"Plan? Oh, your schedule. Great." Frustrated, Ca.s.s turned and left the boathouse, wondering what to do next and how she'd gotten her information so mixed up. She checked her watch-just short of ten in the morning. She was certain Sheila had said the team was heading over here after breakfast. She'd missed the team bus because she'd needed to have some ultrasound therapy done on her leg over at the clinic to relieve some cramping and now it looked like she was going to miss whatever the coach had planned for the day. Ca.s.s shaded her eyes with one hand as she studied the crews out on the water. The Brits are still in mid warm-up. Germany? Maybe I can catch a ride back with them. Who the h.e.l.l put the village thirty-five miles from the venue! It's probably the other way around, dummy. c.r.a.p. I don't want to ride back with- "Lose something?"

Sh.e.l.ly's brittle voice cut through Ca.s.s's thoughts, bringing other, more unwelcome things to mind. She knew the woman had deliberately misrepresented herself when they'd met on the dock the other day, and she was still mad at herself for giving Sh.e.l.ly the satisfaction of a reaction. She was sorry the woman had lost her sister, but to lay all of the blame at Laura's feet... She certainly isn't here to get Laura back, at least not in the romantic sense. "No," she snapped back. "Have you? Oh, sorry, you can't lose what you've tossed away, can you?"

A neatly shaped eyebrow rose in the only reaction Sh.e.l.ly showed to Ca.s.s's comment. She dismissed Ca.s.s as quickly as she had the other day on the dock-unimportant, though worth trifling with if it suited her ultimate goal.

"Where's Laura?"

Ca.s.s shook her head. "Sorry, can't say."

"You can't say? Or you won't?"

"Can't, I'm afraid."

"Oh? Did she leave you behind, too?"

Taking a deep breath to control her already short temper, Ca.s.s silently counted to ten. "What do you want here?"

"What I want is for you to tell me where Laura is." Sh.e.l.ly buffed her nails against her crisply pressed polo shirt. Examining the tips, she said, "Network wants to interview her." She turned away from Ca.s.s, scanning the waterway. "We're looking to interview members of the squad we feel have the best chance to...well, you understand."

"Certainly." Ca.s.s swung her gym bag up and over her shoulder. "When I see Laura, tonight, I'll pa.s.s along your message. I'm sure she'll be...thrilled."

Sh.e.l.ly caught Ca.s.s's arm as she turned away. "Look," she began, "there's no need for us to be adversaries. I have nothing against you, personally."

"Well, isn't that nice. I guess telling your colleagues and the American audience, that I'm 'half-crippled and past my prime' was your way of saying 'let's be friends'?" Ca.s.s shook Sh.e.l.ly's hand off her arm. "I don't know how I misunderstood."

"Been listening to my show? How nice."

"I couldn't find the Farm Report."

"You should watch your step with me. And I'd be careful about who you pick for your friends while you're at it." The conciliatory tone was gone, replaced by icy venom.

"Really?" Ca.s.s stepped back again and studied the new boathouse and the bustling foot traffic moving in and around the building. She turned again to Sh.e.l.ly, noticing for the first time the small wrinkles peeking through the woman's carefully applied makeup. "I think I'm doing just fine in the friends department, but I'll keep your words in mind, thanks."

"You don't know everything about her, you know."

"Funny, neither do you." Ca.s.s c.o.c.ked her head at Sh.e.l.ly, wondering what her game was. I don't get it, what is she hoping to accomplish? Ca.s.s decided to push a little. "Okay, so tell me. What is it I don't know?"

A pained look flitted across Sh.e.l.ly's face and immediately her eyes hardened. "She's a b.i.t.c.h and she's responsible for a lot of things. She killed my sister."

The cold voice did little to hide the pain Sh.e.l.ly was obviously still feeling. Ca.s.s felt for her-felt for what she must have gone through. When Ca.s.s was a kid, still living with her mom in the c.r.a.ppy apartment, their neighbor had killed himself. He'd parked his car in the unit's garage, turned on the engine and had gone to sleep. Ca.s.s remembered the guy's family being completely wrecked about the whole thing. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to find your own sister in a pool of blood. There were a lot of "whys" to consider when someone killed themselves, but Ca.s.s wasn't willing to let Laura be the scapegoat for anyone.

"Were you hoping I'd be shocked? I thought your sister killed herself." Sadly, Ca.s.s shook her head. "I'm sorry for that. For you and for her. But that doesn't make Laura responsible."

"You don't know anything!" Sh.e.l.ly spat out her words, her hands clenched by her sides. "It was her fault, she did nothing to stop it. And I'll do whatever I can to hurt her the way she hurt me."

