He took the soap and began to rub it over her shoulders. "I want you to sleep in my bed. I want to wake up in the night and be able to reach out and touch you."

She understood at once. "You want to be able to wake me when I have a bad dream."

"Among other things." He ran the soap under her breasts. "What's the harm? You spend a good portion of the night here anyway."

She didn't know why the idea made her uneasy. To have him there to bring her out of that horror would be unbelievable relief.

Too much relief, she realized. Nicholas was wrapping her in a web of pleasure and serenity with moments like these. She was becoming too comfortable. The dream was agony, but it was a reminder of what she still had to do. "No."

He went still against her and then his hand resumed its soothing motion on her body. "Whatever you say. I'll be here if you change your mind."

No argument. No pressure. Everything easy and without effort. Did he realize that by that very acquiescence he drew her deeper into the web? Probably, he was very clever. "You're still trying to convince me not to go after Maritz, aren't you?"

"Of course." He chuckled. "I've even sacrificed my body to your lust. Do you think I enjoy this?"

She relaxed back against him. Honesty. Nice to have humor and sex and honesty in one package. No need to be wary of him. "I suspect you do."

His hand moved up and rubbed the nape of her neck. She could have purred as the knotted muscles relaxed. "Damn right," he said cheerfully. "I'm glad all the abuse I've handed out lately hasn't totally damaged your brain."

"No sign of Maritz," Jamie said. "I've even shadowed Tania myself, and I haven't been able to mark him."

"But that doesn't mean he's not stalking her," Nicholas said.

"Hell, no. He's good and he likes this part of it. I'm keeping a close eye on the situation. I've even had Phil key in Lieber's security alarm number into my pager. That's all we can do right now." He paused. "But I got a call from Conner in Athens. Bingo."

Nicholas stiffened. "You've got it?"

"Verified and detailed. I'm faxing you a full report."

"Good."

"You're still not telling Nell? You're piling up serious trouble."

"Tell me about it. I'll be waiting for your fax." Nicholas hung up the phone.

"There is a man coming. He's waiting at the third gate. Should I let him in?" Michaela stood in the doorway of the gym, gazing disapprovingly at Nell, who was on the mat on her stomach with Tanek on top of her. "I don't like this rough play. You should have better things to do than roll around on the floor."

"What man?" Tanek got off Nell and stood up.

"It is that Kabler. The one who was here before."

Nell tensed, her gaze flying to Tanek.

"Is he alone?" he asked.

"So he says," Michaela answered. "Make up your mind. I have work to do."

"Let him through." Tanek moved toward the door. "Session's over, Nell. Go take a shower while I see what he wants."

"No."

He glanced at her over his shoulder.

"I won't be kept out of this. I told you when I came here that I wouldn't allow you to keep secrets from me."

"I'm hardly keeping secrets when I don't know why the man's here," he said dryly.

She went to her room, washed her face, took off her sweaty jersey, and put on a clean blouse.

Kabler was driving into the stable yard when she joined Tanek on the porch.

The air was biting cold, and huge snowflakes were beginning to drift slowly to the ground.

"You're not wearing a coat," Tanek said without looking at her. "Would you consider it Machiavellian if I suggested you wait inside?"

"I'm fine."

Kabler was getting out of the car. "Paying you a visit is like getting into Fort Knox," he complained. His gaze went to Nell. "Hello, Mrs. Calder. Are you the gold he's trying to keep to himself?"

She inclined her head. "Mr. Kabler."

"Come in, Kabler. Let's get this business over." Tanek went into the house.

"How are you?" Kabler asked Nell in a low voice as he passed her.

"Fine. Don't I look fine?"

"You look damn gorgeous."

She felt a ripple of shock. Since she had arrived in Idaho she had almost forgotten the change in her appearance. "Well, I'm also healthy and strong. You can see Nicholas hasn't been keeping me walled in a dungeon. Is that why you're here?"

"Partly."

"Kabler," Tanek called.

"Impatient bastard, isn't he?" Kabler murmured, and entered the house.

She followed him and closed the door to shut out the chill.

"Nice place," Kabler said as he wandered around the room. "Luxurious but comfortable. I like that." He stopped before the Delacroix. "New?"

"No, you saw it the last time you were here." He paused. "You even commented on it."

"So I did." He grinned. "As a matter of fact, after I left, I checked to make sure you'd obtained it legally."

"Why? Art theft isn't your bag."

"I hoped it might give me an edge with you. No telling when I might need one." He shook his head resignedly. "Unfortunately, I found everything was aboveboard. You're a hard man, Tanek."

"Why are you here?"

