He pulled her in for a quick hard kiss.

While staring into her eyes, he reminded her, "You trust me. Don't forget that."

She nodded, forced her shoulders to relax so that she appeared casual-and didn't budge. "What's going on?" she asked calmly. "Tell me who's here."

The dog barked, and Logan looked up to see that the woman watched him more closely. "Morton's goons, or the traffickers, hell I don't know. But Reese is here, too. That's his car."

"You think-"

"No." Logan shook his head. "Hell, no. Reese might be up to something, but not that. Not ever."

She searched his face. "You're sure?"

"Positive." Reese would never deliberately put a woman in harm's way, or assist anyone else with that agenda.

"Okay then. If you trust him, I do, too.

So I should probably tell you...I see Rowdy's car."

Flummoxed, Logan stared at her. "I thought he was going to steal something."

"He's not a car thief," she complained with ire, then she drew a breath. "He kept old beat-up cars, weapons, changes of clothes...everything he or I might need, at the warehouse. That old sedan parked about six or seven cars down? It looks like his."

So Reese wasn't alone. Hopefully that meant he had backup-instead of two victims. "If I can get inside, I can work it out."

Suddenly the woman and dog started toward him. She smiled, waved as if she'd just seen him, and Logan didn't know what to think.

"Who is that?" Pepper asked with accusation.

"I think she might be Reese's dog sitter." When the woman strode over to his side of the car, Logan rolled down the window.

Still smiling, she leaned down to speak to him. "You're a friend of Detective Bareden's?"

More than a little confused, Logan said, "I am."

"You're a police officer, like him?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. You have the look."

Logan had no idea what the look might be.

"Something is going on, so play along, please." Faking a friendly chat, she leaned on the frame of the window.

"There's been a parade of people going into his apartment. One is a particularly sinister character who has a bodyguard of sorts with him. I don't think we have a lot of time, so if you want to come with me, I can get you inside. We'll act like old friends. Does that work?"

Jesus. He didn't know what to think.

"You're Alice?"

"Yes. I'm a neighbor. Now do you want in or should I try to think of something else?"

Like what? "I do." Logan turned to Pepper. "You're going to leave with Dash."

She licked her lips. "There are probably men around back, as well."

"I don't think so," Alice said. "I took the dog for a walk around the perimeter and didn't see anything else amiss."

With effort, Pepper pulled her gaze away from Alice and back to Logan. "I can stay and help-"

"No."

She spoke in a rush, both urgent and offended. "You promised my brother that you'd stay with me. You promised me.

And, Logan, you know you can't do this alone."

"I can and I will." But he hated to let her out of his sight, she was right about that.

Alice said, "If I could offer a suggestion? Bring her in, and she can stay in my apartment with me. It's secure."

Secure? An odd word choice for a run-of-the-mill neighbor lady.

She looked over her shoulder at Dash, who pretended to adjust his radio. "He's with you?"

Unbelievable. "Yeah."

"He can handle himself?"

"He can," Logan said.

"Good. He can keep an eye on the bully at the entrance." She opened his door as if greeting a longtime friend.

"Let's go then."

Giving her a stern frown, Logan hesitated before getting a gun out of the glove box. He put it in the waistband of his slacks, under his shirt.

"Walk over and greet Pepper," he told Alice. "Both of you wait by the side of the car for me."

The dog barked excitedly, and Alice said, "I do believe he's enjoying himself." With no apparent cares, she went around the car to carry on an animated faux conversation with Pepper.

Few things really threw Logan for a loop anymore, but he had to admit, Alice had him reeling. He walked to Dash and slipped the gun in to him through the open window. "It's loaded, so be careful." He'd be left without a weapon, but he could improvise.

Dash rested the gun over his thigh and lifted a brow. "Who am I supposed to shoot? The gorilla up front there?"

"If necessary, yes." Briefly, he explained Alice and her dubious plan.

"I'm going in. Pepper will wait in Alice's apartment with her while I check on Reese."

"And kick ass-if necessary?"

Yeah, if it came to it, with or without a gun, he'd demolish all threats, because that's what it'd take to keep Pepper safe.

"If this setup goes south..." shit, shit, shit "...get Pepper away from here.

Preferably across state lines. Then you can go to the police. But not here."

There were too many unanswered questions, and he didn't know who to trust.

Dash clasped his arm. "Much as I'm enjoying the adrenaline rush, I'll enjoy it more if you come out of this whole- hide."

"Count on it." He looked over at Alice, who alternately played with the dog and treated Pepper like a long-lost friend.

Other than appearing a little shell- shocked, Pepper played along well enough.

Best to just get it over with.

Pasting on a huge smile, he joined the ladies, and together they strode back into the building. He kept the women on his right, away from the jackass guarding the door. Except for an appreciative look at Pepper, the man barely gave them any attention until the dog started snarling at him.

Like a cool, seasoned pro, Alice said, "Cash, behave." After stroking the dog's head, she smiled at the guard. "Sorry.

He's usually well mannered."

The guard gave her a dismissive nod.

A minute later, Logan saw the ladies safely ensconced in Alice's apartment.

Pepper wore an empty look, twisting his guts in a sick knot of dread.

"None of that," he told her.

She looked at him, nodded, but he could see what it cost her to find her grit.

Alice said, "One moment, please."

She offered the leash to Pepper.

Absently, Pepper stroked the dog with a gentle hand, but her expression turned feral. "I don't like this. If anyone has hurt my brother-"

"The guard wouldn't be there if that was the case," Logan told her. "I still have time."

"You aren't armed," Pepper argued.

"He will be." At the hall closet Alice went on tiptoe to retrieve a box. She took out a revolver and handed it over to Logan. "Don't worry. I have another in my bedroom. We'll be safe enough."

Reese had said she was strange. Well, he couldn't have been more correct.

"Get the gun now." He wanted to see it in her hands before he left.

While Alice left to do that, Pepper watched him take off his hard-soled shoes and set them on the floor. Next he stripped off his dress shirt and pulled his T-shirt free from his slacks.

Carrying a Glock, Alice reentered but faltered when she saw him removing his shirt. "What are you doing?"

"Preparing," Pepper said, grim-faced.

"He needs to be unhindered, and he has to be able to get in there unannounced."

Logan put the gun in his waistband.

"Do you need a knife, too?" Pepper asked.

"I don't want to cut his throat, honey."

He pulled his T-shirt over the gun.

After giving the leash back to Alice, she went about checking the locks on the windows and closing the drapes.

"I already got the windows in the bedroom and bathroom," Alice told her.

"We'll dead bolt the door behind you." Pepper checked the lock and nodded in approval. "As Alice said, it looks sturdy. And don't worry, I'm not opening the door to anyone I don't know."

Seeing she had more to say, Logan waited.

"We won't interfere, but, Logan..."

She braced her shoulders and her courage, as he knew she'd had to do too many times in her life.

Touching her soft, warm cheek, he said, "Try not to worry, honey. You have my word, I'll do everything in my power to see that Rowdy isn't hurt."

Lips trembling, she knotted a hand in his T-shirt. "Damn you, Logan."

It amazed him that one woman had become so precious to him. On the off chance he failed, he wouldn't walk away without her knowing. "I love you."

Her eyes flared and her hand fell away from him. "What...?"

"I love you." Smiling, he said, "Think about that while I'm gone, okay?"

And with that parting shot, he left.

CHAPTER TWENTY-.