Hands reached for her shirt and Kate crossed her arms over her chest. A nurse bent to look her in the eyes. "Kate, I'm Laurie. You're safe now. Don't worry. You want a shower, sweetie?"

Kate wanted to die.

"We need to examine you. Has anyone hurt you? Some place you need to tell us about before you shower?"

Too late.

"You understand what I'm asking, honey? Have you been raped?"

"She's married to the guy," someone muttered and Kate curled further into her shell.

No one would understand. She hadn't the strength to explain. Easier to close down her memories, and seal them up in a box in her head.

"Give us a moment," the nurse said and the room cleared. She turned to Kate.

"I'm going to let you have a shower, but I'll be right by the door in case you need me. Okay?"

The shower didn't help her feel better. Kate hurt all over. She scrubbed and scrubbed but the dirt wouldn't go.

"I think that's long enough," the nurse said.

Kate turned off the water. She swung between clear thought and bewildered confusion, between certainty and stomach-churning indecision, and the one thing she couldn't push back was the knowledge that Jack lay somewhere in this hospital.

Her clothes had gone, replaced by a blue gown. Kate tied it tight and lay on the bed. She saw her clothes in a bag on the floor and while the nurse looked the other way, Kate toed it under the bed. Could she walk out? Was that possible?

Her heart began to pound.

"May I take care of your wrists?" the nurse asked.

As she rubbed Kate's sore skin with antiseptic cream, she nodded to the fingerprint bruises. "How did you get those?" The door opened, a woman came in and Kate saw a policeman beyond.

"Hi, Kate. I'm Doctor Snow. You're a little dehydrated, so we need to get some fluids in you. Laurie's going to put in an IV line."

Kate bit her lip as the needle went in.

"It would help if you opened up about what's bothering you," the doctor said.

"What you say will just be between us, Kate." She had a kind face, but she kept using her name when she spoke to her as if that made them friends. Kate didn't have any friends.

"Do you have a specific pain, Kate? It's easier for me to treat you if you let me know where it hurts."

Ask me where it doesn't hurt.

"I'm going to listen to your heart again, Kate, okay?" Anxiety rose like a scummy tide, but the stethoscope stayed outside her gown.

"It's beating fast because you're stressed. I want to check your lungs. Can you lean forward?"

Kate pressed herself back into the pillow, clenching the sheet at her sides. The doctor stood back.

"Okay. You don't want to do that. Well, how's your stomach? Do you feel nauseous?"

She tried to take hold of Kate's wrist but she slid both hands out of sight.

"Kate, we were going to X-ray your chest but I don't think it's too bad. You didn't take in a massive amount of smoke and there's a reason we'd prefer not to X-ray. You remember we took some blood? Well, I have good news for you.

You're going to have a baby."

Beneath the sheet, Kate dug her nails into her palms. Oh God. She knew what they were thinking, that she'd be all right now, she'd have her own baby and wouldn't need to steal anyone else's.

"I'm not going to let the police speak to you tonight. You're not up to it. I have another doctor coming in the morning who'd like to talk to you. I think, after a good night's sleep, you'll feel a whole lot better."

Hedley knocked on the door of the Howes' room. Sammy was still in his mother's arms, oxygen mask gone.

"How's he doing?" Hedley asked.

"He's fine." Amy pressed her nose into her son's hair.

"Have you charged them yet?" Marshall asked.

"Not yet. I have to wait for the doctor to release them from medical care."

"She's in here?" Amy asked, her eyes widening.

"Under guard. Is it okay if I ask Sammy a few more questions?" Amy nodded.

Hedley crouched down. "Hi, Sammy. You okay?" He nodded.

"Remember Kate?"

Another nod.

"Did she ever hurt you?"

Sammy shook his head.

"How about your other daddy? Did he ever hurt you?" Sammy shook his head. "He shouted a lot but he bought me a scooter. Where is it?" Then his face fell and Hedley wondered if he'd realized everything had burned.

"Do you remember the fire?"

He burrowed deeper into his mother's shoulder. "Uh huh."

"What can you remember?"

"I didn't touch it. I put more wood near it and then I put my coloring book near and the fire jumped." Tommy's chin wobbled and he began to cry. "I hid under the bed. My other mommy told me to hide there if I was scared." Hedley saw his parents exchange worried glances.

"Who got you out of the house?" Hedley pressed.

"Don't know."

"Do we have to do this?" Amy said. "I want him to forget everything, not remember it."

"I know but I need him to tell me as much as he can."

"If you're talking about her, I don't want to listen."

Marshall took Sammy from her arms. "Go for a walk, Amy." Hedley spent a few minutes asking Sammy more about Kate and Jack before his mistake registered. He muttered an apology to Marshall and dashed from the room. He hoped he was wrong. Hedley had the advantage of knowing the exact location of Kate's room. Amy didn't. But in a hospital this size, it wouldn't be hard to find her.

He heard the commotion as he turned into the final corridor. Hedley reached the door to see Amy with her fists raised, lashing out and screaming. A policewoman had her arms around her, but Amy was a furious mother, not easily restrained. Kate crouched on the floor, pressed against the wall, IV ripped out and blood trickling down her cheek from a scratch below her eye "You bitch!" Amy struggled in the grasp of the female officer. "I hope you die!"

"Come on, Amy, this isn't helping," Hedley said and grabbed her.