Ca.s.s turned and strode up the ramp. She still had no idea how she was getting back to the village, or where her team was for that matter, but she wanted to put some distance between herself and Sh.e.l.ly. Quickly. The reporter's chilly tones followed her as she left.

"She's dangerous, you know!"

"Not as dangerous as you are, lady," Ca.s.s muttered as she left.

She'd hitchhike back to the village if she needed to, but she wasn't staying around Sh.e.l.ly Michaels any longer.

Chapter Twenty-Nine.

"Hey!" Amy frowned as Laura took the steps ahead of her two at a time, she was too short to do the same, and Laura was leaving her in the dust.

"Sorry," Laura laughed breathlessly as she reached the top. She turned and then stepped aside, leaving room for Amy at the top.

Silently cursing her shorter legs, Amy finally topped the last step and then collapsed in a heap at Laura's feet. "I give up. Your kung fu is better than mine," she gasped out between breaths. "I'll never bet you again."

Laura let out a sharp bark of laughter and shook her head. She extended a hand and lifted Amy to her feet. "C'mon short-stuff," Laura slung a friendly arm over Amy's shoulders and steered her around the barricade near the entryway. "Gotta walk it off or you'll stiffen up."

Still trying to catch her breath, Amy just nodded and allowed herself to be led across the flat rooftop. In need of a workout, she'd made the mistake of challenging Laura earlier to some sprints, thinking she'd have an advantage over her, knowing that Laura was more of a distance athlete.

Laura, however, had turned the tables and challenged her to a sprint up the stairs that backed their building. The stairs that ran the entire height of the building. What the h.e.l.l had she been thinking? She glanced over at Laura and frowned when she realized her friend wasn't even winded. Five flights from ground to rooftop. I'm pretty sure she's not human, Amy thought somewhat grumpily as she finished stretching and tipped her head back to down half of the water from the bottle Laura handed her.

It was so breathlessly humid here that she felt it all the way inside. It just sapped her strength. Nearly two months in this climate, first in j.a.pan and now here, and she wondered if she'd ever acclimate. And she didn't have to expend the energy that her team did. Looking up again into Laura's flushed features, Amy considered her friend. Long and lean, with a narrow waist and broad shoulders, she looked as if she had adapted just fine to the stifling, sticky heat. Laura, as if sensing Amy's look, turned to face her.

"What?"

Amy shrugged. "Nothin.' "

Laura tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

"Okay, not nothing. I was just wondering how you're doing?"

Laura flashed a grin and leaned back against the wall. She crossed her arms over her chest, pulling the fabric tight across her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Casually lifting her foot, she nudged Amy's leg before crossing her feet at the ankles. "I guess I'm doing pretty good if I can outsprint you." She smiled.

"Ha. Unfair advantage. You didn't tell me we'd be sprinting up! Besides, you cheated, you took steps two at a time."

Laura shrugged her broad shoulders. "All's fair in love and war, or something like that." She took another long swallow of her water before turning her head to the east, in the direction of the faraway rowing venue, her lighthearted expression fading slightly.

Amy hopped up onto the wall and absently kicked her heels against the concrete beneath her. She finished her bottle of water and automatically scrunched it up before replacing the cap. She followed Laura's gaze eastward, then poked her friend in the arm. "Hey. Nice try. I want to know, really." She paused and then pushed ahead. "I meant, how are you doing with...everything? Sh.e.l.ly being around has really p.i.s.sed me off, so I was just thinking that-"

"It's fine," Laura said flatly. "I'm fine."

"Laura"

"Leave it, Ames. I mean it."

Amy shook her head and ignored Laura's forbidding tone. "No. I'm not going to. You're both my friends, you and Ca.s.s. And for a while it looked like...well, it looked like she could be good for you. Or you could be good for each other." She took a deep breath and added quietly, "You were...fun...again. You were you again. And I'd missed you."

Amy held her breath while Laura digested her words, her jaw muscles working as she stared off into the distance. It had seemed too good to be true. She'd watched as Laura first resisted Ca.s.s's overtures, rebuffing her to the point of rudeness. But Ca.s.s's quiet perseverance had gradually worn away whatever barriers Laura had.

And just when Amy had seen Laura begin to relax, to allow herself to believe...Sh.e.l.ly. That conniving, evil b.i.t.c.h. Amy had never really liked Sh.e.l.ly when she was dating Laura, but since Brenda's death and Sh.e.l.ly's laying all the blame at Laura's feet, Amy's dislike had blossomed into something bordering on hatred. She knew that Laura still carried a great deal of guilt about Brenda's suicide, and this c.r.a.p with Sh.e.l.ly was bringing it all back.

