Kara straightened and turned to see a blond woman with a stethoscope draped around her neck over a white lab coat. "We didn't get that far," Kara told her. "I'm afraid it's still Miss Brand. But please call me Kara."

"I'm Dr. Miller." The woman held out a hand and Kara took it. "I can't tell you how sorry I am that your wedding day was so thoroughly ruined. Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine. It's Jimmy I'm worried about. How is he, Doctor?"

The doctor looked past her at her patient. "The films don't look bad. There's no sign of any serious damage, but that doesn't give us the whole story. We aren't really going to know anything for sure until he wakes up."

"Is he...is he unconscious or is this-" she could barely say the word "-coma?"

"The EEG reads nicely. It's not coma. Not yet. He could go deeper or he could come around. No way to predict it. We can really only wait and see." The doctor sighed. "I'll give you a few minutes with him. But then I need to check him over again. All right?"

"Thank you, Doctor."

The woman left, closing the door behind her. Kara went to the bed. She leaned over it, putting her lips close to Jimmy's ear. "Wake up, Jimmy. Wake up right now. Tyler's in trouble. He needs you. And I need you, too."

She cupped his face with one hand. "Wake up, Jimmy. Come on, for Ty."

It didn't evoke a reaction.

Closing her eyes, she fought back a tide of disappointment. "It's okay. I just want you to know I'm here. We're all looking for Tyler. We're going to find him, I promise you that. We won't give up."

Sighing, Kara got to her feet. She had to clear out, give the doctor room to work. And she had to go looking for Tyler. She kissed his cheek, then turned and walked to the doorway.

"Kara?"

She froze near the door, then turned back around. Jimmy was peering at her, eyes barely open and squinting as if the light hurt them. His brows drew together and he opened his eyes a little further. He seemed to take in her appearance, the dress, and then he closed his eyes again in what looked like anguish this time. "You look-you're beautiful. I'm so sorry...."

"Don't apologize," she said as she hurried back to his bedside. "I know it wasn't your fault. Jimmy-" She sat down in the chair beside the bed and gripped his hand in both of hers. "Do you remember what happened?"

"They...they took Tyler." He scanned the room. "Angela and Vinnie took Tyler. I need a phone."

"I'll get you one. But I need to ask you something first."

He drew a breath, nodded. "I owe you so much. Ask me anything, Kara, and I'll tell you."

She nodded. "Why you did you really want to marry me?"

His brows drew together. "What kind of a question is that? Kara, believe me when I tell you there is not another woman in the world I would rather have as my wife."

She nodded. "Because there's nothing in the world as important to you as Ty. And I'm the best choice for him." She lifted her head, met his eyes. "It's okay, Jimmy. I know. I've known all along, somewhere inside. This is about Tyler. Not about anything you might...feel for me."

He searched her face. "You were willing to go through with the wedding even believing that?"

She turned, crossed the room and picked up the cordless telephone. It wasn't a patient room but a treatment room. The telephone's base was mounted on the wall rather than on a stand beside the bed. She carried it to him. "Here. Make your calls. The doctor said she would be in momentarily to examine you, and Chief Wheatly is next in line. Now that I know you're all right, I'm going out to join the search."

She turned and started for the door, almost tripping over her skirts, having forgotten their presence.

"Kara, please. Please don't go. I need to get out of here, I need to search for my son. But I don't imagine the chief is going to let me until I give him the full account of what happened this morning. And there are things you need to hear, too."

She heaved a sigh, so disappointed she could barely hold her head upright. She had so wanted to think her misgivings were completely off target. She'd expected him to deny it all, to tell her he loved her. But he hadn't done those things. Instead he had only confirmed her worst fears.

Dr. Miller entered, saw him awake in the bed and smiled. "Well, I hope those sharp, clear eyes are a good indication of what's going on behind them," she said. "Good to meet you, Mr. Corona."

"I'll stop in to say goodbye before I leave," Kara told him and she left the room.

Jim threw back the covers and had his legs over the side of the bed before the doctor uttered her first protest.

"No use arguing, Doc. I'm a police officer. My son has been abducted by a felon, and I'm going after him."

"I don't blame you. Can I at least check your pupils? Maybe get a BP and a quick listen to your heart first?"

"No."

"You have thirty-six stitches in your head, Mr. Corona. You're lucky you didn't fracture your skull."

"Very lucky. I know. But since I didn't, I have to leave." He looked down at the trousers he wore and remembered they were part of the tux. The tux he'd been wearing to marry Kara Brand. And now she knew the truth-that he didn't love her-and it made his stomach hurt to realize how deeply he had hurt her. She didn't deserve that. She'd been nothing but wonderful to him and Tyler. He felt like an assassin.

"Where's my shirt?" he asked the doctor.

"I'll give you your shirt after I check your vitals. Deal?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes but agreed.

