Scout had been informed that Harold Atkins was doing all he could to see that they were properly cared for.

Max wondered what difference it would make. If what Kirstenof had said was true, nothing mattered. Neither of them had slept for more than a few minutes since their arrival, but they hadn't talked much, either.

He looked at her now and wondered what it would be like to go out on a date with her. The attraction was certainly there. Maybe if circ.u.mstances had been different they could have ...

But circ.u.mstances weren't different.

They were going to die.

"You know ..." he began, feeling as if he had to say something. She looked so d.a.m.ned helpless and needy, standing there next to that bed. He was pretty sure she didn't have any family other than her uncle Harold, who wasn't really her uncle, just an old family friend. Not that having family would help, since she couldn't see them any more than he could see his own. But she looked so alone. He imagined he did, as well. "Maybe we could talk." He shrugged. "Get to know each other." After all, they had a few days left before ...

Max shuddered inwardly. He didn't want to think about that. Dying at age thirty-three from some man-made virus that was supposed to be utilized only by the Defense Department was not exactly how he'd seen himself going.

Scout folded her arms across her chest and waltzed over to him, an odd look on her face.

"You want to talk?"

Taken aback by her peculiar tone, he shrugged again. "Why not? It's not like we're going anywhere. We might as well make the best of our last days, right?"

"No one hates that things are going to end this way more than I do." She moved closer, the look he hadn't understood now becoming crystal clear. "But it appears we're screwed. I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend my last days on earth talking."

She looped her arms around his neck and his body went immediately hard. "I mean," she added, "it's not like we aren't attracted to each other."

A slow smile pulled one corner of his mouth upward. In that instant he knew his entire being had been waiting for this moment ever since he'd laid eyes on her. "Are you suggesting that we ..."

She smiled back, that s.e.xy twinkle in her eyes once more. "That's exactly what I'm suggesting."

Tension making it difficult to breathe, he glanced around at the gla.s.s walls. "You know they're watching us," he reminded her. Equal measures of need and desire were pumping through him so fast that he could hardly restrain himself.

She lifted one slender shoulder in a careless shrug. "Big deal. We're dead anyway, right?"

"Take a coffee break," Max said, glancing at those d.a.m.nable gla.s.s walls once more. "This show's about to get X-rated." His gaze zeroed in on her lips then. "We're not dead yet," he murmured as his mouth followed the path his gaze had taken, sealing over hers in a kiss that went from slow and tender to hot and frantic in about two seconds.

Her taste, the feel of her in his arms, overwhelmed all other senses. Everything else faded into insignificance. There was only the one moment ... and this woman.

At least they'd die happy.

Chapter Two.

Four Months Later ...

Max waited patiently in Victoria's office. She'd called him in on his first Sat.u.r.day off in more than a month, but he didn't really mind. He preferred to stay busy. Especially now.

Despite his intention not to think about the past, it intruded all the same. Just four months ago he'd thought he was a dead man. The image of Scout Jackson immediately filled his mind. He'd barely known the woman, but the idea of her death had been immensely more painful to consider than that of his own. They'd known each other only a few days when ...

The memory of making love while in mandatory isolation immediately sprang to mind. It hadn't mattered that they were being observed ... they were going to die anyway, right?

Wrong.

For some reason that none of the Alexon scientists had been able to understand, both Max and Scout had been immune to the virus K-141. Max had no explanation and neither did Scout. It simply was. The antidote hadn't been necessary since natural antibodies had been detected in the blood tests Alexon had performed. Of course, they hadn't been told until the final days of isolation.

Alexon had insisted they stay in quarantine a full twenty-one days, during which time absolutely nothing happened-except a great physical relationship with a woman who'd proved to be every bit as a.s.sertive as he. It was the first time in his life that Max had been with a woman whose pa.s.sion rivaled his own. Maybe it had simply been because they'd both thought they were going to die. He supposed that was something he would never know, since he hadn't seen Scout since the day they'd been released.

