"Oh, I do." She beamed. "And you'll like it too. I promise."

"Your taxi, Mr. Simpson." Jamie opened the door with a flourish. "And isn't it a fine day, sir?"

Nigel Simpson frowned. "I didn't call for a taxi."

"No, I believe it was a lady who called."

Perhaps Christine had called while he was in the shower. She was always accommodating after their sessions. She believed in honey poured as a balm to soothe the sting. He smiled as he remembered how exciting she'd proved last night. The woman was bloody magnificent. He got into the taxi.

Tanek!

Nigel's hand flew to the doorknob.

Tanek put his hand on Nigel's arm. "No disturbance," he said gently. "It would make me most unhappy. I take it you recognize me? How? I don't think we've ever met."

Nigel moistened his lips. "You were pointed out to me last year when you were in London."

"By Gardeaux?"

"I don't know any Gardeaux."

"I think you do. Jamie, why don't we take a little drive through the park and perhaps Mr. Simpson will remember."

Jamie nodded and got in the driver's seat.

"I won't remember," Nigel said. He forced a laugh. "You've mistaken me for someone else."

"Was it Gardeaux who pointed me out to you?"

"No, I told you-" He broke off as he met Tanek's eyes. He was sitting motionless and his tone had been soft, almost casual, but Nigel was suddenly terrified. "I don't know anything. Pull over, I want out of this taxi."

"You're an accountant, I believe. You must be very valuable to Gardeaux ... and to Kabler."

Nigel froze. "I don't know either of those names."

"I'm sure Gardeaux knows Kabler's name. Suppose I called him and told him that you're Kabler's informant."

Nigel closed his eyes. It wasn't fair. Everything had been going so well for him, and now this bloody bastard appeared and sent everything crashing.

"You look a little sick," Tanek remarked. "Shall I open the window?"

"You can't prove it."

"I won't have to prove it. Gardeaux won't take the chance, will he?"

No, Gardeaux would just smile and shrug and the next morning Nigel would be dead.

Nigel opened his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Information. I want reports regularly and accurately. I want to see everything first and then I'll decide what you can sell to Kabler."

"Do you think I'm the only accountant Gardeaux has? He'd never trust everything to one man. We're given bits and pieces of the records of the money that goes out, and most of that is in code."

"The list of names for the Medas hit wasn't in code."

"The action to be taken was."

"What was the reason for the hit?"

"I sent Kabler all I knew."

"Then find out more. I want to know everything about it."

"I can't probe. It wouldn't be safe."

"Do you know, Nigel"-Tanek smiled at him-"I really don't care."

"It looks ... strange." Nell shook her head, and the pale gold streaks shimmered beneath the soft lights of the salon.

"It looks wonderful," Tania said firmly. "And the cut suits you. Casual but sophisticated." She turned to the hairdresser. "Magnificent, Bette."

Bette grinned. "It was a pleasure to put a little frosting on the cake. Now you need a new wardrobe to go with the new look."

"I agree," Tania said. "I'll take her to the city tomorrow." She frowned. "No, Joel might not like it. I'll wait until next week."

"That's not necessary," Nell said. "I can notify my housekeeper in Paris to ship over some clothes."

"You can do that too, but Bette is right. You need new clothes for the new woman."

New woman. Tania's phrase resonated in Nell's mind. In a way, she had perished the night Jill and Richard died, and had been born again in the agony of learning of Jill's murder. But the woman was not complete; she was hollow inside. Perhaps not entirely hollow, she realized suddenly. She had felt warmth, amusement, even envy in the past few days since Tania had appeared.

"Am I pushing too hard?" Tania asked. "It's a habit of mine. Not necessarily a bad habit. Just annoying."

"You're not annoying." Nell turned to Bette. "How much do I owe you?"

Bette shook her head. "I'm hired by the clinic. No fee, no tip."

"Then thank you." She smiled. "You're very talented."

"I did my best, but, as I said, it was only icing. With that face, you'd even look good bald."

"So, will you let me take you shopping in town?" Tania asked as they left the salon.

Nell had been thinking about it. It might be a very good idea for her to go into the city. "If Joel will let me."

