her arm up behind her until she thought it would snap, he

yanked her to the side.

The restaurant continued filling up.

There were too many people here.

Maybe Graham was being paranoid, but it was making him very uneasy.

It kept nibbling at him.

He shouldn't have let her go off by herself.

The gangly teenager behind the counter took the ten from him and began

making change.

Graham had no intention of taking the tray and looking for a table.

He wanted to get Caitlin first.

"Watch this for me."

Graham didn't bother looking at the boy.

"I'll be right back."

"Sir, you can't leave your food here! " the boy called after him.

Graham ignored him.

Weaving his way through a gaggle of children all dressed in the same

bright green summercamp T-shirt, he made his way to the rear of the restaurant.

Something didn't feel right.

He couldn't put his finger on it.

But there was enough of his mother in him for Graham to have a healthy respect for premonitions.

The tables in the rear were nearly all occupied with teenagers, businessmen out for a late, quick bite and mothers with small children in tow.

Caitlin wasn't anywhere to be seen.

How long did it take to throw water on your face?

Just before he entered the corridor, the sound of a door closing caught

his attention.

But no one was in the corridor.

He thought of entering the women's bathroom when he saw her purse on

the floor.

Damn!

A beam of daylight was shining through the crack where the side door

didn't quite meet the jamb.

Adrenaline went into overdrive.

Graham yanked open the door.

Someone in a light gray suit was just disappearing around the corner in

the alleyway.

Monty's was buttressed against an industrial complex that ran the length of the block on the other side.

No one in a suit had any business being back here.