During their stay they'd endured dozens of blood tests and other a.n.a.lyses. Finally, when the powers that be were fully convinced the two were virus free, they had been allowed to go. Max's jaw clenched instantly at the memory. Scout Jackson had acted as if nothing had happened between them. As if making love with such abandon with a relative stranger for three weeks and then walking away was the norm.

Yet they were anything but strangers after those days in forced captivity. They'd known everything about each other. Max had to admit they'd spent almost as much time talking as they had making love.

Almost.

"Max," Amy Wells said breathlessly as she rushed into Victoria's office, jerking him back to the here and now.

He looked up and smiled. "Amy." She was filling in today for Mildred, Victoria's secretary. Mildred was spending time with her great-niece, whom she'd practically raised like a daughter. Mildred rarely took time off.

"I'm sorry you've had to wait. Victoria will be right with you. She and Ian had an unexpected conference call." Amy blushed. "I should have told you before you left your office, but I had several calls and-"

"It's okay," Max a.s.sured her. "I don't mind waiting."

Her smile winged back into place. "Can I get you anything while you wait?"

He shook his head as he moved toward the wall of windows to survey the view. "I'm fine. Thanks." She nodded and backed out of the office. Max shook his head again, this time at the thought of Amy. She was one of those young ladies who'd just gotten her first apartment, but still went home to Mom and Dad for dinner on Sundays. She'd never been in a serious relationship, and he imagined that the move to Chicago was as far as she'd ever been from the family farm, less than two hours away. Though more than competent at her job, she continually strove to do better. She'd recently been promoted from receptionist to personal a.s.sistant. Max had a feeling she had her sights set on becoming an investigator. And he could definitely see that happening. She was one tenacious young lady.

"Good morning, Max."

He looked up again, this time to see Victoria breezing through the door. She sent him a smile, one that could disarm any male breathing.

"Good morning, Victoria."

"I apologize for the delay." She skirted her desk and took a seat, then motioned for him to sit. "We have a slight dilemma this morning."

A rap on the open door drew Max's attention.

"You wanted to see me, Victoria?"

Doug Cooper stood in the doorway.

Max's frown was automatic. It wasn't that he didn't like the guy, but they just didn't see eye to eye on a few things. Primarily on how to proceed in any given situation while on a.s.signment. Cooper had his way and Max had his own. It usually didn't cause a problem, except the one time they'd been teamed. Four months ago, in fact, when Max had been sent in to retrieve Scout and the Alexon scientist. Cooper had gotten annoyed because Max left him out of the loop at the last minute. It wasn't as if he'd intended to, but things had gone downhill fast, and Max had failed to let Cooper know when he left Colombia. Being shot and barely escaping rebels had played a large part in the oversight.

Judging by the look on Cooper's face when he noted Max's presence in Victoria's office, he hadn't forgotten that little episode, either.

"Yes. Douglas, have a seat."

Victoria smiled at her newest investigator. Though he hadn't had his first lead a.s.signment yet, she appeared extremely pleased with his performance so far. Max felt immediately contrite. His problem with Cooper was more a personality clash than anything else. Max had been born in a blue-collar family. He'd worked his way through college and had earned every little thing in life. That a guy like Cooper could have the world handed to him on a silver platter and then still end up Max's equal annoyed him somehow. But he'd get over it. It wasn't Cooper's fault he'd been born to wealth any more than it was Max's that he hadn't. Not that he wished his life to be any different than it was, because he didn't.

Mainly, he just wanted to dislike the guy because he had it all without even trying.

Cooper, appearing every bit the J.F.K., Jr., look-alike from his savvy attire to his handsome mug, returned Victoria's smile and made himself comfortable in the chair next to Max.

He turned to Max then. "Good morning, Max," he said, that million dollar smile still in place.

"Cooper," Max acknowledged, purposely directing his attention back to Victoria without further ado.

"Gentlemen, we have somewhat of a dilemma," the boss said.

Both men sat up a little straighter and gave Victoria Colby their undivided attention.

