that way. "Yeah." Kane studied Graham's face. Redhawk didn't seem like man who felt that he had something to be congratulate about. Kane didn't believe in prying. But after living wit Jennifer for so long, after being absorbed into her family he no longer believed that each man was an island, either Especially one who looked as if he was hurting."

Anythin wrongs Graham shook his head.

"Rough morning."

He turn the conversation away from himself.

"Whatever happen to that woman you were with? The one whose baby you

located Jennifer," he added, recalling.

Kane's grin returned, wider and brighter than the first time.

"I married her."

Graham looked at him in surprise.

Kane hadn't struck him as the marrying kind.

He was more of a stoic, like himself .

He laughed.

"You?"

"Yeah."

Kane sat back in the chair, lacing his fingers behind his head.

Sometimes it still caught him by surprise.

Happiness.

It was like an eternal Christmas package that he just kept opening and

reopening.

The delight never diminished.

"Best thing I ever did. Gave my life some kind of meaning, a focus."

His voice strengthened.

"I've got a family now."

He dug into his pocket for his wallet.

"Want to see a picture?"

Graham laughed again.

Kane Madigan was the last person he would have expected to whip out a

family photograph from his shirt pocket.

If asked, Graham would have said that Kane was a great deal like him.

Solemn, reserved.

Dedicated to his job and little else.

That description didn't seem to fit the contented man Graham saw

sitting before him now.

Dutifully, Graham examined the photograph that Kane handed him.

Kane was in the forefront with Jennifer.

Two children shared their laps, one on'each.

A man and a woman, both vaguely resembling'Jennifer, flanked them with

their spouses and an entourage of small children.

' 441 see you used a wide-angle lens," Graham murmured.

He handed the photograph back to Kane.

"You look happy."

"I am."

Kane returned the photograph to his wallet and then pocketed it.

He hesitated a minute, knowing it wasn't any of his damn business.

He could hear Jennifer whispering that it was.

"Ask you a question?"

Graham shrugged.

Kane probably wanted to know when they could begin extradition

papers.

"Shoot."

Kane wasn't good at choosing his words, so he shot straight from the hip.

"Marriage not going well?"

Graham wasn't prepared for that sort of question.

The look in his eyes darkened, warning Kane to back off.

"It' going fine."

"Good."

He was lying, Kane thought.

They had more i common than he thought.

"Things take time, though, to work out. Niches to be found, that sort

of thing," Kane drawled, sitting here as if he didn't have a dozen

things he was supposed to be tending to on his desk back home.

This seemed more important somehow, one former emotional cripple reaching out to another.

"Me, I almost blew it.

walked away from her, you know.

" He slanted a look a Graham to see if he was getting through."

There she was handing me my happiness on a platter, and I was running

for the hills, thinking I didn't deserve it.

Or her.

Kane looked off, seeing the past and not the men in the squad room.

"Lucky for me I saw the light before it was to late. Otherwise, I'd

still be living and sleeping police work and feeling empty on the inside."

He looked directly a Graham.

"Know the feeling?"

Talk about veiled lectures.

Graham allowed himself smile as he nodded.

"Yeah, I know the feeling."

Kane was sure he did.

He rose to his feet.

"Well, I'd better be going. I've already talked to your captain about

formally registering extradition papers for whenever Taylor' trial is