Laura's jaw tensed again and then she spoke, her words low and bitter. "Seeing her, it's brought it all back. I know, I know it wasn't my fault. But...I can't help it. The questions still spin around and around in my head. Did I do enough? Did I miss something? Did I try hard enough to-"

"Laura, you can't keep doing this to yourself."

Laura scrubbed her hands over her face, then turned and rested her elbows on the roughened stone of the low wall. "I hate this."

Amy blinked in surprise. "Hate what?"

"Feeling..." She trailed off and swallowed, her eyes filling.

Amy turned on the wall to face Laura and waited for her to meet her gaze. She could see the pain in Laura's eyes. She was afraid to push, but she knew Laura needed to say it out loud. "Feeling what?" Immediately Laura dropped her gaze and for a long moment she was sure she wasn't going to speak. Amy wondered if she'd pushed too hard. Finally, however, Laura looked up at her again.

"Fragile. I hate feeling fragile. Kind of...broken. I hate that. I hate that she's done that to me. Is doing that to me again."

Pulling in a deep, cleansing breath, Amy turned again toward the boathouse and she felt Laura shift to look the same way. They couldn't see it from here, so she built it in her mind's eye and then began speaking, purposely keeping her voice low and soothing. "Laura, you need to let it go. Let her, Brenda, go. All of it." She reached down and laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Not just for the team and for tomorrow's race, but for you. You have to find a way." Giving the solidly muscled shoulder beneath her a squeeze, she added, "And just remember, we're all here for you. We've all got your back. Ca.s.s too. Especially Ca.s.s."

Amy felt more than saw Laura nod in response and realized that was all she'd get right now. And, it was enough. For now.

Chapter Thirty.

Amy settled deeper into her seat at the stern and watched as Laura sat, hands easy on the oar as they waited for the start. She tried to clear her mind of everything but the race at hand. Ca.s.s had caught her before she left the building and Amy heard Ca.s.s's words wash through her as she watched the other boats being eased into position.

"Amy, wait. I just wanted to..." Ca.s.s paused, clearly uncertain. She glanced at her watch and then to her erstwhile roommate. "I tried to find Laura earlier and I..." She swallowed and then gave Amy a small smile. "Tear 'em up today, okay?" Before Amy could react, Ca.s.s stepped forward and gave her a quick, fierce hug. She whispered, "Pa.s.s that on to Laura, would you? And would you tell her that I...that I believe in her? All right?" And then she was gone before Amy could say a word.

Amy hadn't pa.s.sed on the hug and it was eating at her. She'd been afraid of pulling Laura's focus, just when they needed it to be razor-sharp. Now, however, she was having second thoughts. Amy flicked her gaze to Laura's face to find her staring back, a slightly puzzled expression on her face.

Amy smiled weakly back and then glanced back up the line of boats still easing into position. She had time. She eased forward on the pretext of adjusting her c.o.x-box. "I, um. I forgot to pa.s.s something on to you earlier."

One of Laura's eyebrows quirked up as she c.o.c.ked her head to one side. "What are you talking about?"

"Ca.s.s." Amy tugged at her headphones and risked a glance at Laura. She was taking a chance here, but, after seeing the way Laura's face lit up at just the mention of her name, Amy figured she'd made the right choice. "Ca.s.s caught me on the way down this morning. Said she'd tried to find you and when she couldn't, she, ah, hugged me."

Now Laura's other eyebrow joined the first. "And this relates to me...how?"

"The hug was for you. She, um, also had a message."

Laura's face grew still and she flexed her fingers once, twice on the oar handle before meeting Amy's gaze and asking softly, "What's the message?"

"She said to tell you that she believes in you."

Amy watched as Laura processed her words, her focus turning inward for a moment as she thought. Then, slowly, a smile slid across her face, relaxing her features and lighting her eyes. When she met Amy's eyes again, her green eyes were bright with a light that Amy hadn't seen for a long time in her friend.

The race referee called for attention and he began polling the boat c.o.x's for readiness. Amy acknowledged his call and then leaned forward. "You good?"

Laura wiped one hand, then the other, on her racing unitard and then settled her hands firmly in place. She gave Amy a quick nod and then glanced over her shoulder. Satisfied that her crew was settled, their oars resting easily on the water and their expressions set, she turned back to Amy, her eyes blazing now in determination. "Yup. Good to go, Ames. Let's do this."

Amy nodded back and waited for the signal. Finally... "Attention!" Then, "Go!"

Amy's entire being was focused on four things; the stroke-rate on her c.o.x-box, the sound of the oars swinging in the locks, the feel of the boat on the water, and the feel of the rhythm of the women before her. Their speed quickly rose in time to her sharp commands to increase the length of their stroke as they neared the first marker. "Three-quarters!" "Full!" "Power ten in two...one! Two!"