"Regis Brandon from Alexon called me at home last night. They have a very serious situation. Harold Atkins, their head of security, was murdered two days ago, and Olivia Jackson is missing."

Max's pulse leaped into warp speed at the mention of Scout's name. She hated when people called her Olivia. "It sounds so girlie," she'd said. The rest of Victoria's statement sank in then.

... Olivia Jackson is missing.

Max leaned forward with the intention of demanding more information just as Victoria continued.

"Regis fears that Olivia may be involved somehow in the murder."

Max shook his head. "No way." Scout loved the guy like family. No way would she be involved in harming him. Murder was out of the question.

Victoria sighed and leaned back in her chair. "That's why I asked Douglas to join us," she said to Max. "I'm aware of your personal involvement with Miss Jackson and I'm not sure it would be a wise move to a.s.sign you to her case."

"Don't even think about giving this case to him," Max said curtly as he hitched a thumb in Cooper's direction. "No offense," he added as an afterthought. "But this is my case. We were personally involved," he said pointedly to Victoria. "We aren't now. That former involvement won't in any way lessen my ability to get the job done." He leveled his most unrelenting gaze on her. "I want this a.s.signment."

The boss studied him for a long moment before speaking. "Max, I know a great deal about allowing personal involvement to override good judgment. More than you can imagine. And I also know that whether you're involved with her right now or not, you still have strong feelings where she is concerned." Victoria held up a hand to stop him when Max would have argued his point further. "I do, however, know you well enough to believe that you will do the job right. So I'm going to let you have the case."

Relief rushed through him. He relaxed visibly.

"With one stipulation," she clarified.

Max tensed once more.

"You will keep Douglas in the loop. He will know your every move. If he for one moment believes that you've lost your objectivity, he takes over. Agreed?"

Max glanced at the man sitting silently beside him, then exhaled a heavy breath and turned back to Victoria. "Agreed."

She nodded, then continued with the briefing. "Regis feels you would be best suited for this a.s.signment in any event," she said to Max, her eyes allowing him to see the degree to which she disagreed with that conclusion. "He believes that the only way to draw Olivia out is by using someone she trusts." Victoria considered Max a moment. "He is evidently convinced that since the two of you had a physical relationship, Miss Jackson will trust you."

Max shrugged. "The point's valid. The decision to go our separate ways was mutual. We didn't part enemies or even angry with each other. We were both too glad to be alive to harbor resentment for anything that happened during that three-week period of quarantine."

"I agree," Cooper interjected.

Max resisted the urge to look his way. He didn't need anyone else to tell him what he felt, now or then.

"I was present when Miss Jackson and Max said their goodbyes. I'm certain she not only trusted him, but also had strong feelings for him."

Max did look at Cooper then. How the h.e.l.l could he know that for sure? Even Max had doubted how Scout really felt about him in the end. He knew for certain how far he'd fallen for her during those twenty-one days, but he hadn't been absolutely sure if the depth of feeling was mutual. Still wasn't. In fact, he figured she'd gone back to her ex-boyfriend. The one she'd broken off with just days before going on the Colombian mission. Max gritted his teeth as the name filtered through his mind. Gage something or other.

"Considering that her pseudo-uncle is dead and that she had no other family," Cooper continued, "Max is probably the only person she would trust."

The reality that Scout might be all alone out there, and facing a possible murder charge for a crime she couldn't have committed, hit Max with the force of a physical blow.

"All right," Victoria announced, once more dragging him to attention. She reached across her desk, offering him the case file. The manila folder was considerably thicker this time. "You'll find all the details in here. There isn't that much you don't already know. The two new details are Harold's murder and the fact that Alexon insists that the murder stems from Miss Jackson's having stolen something that belongs to the company. Harold was apparently trying to retrieve it when he was murdered."

Max shook his head again. That was impossible. Scout wasn't a thief and she d.a.m.n sure wasn't a murderer. The only way she would kill someone would be in self-defense. So unless her uncle was attempting to kill her, she wouldn't have killed him. Max swore under his breath.

