"Now what do you have to be sorry for?" Aurora got to her feet. "Come on, let's go pack our things and this nice man will take us somewhere safe."

Daniel stepped in then and his voice sounded hoa.r.s.e. "Mrs. Farrell, that's not possible. Arrangements have been made for you to visit Serena."

"Serena? She lives in a small country town. What will I do there?"

"Visit with your granddaughter, Ethan and Ja.s.sy," Daniel replied.

"Yes, I would enjoy that. But no one plays bridge in Junction Flat."

Sarah chuckled through her tears. "Gran, I love you."

"I love you, too, Sarah."

For the first time Sarah believed that, really believed it. Through the turmoil, it made clear all the confusion inside of her. She wanted to be loved and she was. Now she could face this nightmare.

"Mrs. Ferguson plays bridge," Sarah reminded her.

"Yes, she does, doesn't she?"

"See? It won't be so bad in Junction Flat and Ja.s.sy will keep you entertained."

"But I don't see why I can't go with you. You don't need to be alone at a time like this."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "You can't play bridge if you're with me."

Aurora waved her hand, her diamond rings catching the light. "That doesn't matter. As long as you're safe, I'd give up bridge for the rest of my life."

Sarah bit her lip, unable to speak. Daniel stepped in again.

"Then, for Sarah, pack your bags and say goodbye. Someone will take you to the airport soon."

Aurora looked at Sarah. "Is this what you want?"

"Yes, Gran. Thanks for offering. It means more than you'll ever know, but I want you somewhere safe."

"I want you safe, too," Aurora cried, and the two women clung together. Sarah quickly gathered herself and took Gran's hand.

"I'll help you pack."

While Gran called her friends to let them know she'd be gone for a few days, Sarah called Karen on her cell phone to apprise her of the situation. She was shocked, understandably so, but offered Sarah all the time she needed and promised to take care of Sarah's clients, especially Brooke Wallace. Sarah told Karen she would be calling Brooke, though. She wouldn't desert Brooke without a word. Sarah then called Celia, who became very upset, ranting and raving about the Dallas police and their incompetence.

"Celia, it's not their fault," Sarah told her. "They're doing everything they can to keep me safe."

"Honey, I'm just so worried. I may not be your real grandmother, but I do love you."

Sarah closed her eyes suddenly feeling so much love that she had trouble breathing. "I know, Celia. I love you, too. I'll call you as soon as I can."

"Okay, honey, you be careful."

Sarah clicked off, staring at the phone. Aurora and Celia loved her, but in different ways. That difference didn't lessen the strength-it only made these two women very special to her.

Thirty minutes later, Aurora and Sarah were clinging to each other at the front door where two officers were waiting to take Aurora to the airport.

Aurora turned to Daniel. "Take good care of my granddaughter, Detective Garrett, because if anything happens to her, you'll have to answer to me."

"Yes, ma'am, I'll remember that."

As Sarah closed the door she turned to stare at the man standing behind her. She would now put her life in Daniel's hands, a man she'd resented for so long. It surprised her that it was so easy, but she trusted him-of that there was no doubt. After tonight, her life would never be the same again and neither would her feelings for Daniel.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

AFTER GRAN LEFT things happened so fast that Sarah didn't have time to think. She had just finished packing a small overnight bag when a young officer arrived. Daniel introduced him as Chad Thomas. Tall, blue-eyed Chad didn't look old enough to be a policeman, but after a few minutes Sarah could see he was all business.

Daniel gave her a policeman's uniform to put on. If someone was watching the house, he didn't want them to see her leave. The uniform was big, but she made do, belting the pants tightly at the waist and tucking her hair beneath the cap. The three walked from the house to the garage where Daniel had parked his car. He got into the driver's seat with Chad at his side and she took the back seat. They'd left some lights on in the house to make it look as if she was still at home. Daniel backed out and headed into the night.

He drove to the Dallas police station where they changed cars. Daniel drove and drove, getting on and off the freeway several times. On Daniel's instructions, Sarah removed the uniform to reveal her regular clothes underneath as he drove up to a large motel. Chad went in to get a room.

Sarah had seen the motel many times on her drive from Fort Worth into Dallas each day to work. But she'd never been here.

"Are you okay back there?" Daniel asked.

"Yes."

Daniel could see her through the rearview mirror. "It would be best to remove the cap, too. Don't want you looking suspicious."

"Or ridiculous." She shook her hair loose. "I just forgot about it."

Daniel smiled. At least she was maintaining a sense of humor. She was going to need it in the days ahead.

Chad came back and they went into the room. It was a large suite, a bedroom and a sitting area with a microwave and a small refrigerator. Sarah went into the bedroom with her carryall.

Daniel was talking to Chad, then Chad left.

"Where'd he go?" Sarah asked.

"Home to get some rest. I'll stay during the night and he'll stay during the day."

"Oh."

He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small gun. Holding it in the palm of his hand, he said, "Take it."

She stared at the gun, then at him. "I don't know anything about guns."

"It's just a precaution. If someone gets past Chad or me, you'll need to defend yourself."