With that last command, the team settled into their groove with Amy constantly updating them on their position and that of their compet.i.tors. This part of the race never got boring for her, but it was the hardest. Knowing the power drives were yet to come she did her best to conserve the strength of her team. She glanced at Laura's face, the only face she could clearly see among the women. Laura's face told the story. Laura would know what they could and could not do. Laura took her cues from Amy, but Amy also took hers from Laura. Amy shouted "Settle!" and that allowed Laura and the rest of the boat to relax a bit more into their rhythm. She couldn't see all of the other boats, which meant that the U.S. boat was in the lead. They had discussed their strategy earlier, and Amy was sticking to the plan. Win or place second, just enough to qualify without giving away the store.

As they neared the final one-thousand meter mark, Amy heard the German boat's c.o.x shout and glanced over her shoulder to see them inch forward. She caught Laura's eye and nodded, then shouted out another sharp command. Amy didn't fight the tiny thrill that raced through her as the Germans matched their speed; instead she embraced it, used it, and let it fuel the drive in her as she continued to shout encouragement to her team.

"Ready, power ten in two! One...two!" Amy called the signal for the last ten strokes and knew they had it in the bag. They'd made the medal rounds. As they crossed the line the referee's horn blast signaled their finish and Amy directed them to "Let 'er run!" allowing the long boat to bleed off speed after the finish. She high-fived Laura and then watched as Laura, like the rest of the women in her crew, lay back against the legs of the woman behind her. They sucked in air and listened as the referee's horn continued to signal other boats crossing the line. Those who didn't finish in the top two were out, this time for good.

Finally Laura sat up and reached forward to pull Amy into a hug as best she could in the narrow confines of their craft. "Great job, Ames. Great job!"

"You too! We're in the A Final, Laura! We're going to the medal round!" Amy's glee was infectious, and as the women recovered from their efforts, the jubilation spread and they began laughing and high-fiving each other. Amy efficiently guided the boat back to the docks, keeping the crew in check as much as she could.

Amy glanced from the docks to the crowded stands. She could just make out the rest of the U.S. squad gathered at the end of the run, in the athletes area before the stands. From this distance she couldn't really make out individuals. She did, however, wave to them as the boat glided smoothly past.

"Port side, watch your blades," she called. As the boat eased into the dock, Amy ordered, "Port oars to the gunnels and lean away," and Laura and the other three women on the port side pulled their oars in until the blades rested against the rigging. Amy automatically checked to be sure they turned the blade flat as they leaned, allowing the blade and rigging to clear the low dock. The rest of the process of extricating herself from the boat was done by rote as the crew deftly followed her commands. Finally, she was able to free herself from the tiny confines of her c.o.x s.p.a.ce and stretch.

"Here," a soft voice said, catching her attention. Amy looked up to see Ca.s.s's sparkling brown eyes above her. She watched as Laura handed off her oar and stepped dockside, careful to do so in sync with her crew, lest they end their terrific finish with an ignominious wet-down by tipping the long boat. Ca.s.s steadied Laura as the dock shifted with the new weight, and Laura slipped her hand over Ca.s.s's, the small action bringing a smile to Amy's face. Once everyone was out and the support staff took charge of the boat, she let herself enjoy the moment.

In an uncharacteristic show of enthusiasm, Laura spun and swept Ca.s.s up in a hug, spinning them both around. She then set her aside and advanced on Amy, a wide grin on her face.

"C'mon, Ames! You know the drill!"

Amy yelped and dove behind Ca.s.s. "No! Laura! You can't toss me yet, that's for the finals!"

The rest of the crew gathered around and looked to Laura who grinned again and then c.o.c.ked her head toward Ca.s.s. "What do you think? Toss her, or not?"

Ca.s.s laughed as Amy clutched at the back of her shirt. She reached back to pat her roommate on the arm rea.s.suringly. "I'm pretty sure you need to save that for the big finish, Laura."

"Thanks, Ca.s.s," Amy whispered, still not releasing her hold on Ca.s.s's polo shirt, just in case.

Amidst mock groans of disappointment from her team, Laura nodded. She reached again for Amy and pulled her from behind Ca.s.s, then slung her arm over both women's shoulders. "Fair enough. But," she warned, with a mock glare at Amy, "get ready, Ames, 'cause in two days you're going flyin.' "

Amy enjoyed the laughter and banter of her team as they celebrated their finish to the finals, and she was thrilled when she looked over to find Laura smiling warmly down at Ca.s.s. She was suddenly very glad she'd pa.s.sed on Ca.s.s's message at the last minute, sure that had done the job.