"Max, we would appreciate it if you shared your thoughts on the matter," Victoria said with a directness that left no doubt about her loss of patience. "It's obvious you're having difficulty with the details as I've outlined them."

Now she was annoyed with him. Not that he could blame her. He'd just a.s.sured her that he would keep Cooper informed, and here he was keeping things to himself before he even got out of her office.

"It's just that I know she wouldn't kill her uncle." He shrugged, at a loss to completely relay how he could know that with such certainty. "She's not a thief and she's definitely not a killer. There has to be something else going on that we're not aware of." He looked straight at Victoria then. "How well do you know this Regis Brandon? Could he be hiding something?"

Victoria spread her hands. "Anything's possible. Regis has been the head of Alexon for two years now. He has a stellar reputation, but that doesn't eliminate the possibility that he could be dirty on some level. One never knows what a person is capable of ... until you dig deeply enough"

Touche, Max acknowledged silently.

After the briefing, he exited Victoria's office, already mentally ticking off possible scenarios for Scout's predicament. Victoria's warning kept echoing in his head. One never knows just what a person is capable of... .But he did know Scout; he knew every inch of her. But did he really know her other than in the biblical sense?

"Look, Max," Cooper said, coming up beside him.

Max turned toward him, admitting that he likely still owed the guy an apology for the last time the two had worked a case involving Scout.

"I didn't ask for this," Cooper explained, apparently feeling the need to justify his inclusion. "I told Victoria you could handle the situation."

Max heaved another of those long, drawn-out breaths. This was mostly his fault. "Cooper, I was wrong before. I left you out of the loop just like Victoria said. It won't happen this time." He offered his hand. "And for the record, I'm certain you didn't try to horn in on my case. I know Victoria. She makes her own decisions based on fact and gut instinct. So we're clear, all right?"

Cooper gave his hand a firm shake. "Clear."

"Let's meet in a couple of hours to discuss strategy," Max suggested before walking away. This time he would give Cooper that chance he'd denied him before.

That was one thing Max could safely say about himself: when he was wrong, he admitted it.

He hoped like h.e.l.l he wasn't wrong about Scout.

MAX STOOD BACK from the crowd, observing, a.n.a.lyzing each elegantly dressed attendee and keeping an eye out for one person in particular. Perpetrators often showed up at the funerals of their victims just to get the final laugh. Not that he thought for one second that Scout was the perp. He did, however, expect her to show.

The funeral had taken place in one of Chicago's premier cathedrals, with all the elaborate tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. In the past twenty-four hours, Max and Cooper had learned that Harold Atkins had no family other than Scout, and really had no close friends other than work a.s.sociates. But Alexon had gone all-out for his funeral. The arrangements were nothing short of lavish.

Now, as the brief graveside service reached its conclusion, there still had been no sign of Scout or anyone who looked or behaved suspiciously. Unless she'd watched the event with high-powered binoculars from a safe distance away, Scout wasn't around. Max was relatively sure she hadn't done that because Cooper was doing that very thing, and he hadn't seen hide nor hair of the lovely fugitive.

Scout's private investigations business was located in Houston, Texas, but Max felt certain she would be close by for her uncle's funeral. Though he hadn't caught sight of her, he wasn't ready to admit defeat just yet, either. He was still certain she would show ... eventually. He scanned the grand old cemetery yet again. The elite of Chicago were buried here. His gaze drifted back to the gathered crowd. Those in attendance ranged from the mayor to well-known local entrepreneurs. Nothing but the best for a mere chief of security? Max found that unsettling. It was just one more element that didn't fit, any more than the idea that Scout had committed the crime. But, he imagined, these people had likely come to show their support for one of their own-Regis Brandon, CEO of Alexon.

Upon checking on Scout's business in Houston, Cooper had found out from her a.s.sistant that Scout had done nothing more than call in to her office for weeks now. The a.s.sistant was concerned that something was wrong, but had followed orders to refer new cases to other agencies, taking only those that she could handle herself right from the office. According to the a.s.sistant, at this rate Scout would be out of business before the end of the year, and it was September already.