"You're not his mother. I'm his mother. I hate you. I hope you rot in hell for what you did." She carried on screaming as Hedley pulled her into the corridor. "I hope someone takes your child so you know what it feels like. Sammy's not yours, he's mine. My baby."

She suddenly collapsed and the help that Hedley could have done with before, took over. It crossed his mind that hospital staff, maybe local police had allowed her this moment. When he walked back into the room Kate lay curled up in the bed, lips pressed together, breathing ragged.

"Sorry, Kate. That shouldn't have happened," he said.

"Was he adopted?" she whispered.

Her first words and the breath caught in Hedley's throat.

"No. He wasn't adopted."

Kate shrank before his eyes.

Chapter Thirty-One.

Hedley sat eating prime rib at a local diner when his cell phone vibrated. He checked the caller before answering.

"Yes, Marshall?"

"We've decided not to let Sammy be interviewed again. We want the charges dropped."

Hedley pushed the plate away.

"We just want to go home and get on with our lives." Hedley squeezed the phone so tight, he thought he heard it crack. "Not so long ago, you wanted whoever was responsible for abducting your son to be pulled apart by wild horses."

"We have Sammy back. He's fine and that's all that matters. The man took him because he believed he was their child. His wife's ill. She doesn't need a trial and neither do we. We'd rather put the whole thing behind us. We have to do what's best for Sammy and that isn't going over and over what happened. The business about the knife and the fire, we...we don't want him to keep reliving it." Hedley had to unclench his jaw before he could speak. "What if they take another child? How would you feel if we released them and the next one died?" There was a pause but when Marshall spoke Hedley heard the resolution in his tone. "We appreciate everything you did to find Sammy, but in the end it was her husband who told you where to look. The moment he regained consciousness, he gave the police the guy's license plate. We might never have had Sammy back if he hadn't spoken out. And his wife needs help, not jail. We don't want go to court."

Hedley guessed money was involved. It wasn't up to them whether the charges were withdrawn. The Howes could be subpoenaed to appear in court.

"Why don't you take a little time to think? Let a specially trained agent speak to Sammy. She'll be careful not to push him. We'll talk in the morning."

"No. If you take this to court, we'll be hostile witnesses, I swear it. We're flying home tomorrow. We want to forget the whole thing ever happened." Hedley listened to a dial tone. Hostile witnesses? Someone was feeding this guy lines.

He went straight from the diner to the police station. McAllister was on the phone and he gestured for Hedley to pick up the extension.

"Let me get this straight," McAllister said and Hedley knew the repetition was for his benefit, "if Beranson signs a statement saying he'll keep away from your client's wife, your client is prepared to drop the allegation of attempted murder." Hedley's teeth ached.

"Yes. Jack is desperate to be reunited with his wife. His father wants them admitted to Ashlands, a private clinic in San Antonio specializing in mental problems. They need professional help. Any further association with Mr.

Beranson would be detrimental to Kate's health. He's feeding her fantasies for his own ends."

Hedley scribbled a question for McAllister.

"Why would you think we'd dismiss a kidnapping charge? It was your client who snatched the boy," McAllister said.

"In the mistaken belief that he was his child, illegally retained by foster parents who'd been ordered to give him up to social services. But I understand the boy's parents no longer wish to pursue the issue." McAllister's gaze shot to Hedley who pressed his lips together and nodded.

"It appears there may no longer be a case to answer," said the lawyer.

"It isn't up to Mr. Thompson or you whether we charge someone with an offense," Hedley snapped.

"With whom am I now speaking?"

Hedley bristled at the superior east coast tone. "Special Agent Hedley Moss."

"Good evening, Agent Moss. Of course you're absolutely right. All I am attempting to do is set out the facts as I see them. Tell me, do you wish to press charges against either Mr. or Mrs. Thompson?"

"Not tonight," Hedley said. "But that doesn't mean I won't tomorrow."

"Would it be acceptable for my clients to be moved to Ashlands medical facility in San Antonio, once they are able to travel?" Hedley closed his eyes and then opened them again. This guy was going to manipulate the pair out of trouble. It might be easier to extradite from Texas rather than Colorado. "I'll take that under advisement."

Nathan watched the level in his IV bag, willing it to fall faster. He felt better.

The headache had gone. No double vision, no slurred speech. He ached but nothing like as much as he had. They'd taken X-rays and put in stitches. Followed by a tetanus shot and antibiotics. No driving for twenty-four hours. Yeah, right.

He was supposed to stay overnight but he wanted to be as far away from Jack Thompson as he could get.

His car was outside in the parking lot and the keys were in the drawer with his clothes. Thank Christ he'd insisted they brought it here. The moment that IV was finished, he was leaving. Nathan knew he hadn't heard the end of this but there was no reason he couldn't go home. The one thing he wished was that he could speak to Kate. He knew it wouldn't be allowed but it was that damn note. She'd asked him to help and he hadn't-yet. He felt like he was having the longest and worst nightmare of his life and had woken without getting to the end of it. He guessed Kate felt the same.

Kate didn't react when Jack took hold of her hand. She had her eyes closed and could pretend he wasn't there. But he drew his nails along her finger, twisting the ring and pushing it down hard and Kate whimpered.

"How are you feeling, darlin'?" He leaned over her, breathing on her mouth.