The doc made quick work of it, which he appreciated. Then she turned and opened a large plastic bag that had been sitting on the floor, dug out a white shirt and tossed it to him. He caught it and she nodded. "Reflexes are okay."

"Sneaky, aren't you? You have a release form I can sign, Doc? If you do, bring it now, 'cause in another thirty seconds I'll be out of here."

She nodded. "All right, have it your way." She yanked his chart off the door, flipped it open, scribbled something on it and drew a big X. Then she handed it to him, along with the pen. She set the bag with the rest of his belongings on the bed beside him.

He read what she'd written on the chart: Patient refused any further treatment upon regaining consciousness and will hold neither the hospital nor its employees responsible for any ill results. He scribbled his name beside the X and handed it back to her. Then he pulled on his white shirt. He dug around in the plastic bag for his shoes and socks, yanked them out even as the doctor left the room.

He bent over to pull on the socks and was hit with such a rush of dizziness he wound up on his knees on the floor.

And then Kara was there, on her knees, too, gripping his shoulders, helping him to get up again. He met her eyes. They were wet. She'd been crying. Hell, he'd made her cry. She was no longer wearing the wedding gown-God it had just about knocked him out of the bed when he'd glimpsed her in it. Such a powerful image, Kara Brand as his bride. She wore jeans now and a small green sweater.

"You should stay here until the doctor wants to let you go," she said.

"Right. You wouldn't if it was your kid."

"He is my kid."

He lifted his head. She blinked, those huge green eyes swimming.

"At least, I'd like for him to be."

She pushed him until he sat on the bed, then she knelt and pulled his socks onto his feet. When she got them on straight, she added the shoes, even tied them for him. "I love him, Jimmy." She couldn't seem to meet his eyes. "And you don't have to marry me to ensure I stay in his life. You really don't."

He didn't even know how to respond to that. The local chief of police came in before he could think of a way.

"Jim. Sorry we're meeting again under these circumstances. I want you to know we're doing everything we can to find your son."

Jimmy nodded, getting to his feet. "Chief, I need to be out looking for him. But if you can ride with us to the house, I'll fill you in on the way."

"I need to take my own car, but we can talk at the house. I've been in touch with your Chief Wilcox in Chicago, and he's already brought me up to date on a lot of this. Have Stefano or Angela contacted you since they took him?"

"No. But I haven't been at the house, so I don't see how they could." He sighed. "Maybe they won't even bother. I know what they want."

Jimmy started for the door a bit unsteadily. But then Kara was beside him, sliding an arm around his waist, holding him. She was strong and sure of herself and loyal and determined.

She wouldn't let him down.

For a minute he wondered just why the hell he didn't love her. There must be something seriously wrong with his head, and it must have been wrong for a while now. Any normal, sane man would have fallen head over heels for this woman.

As they made their way out of the hospital, Wade came up and handed Kara his keys. "Take my pickup. We'll meet you out there."

"Thanks, Wade."

She glanced at the faces surrounding her, saw the love and the strength in each of them. Jim seemed to be avoiding their eyes. He was uncomfortable, and she knew he felt guilty for leading her on the way he had. She'd left his room barely containing her tears, but she'd managed it. Just long enough for Selene to find her and hand her the change of clothes she'd brought.

Selene had met her eyes and seen the emotional firestorm about to erupt in her, Kara knew she did. But she'd been wise enough and kind enough to say nothing. She'd only given her a hug and pointed to the nearest restroom.

Kara had gone in there to change and lost her battle. She had a full-blown breakdown in that restroom, closing herself in a stall in case anyone came in to witness it. Her dream was shattered. Her heart broken. And yet she still loved him. She loved Jimmy Corona in a way she had never loved any other man, and always would. And she loved Tyler.

Deep down she'd known all along what was happening. She'd chosen to ignore it. Pretended not to see it. But she couldn't lie to herself anymore. Jimmy didn't love her.

When the storm of tears had finally subsided, she'd thought maybe she could get through the next few hours. She'd splashed cold water on her face and reminded herself that her feelings were not important-not now. Now all that was important was finding Tyler. Getting him home safe and unharmed. It was that focus that had allowed her to face Jim again.

She remained in control, exerting an iron will over her emotions as they walked out of the hospital to the parking lot. Kara didn't ask if Jim needed her to drive. He was still having trouble walking, to say nothing of driving. That he even managed to climb into the pickup without help surprised her.

As soon as she put it into gear, he started to apologize again, but she put a stop to it in short order. "Don't," she said. "Don't waste time on what's happened between us or why it happened, Jimmy. Not now."

"But I need to explain-"

"No," she said. "Look, Jimmy, I'm barely holding it together here. I don't want to wallow in this. I need to focus on Tyler."

He was studying her face for a long moment, before he nodded. "Okay."

"Tell me about Tyler's mother. Tell me about Angela. Everything about her."