"Good. I'll tell Joel we'll be charging everything to Nicholas and that will make him more likely to let us take a little day trip."

"Why? Doesn't Joel like him?"

"Yes, but their relationship is complicated. Joel is a very competitive man."

Nell looked at her blankly.

"Nicholas is ..." Tania shrugged. "Nicholas."

"But Joel is a brilliant surgeon."

"And Nicholas is larger than life. There are some men who tend to cast a long shadow. Joel doesn't like to stand in anyone's shadow." She grinned. "So he takes out his irritation in the way that is most pleasing to him. He was very disappointed when you said you wanted to pay his fee yourself."

Nell hadn't wanted to stand in Tanek's shadow either. "The debt was mine."

Tania's gaze was fastened on her face. "You resent him."

She did resent him. She resented his ability to pierce through the barriers she had erected and the cruelty of the way he had jerked her back to life. She resented the fact that every time she saw him, she remembered Medas. She resented the fact that he wanted to close her out when he could help her. "I know he's your friend, but he's not my cup of tea. I prefer your Joel." She changed the subject. "Does this clinic have facilities other than a beauty salon?"

"Everything from a spa to a five-star restaurant. Some of Joel's patients choose to stay until they're entirely healed and require all the amenities. What did you have in mind?"

"A gymnasium."

"Yes, but I doubt if Joel will let you do much exercising for a while. He'll want to make sure the bones have healed."

"I'll do what I can. I have to get stronger."

"You will. It's only a question of time."

But she didn't want to wait. It was maddening to be this weak and ineffectual. She wanted to be ready now. She repeated, "I'll do what I can."

"We will see what is possible."

"Tomorrow?"

Tania raised an eyebrow. "I'll talk to Joel. Maybe if I go with you and make sure you don't hurt yourself."

"But that will interfere with your job. I don't want to impose on you. You've done too much already."

"It's no imposition. I'll enjoy it. I need to work out myself, and being Joel's housekeeper doesn't require a good deal of time." She chuckled. "Besides, he'll be pleased that it keeps me off the phone."

Nell gazed at her doubtfully.

"Truly," Tania said. "You'll need workout clothes. You can borrow some of mine until we go shopping."

Nell shook her head. Tania could not be more than a size eight. "They wouldn't fit."

"Well, they may be a little big, but that's no problem. Workout clothes should be loose."

Nell looked at her in bewilderment.

"Unless you object to wearing someone else's clothes?"

"No, of course not but I-"

"Good." They had come to Nell's door, and Tania said to Phil, "I brought her back safe and sound. How do you like her hair?"

Phil whistled admiringly. "Nice."

Tania turned to Nell. "I'll be here at nine tomorrow and help you dress." Tania smiled and waved before walking down the hall.

"I'll help you back to bed," Phil said. "You must be tired."

She was exhausted, she realized in frustration. "Thanks, but I have to learn to do for myself. I can't rely-"

Phil had scooped her up with ease and was carrying her toward the bed. "Sure you can. You don't weigh more than a feather. That's what I get paid for." He tucked her into bed. "Now take a nap and I'll bring you your lunch."

They may be a little big.

You don't weigh more than a feather.

She slowly lifted her arm, and the sleeve of her bed jacket fell away. She stared at her arm for a moment and then opened the bed jacket and pressed the loose cotton gown against her. She must have lost twenty-five pounds in the past month.

Instant diet, she thought bitterly. Fall from a balcony, lose your whole world, and you'll be svelte as a greyhound. All those years she had labored to lose those extra pounds and now, when it mattered so little, they were gone.

But perhaps it did matter. She would gain strength more quickly without those excess pounds holding her back.

Vanity wasn't important, but strength was everything.

Five.

"I'm not sure I like this," Joel said in an undertone to Tania as he watched Nell and Phil come toward them down the hall. "And I know Nicholas wouldn't."

"We'll be back by three," Tania said. "And Phil is driving us to the city and from store to store. What could happen on a half-day shopping trip?"

"Tell that to Nicholas."

"I will," Tania said. "Trust me. This will be good for her."

"I don't think shopping for clothes is high on her list of priorities."

"No, but it's a simple, normal function. Doing normal things is important for her."

"Like exercising?"