She'd occasionally moved Greg's gun from the table, the counter, the bath vanity-places where he'd leave it in her way. But she'd never fired one and her blood ran cold at the thought.

Tentatively she took the weapon and felt its weight in her hand.

"It's small and lightweight, but it will do the job." He pointed to a spot on the gun. "Just release the safety and pull the trigger."

She swallowed her revulsion. "Okay."

"Put it on your nightstand, then we need to go over some things."

She walked into the bedroom and carefully laid the gun down, hoping with everything in her that she would never have to use it. She then joined Daniel on the sofa.

"Now that you're here, you won't leave until this is over," he told her.

"I know."

"Never open the door to anyone. You shouldn't have to since Chad or myself will always be with you. No one knows about this location but the three of us."

"And you trust Chad?"

"Yes."

"Then, I'll trust him, too."

"Good. Why don't you take a shower and try to get some rest?"

Daniel watched her go into the bedroom. He shrugged out of his jacket, rolled up his white shirt-sleeves and leaned back to rest his head on the sofa as this awful day played through his mind. It had started out with plans of flying to France to get away...from Sarah. He could admit that now. For years he'd been hoping for a break in her demeanor, something to show that she'd forgiven him for Greg's death. That's what he needed from her-forgiveness. While he'd been waiting he'd slowly and reverently given her his heart. And she didn't want it.

He glanced around the room. This was like a page in his fantasy book-he was in a motel with Sarah Welch. But he never wanted it to be like this. Once again he found himself being her protector, and when it was over they'd go their separate ways, to separate lives. This time, though, he wouldn't fail her-there'd be no bloodshed unless it was his own. That was a vow he made to himself.

He reached for his cell phone and called Lieutenant Tolin to see if he'd arranged a meeting with Boyd tomorrow in Livingston, where death row inmates were housed, then he checked on Drew. There was no answer. He and Claude must be out, he thought. They went a lot of places. He didn't try Drew's cell phone because he didn't want to interrupt his evening.

Sarah came out of the bedroom wearing a big T-shirt and all thought left him. She curled up on the end of the sofa with her feet beneath her. She smelled faintly of lilacs and her skin glowed. An old familiar need kicked to life in his lower abdomen, a need that he'd been suppressing for too long.

"Are you going to sleep here on the sofa?" she asked.

"What?" Her question went right through his mind.

She patted the sofa. "Are you sleeping here?"

"I probably won't do much sleeping, but it folds out into a bed if I need it."

"I won't sleep, either," she said in a low voice, smoothing the T-shirt over her thigh.

He grabbed the small cooler he'd brought in. "How about something to eat? I had Chad pick up some stuff. I'm not sure what's in here."

He peered inside. "Soft drinks, distilled water, pretzels, candy bars, beef jerky and a couple of honey buns. Good G.o.d, the man's diet is atrocious."

"Doesn't matter. I'm not hungry."

He opened the pretzels as if she hadn't spoken and held the bag out to her. She took one and munched on it.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure," he answered, taking a pretzel.

"When I got the note, I called you without even thinking. I did it automatically because I knew you'd know what to do and you'd find out who had written it. I realize that's incongruous with what I told you the other night. You must think I have a lot of nerve calling you after the things I've said to you."

"No, not really. I was becoming too concerned about you and I had no right to be. When an officer does that, it's time to back off. That's why I decided to quit my job."

Her eyes found his. "But you didn't."

"I tried, but my lieutenant wouldn't let me walk away from this investigation."

"I'm glad. I don't think I could have dealt with Russ without your help."

Her words warmed him through and through. "Thank you."

She studied the hem of her T-shirt. "I need to tell you why I feel about you the way that I do."

"You don't have to." He didn't want to hear it, not now, not ever.

He busied himself getting bottled water.

"Please listen."

At the plea in her voice, he settled back on the sofa, staring at the pretzel and water bottle in his hands. "Okay, but if it's about Greg's death, I think we've covered all that."

"No we haven't. I blamed you for so long because someone wasn't there to help him, but you can't help someone who's lying to you. And Greg and I lied to you. It's taken me a while to admit that. I should never have been with Greg during that a.s.signment and he shouldn't have allowed me to go. It was like this adventure we were going on together-it was exciting, delving into the unknown. But it turned into a nightmare that continues to haunt me."

He didn't know what to say so he said nothing.

"It was easier to blame you than to take the blame myself. Lately I've been trying to a.n.a.lyze my feelings, to get through the bad stuff instead of suppressing it. Serena and I talked about it over the weekend and I'd like to tell you what I told her."

"Okay," he said, hardly breathing.

"That day I pa.s.sed out in Boyd's apartment, I came to with your head on my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. My robe was open and I wanted to pull it together, but I couldn't move my arms. I didn't know who you were-all I knew was that you were a policeman and I didn't want you to see me like that. I didn't want you to think of me in that way, either."

"What way?"

She swallowed. "Like a s.l.u.t."

He gasped at the shock of her words.

"Every time I saw you, even during the trial and the appeal, and you looked at me with those concerned eyes, I felt as if I was on that floor, naked, exposed and vulnerable. I hated it. Since then I've covered my body as much as I could."