"Mrs. Calder disappeared after she left the hospital. Since I doubted the earth had swallowed her, I thought you might have." He met Tanek's eyes. "Why is she here? Are you setting her up as bait?"

"You said the attack on me was pure chance," Nell said quickly. "If that's true, then there would be no reason for Tanek to think I'd be good bait."

"How quickly she jumps to your defense," Kabler said. "You were always good at winning people's confidence. Have you forgotten that Tanek does believe there was a reason for your attack, Mrs. Calder? Tell me, did he tell you about Nigel Simpson?" He smiled. "No, I see he didn't."

"Tell her yourself," Tanek said impassively. "You're obviously salivating to do it."

"Very perceptive of you. Nigel Simpson was one of Gardeaux's accountants, who was obligingly feeding me certain information, Mrs. Calder. But he disappeared." He shook his head. "Around the time our Mr. Tanek paid a visit to London. What a coincidence."

London. Nell tried to hide her shock as she remembered the call from London and Tanek's trip the next day.

"Do you think I've got him hidden here too?" Tanek asked.

"No, I think the poor bastard's probably hidden at the bottom of the ocean."

"And I did it?"

"Maybe." He shrugged. "Or maybe you moved in on my source, tapped him for too much, and Gardeaux decided to chop him. What did he tell you, Tanek?"

"Nothing. I didn't see him."

"I could bring you in for questioning."

"You don't have grounds. The only thing that you know is that I was in the same city at the same time."

"That's enough with you." He hesitated briefly. "Okay. I can't pressure you. Have you shared your findings with the lady?"

"But we haven't established that I found out anything."

"Then why was Reardon sniffing around?"

Tanek gave him a blank stare. "Sniffing around what?"

"Athens."

Nell stiffened.

Tanek smiled. "Greece is a beautiful place. Maybe he needed a vacation. Is that what you came to ask?"

"No, I think I know the answer." His expression became grim. "I just came to tell you not to step on my toes again or I'll nail you. I needed Simpson."

"So did I." Tanek strode toward the door and opened it. "Good-bye, Kabler."

Kabler's brows rose. "Thrown out into the cold? How inhospitable. Is that the code of the West?" He strolled toward Tanek. "You're still a hoodlum at heart, Tanek."

"I never denied it. We are what we are ... or were."

Kabler glanced around the room again, his gaze pausing on a Chinese vase in the corner. "And you were paid very well. That vase alone would send my kids to college." His tone was suddenly bitter. "You live high, don't you? You and that filth Gardeaux. Doesn't it ever bother you that-"

"Good-bye, Kabler."

Kabler opened his mouth to speak and then stopped as he met Tanek's gaze. He turned to Nell. "Will you walk me to my car? I'd like a word with you alone. Providing Tanek will let you out of his sight."

"By all means," Tanek said without expression. "Take a jacket, Nell."

Nell grabbed a jacket from the coatrack by the door and followed Kabler.

The snow was falling faster, harder. The windshield of Kabler's car was now covered. "I'll be lucky to get back to town before this becomes a blizzard," Kabler muttered as he opened the car door.

"You could stay the night."

"After Tanek threw me out? I'd rather risk the blizzard."

"He's not an ogre. If there's really a danger, he'd let you stay."

"He's not an ogre, but I wouldn't bank on his store of the milk of human kindness." He added wearily, "Besides, I couldn't stay anyway. I have to get back to Washington. I've got a sick kid. My wife needs me to help out with him."

For the first time, she noticed that he looked older, more worn than the last time she had seen him. "I'm sorry." She impulsively put her hand on his arm. "I know it's worse than being sick yourself. What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "Flu, maybe. But he can't seem to shake it."

"I hope everything will be all right."

"It will." He smiled with an effort. "We've been through it before with the other two. Kids bounce back."

She nodded. "Jill had pneumonia one week, and two weeks later she was running in the park. It was as if-" She stopped. "He'll be all right."

"Sure. Thanks for understanding. I guess I needed someone to say what I already knew." He glanced back at the house. "Don't trust him. Once a crook, always a crook."

"You're wrong. People change."

"He's not like us, none of them are. Can you imagine him tearing his guts out over a sick kid? They walk in the mud and the mud hardens and nothing gets through."

"That's not true."

He shook his head. "I've seen it for twenty-four years. They're not like us." His hand clenched into a fist. "But they're kings of the earth. The money rolls in and there are no rules for them. They just take and take and take."

"Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

"He's got you fooled. I could see it. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't get hurt and he's not trying to fool me. Not anymore."

"Then why didn't he tell you about Nigel Simpson?"

"I have no idea. But he will when I ask him."