He licked his lips, lowered his head. "She's a drug addict," he said. "But you already know that. I think she probably was through most of our marriage, though I didn't know about it until it was too late. I was busy with my work, my career. I didn't like to party. She did. So she partied without me. Had affairs. I thought I loved her. Hell, I did love her. I thought a baby would fix things. Give her something to focus on. Settle her down. And at first I thought it had worked."

"But it didn't?"

He shook his head. "I was wearing blinders. She was using cocaine, right under my nose. I should have known, should have seen it. Maybe I did know deep down and was just in denial."

She lowered her head. "I can't quite swallow that, Jimmy. You wouldn't knowingly subject Tyler to that."

"I was a lousy father back then, Kara." He lowered his head, shaking it slowly. "Then I got a call at work one day. My son was in the trauma ward and my wife was in custody. She'd decided to take him out for a walk while she was high. And you know the rest."

Kara had to force her eyes from his tortured face to focus on the road.

"And what happened to her after that?"

He shook his head. "She and her lawyer made a deal with the D.A. She agreed to sign away all parental rights to Tyler in exchange for probation and community service. The alternative would have been jail time. The D.A. said it was my call. I opted to take the deal." He sighed. "Up to now she's stayed away. Kept her promise not to interfere or try to see him. Until she took up with Vinnie Stefano. Now she's letting him use her to get to me."

"That man is dangerous," Kara said. "And he didn't have any qualms about having Colby killed. As far as he knows, he succeeded, and you're the only one left who can put him behind bars."

She turned to look briefly at him, and he met her eyes. "Yeah."

"Where does your wife fit into all this?" she asked, eyes back on the road.

"My ex-wife, Kara."

She nodded, but kept her eyes on the road. "How could Vinnie convince her to go along with this? Using her own son this way?"

"He's been filling her head with promises. She thinks he's her knight in shining armor, riding in to save her, make her life like something out of a storybook."

"No one can do that for her. It's something she has to do for herself."

He was silent for a moment, and when she glanced at him again, she found him staring at her. She looked away.

"I imagine he's feeding her all the cocaine she wants, as well. She'd do just about anything for him so long as he dangles the right bait."

"At least Tyler's with his mother," Kara said. "She won't let Vinnie hurt him. She'll...she'll make sure he's okay."

"The last time Tyler was with his mother, she damn near killed him," Jimmy said, his tone grim. "Not every female is kind to children, Kara. I know it's hard for you to comprehend, but the maternal instinct isn't universal. Some animals eat their young. If she was hard up, I don't have any doubt she'd trade Tyler for a line of coke. He's not safe, not with her."

She tried to hide the horror from her eyes as she drove them back to the house. And then it was shoved to the back of her mind when she arrived there.

"Good Lord, what is all this?"

There were vehicles lining both sides of the street. Unmarked sedans, police cars and SUVs with bubble lights, vans marked with official seals. There was yellow tape strung so haphazardly it looked like a Halloween prank the day after, though she was sure the men who'd put it up had some sort of rhyme and reason.

There was nowhere to park the car, so she had to drive past. It was a solid thirty yards before she found a spot along the roadside to pull over. And she was concerned about Jim's ability to walk all the way back to the house.

Sighing, she shut the truck off and opened the door. Jim's hand on her shoulder stopped her from jumping down, and she turned to meet his steady gaze. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Kara."

She shook her head. "You shouldn't be thinking about anything now except Tyler. The rest...the rest can wait."

She got out, then hurried around to his side of the vehicle, intending to help him. He was already out, though. And, putting an arm around her shoulders, he strode back to the house as if he were in the peak of health.

There were police everywhere. Some were flicking brushes over the railing on the front steps and the doorknob. Others were taking plaster impressions of tire marks from the driveway. Another was photographing something on the ground, and it was only when they got closer that Kara saw what it was. A blood trail, where something had clearly been dragged. And that something, she realized with a sickening feeling, had been Jimmy.

"They never touched the door or the railing," Jim said, moving right into the throng. "You won't find any prints." He pointed. "I came out this door, walked with Angela to her car-a late model Ford Taurus, dark blue-there." He moved to the new spot, watching the ground, careful of where he stepped. "I was facing her, talking to her, when he came up behind me. I spun around, and he clubbed me with something. I'm ninety-nine percent sure it was a tire iron."

"God," Kara whispered, clutching her stomach. She wasn't close enough to Jimmy anymore to be heard, but someone heard. Hands clutched her shoulders, and she turned. It was Edie, and Selene stood beside her. "It's too awful," Kara whispered, and though she fought it, a sob racked her chest.

Her sisters held her, then drew her farther away from the police. She glimpsed Colby speaking intently with Chief Wheatly. She saw a van creeping along the road looking for a spot to stop. It had a TV news logo on the side and a satellite dish on top.