-the background.

They could talk for a few minutes without being overheard.

"Did anything happen with him?," Caitlin bit her lower lip, but didn't answer.

She didn't have to.

Kerry's grin was wide, taking over her entire face.

"It did, didn't it?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

Clapping her hands together, she almost laughed out loud, very pleased

with herself.

"I knew it. I just knew it. I knew it would."

Caitlin refused to confirm Kerry's assumption.

"I didn't say anything."

"You don't have to."

Kerry stood back and studied her best friend's face.

"For a woman who was almost killed yesterday, you're positively

glowing."

Kerry seemed beside herself with glee.

You would have thought that Kerry had slept with Gray instead of her,

Caitlin mused.

Kerry gripped Caitlin's arm as she lowered her voice.

"How was he?"

Caitlin pointed to the lingerie still scattered on the counter.

"Kerry, the bras need rearranging."

Kerry ignored the colorful heap.

"Cait, I always tell you."

She pouted.

"And it's all been one-sided until now."

Refusing to indulge her fantasies, Caitlin remained silent on the

subject.

Undaunted, Kerry laughed.

"Have it your way' I'll get you to talk yet."

She squeezed Caitlin's hand affectionately.

"I am so happy for you."

Caitlin looked toward the back room.

Graham was still in there.

She thought of the way he'd looked this morning.

He was trying to distance himself from her.

"I'd tone it down a notch or two if I were you. I have no idea how he

feels about this."

Kerry smiled smugly as she began neatly folding the bras.

III do.

That made Kerry one up on her, Caitlin thought.

"Oh, really?"

"Sure."

She gestured toward the back with her free hand.

"Just look at the way he looks at you. There's a lot going on behind

those dark eyes of his."

"There always was," Caitlin said quietly.

The trouble was, she didn't know what.

Only that it had a habit of getting in the way.

His view of life was far too dark.

Rousing herself, Caitlin got down to business.

There was a lot to do before they opened.

But as she worked, she kept one eye on the back room.

When he finally walked out again, Graham's expression was grimmer than

it had been.

Abandoning the display, Caitlin hurried toward him.

"What's wrong?"

He'd spoken to his mother after he had talked to Jake.

And then telephoned the lawyer the department had put him in contact

with.

Neither conversation had been heartening.

But it was his problem to work out, not hers.

She had enough to handle.

"Nothing that concerns you."

Her eyes narrowed even as she lowered her voice to keep her words from

carrying to Kerry."Don't start again. Just tell me."He supposed she'd carry on until he did."Somehow, Celia's lawyer managed to get an early court date. There's a preliminary hearing in the judge's chambers set for next week."

The department's legal-aid lawyer had told him something that the man

thought might help the situation, but it wasn't anything Graham wanted to share with her.

Besides, it wasn't really possible.

There just wasn't enough time.

Caitlin grew concerned.

If Celia's new husband was welloff, he could afford to hire a good

lawyer, one who would know how to sway the decision in her favor.

Sympathy always tended to be on the mother's side.

"Gray...

He didn't want her sympathy.

Or her pity.

Graham deliberately looked past her head.

A beige car was parking behind his sedan.

Talk about the cavalry riding to the rescue.

"Ben's here."

Graham hardly looked at her as he headed for the door.

"I'll be back later."

Caitlin stood watching him as he walked out of.

the store.