"Under the circumstances, Doctor," one EMT was saying, "we really would like to transport you to County-USC."

"No, thanks. I told you, I don't need a physical."

"Self-diagnosis is never a good idea."

"I like living dangerously."

She was legally within her rights to refuse treatment. As long as a patient was over the age of consent and was reasonably lucid, no one could forcibly impose medical care.

"Just let us check your reflexes, pupil dilation, run an EEG amp;"

"I'm fine. Really. Sorry you were called out for nothing."

The men, grumbling, passed Wolper on their way out. Wolper hesitated, then entered the office, nodding a hello as he approached the couch.

"You sure about that decision?" he asked.

"Absolutely."

He stopped before her and took a long look at her face, studying the bruises left by the attack. A deep violet contusion on her left temple, and splotches of red on her cheek.

"He hit you in the face."

"A love tap."

"Love taps, plural. More than one."

"He's a very expressive person."

"You need to see a doctor amp; Doctor."

"It's nothing a little Tylenol won't fix."

"Did you lose consciousness?"

She seemed to hesitate. "He knocked me down, that's all. I guess he thought I blacked out."

"But you didn't?"

"No."

"Any confusion, memory loss?"

"I'm acquainted with the symptoms of head trauma, Lieutenant."

Wolper sat down beside her on the couch. "Why'd you say Gray thought you blacked out?"

"Because he claimed he'd never touched me. He must have thought I'd been unconscious and couldn't remember."

"He never touched you?"

"That's what he said."

"Then who beat you up?"

"Apparently it was the one-armed man. As in The Fugitive."

"Yeah, I got the reference."

"He seemed to want me to believe he'd saved me from harm. And that he never touched the deputy in the waiting room."

"He said that, too?"

"Claimed the other guy did it. Mr. Cool, Gray called him."

"Sounds like he's projecting. That's the kind of name he'd make up for himself. He probably sees himself as Mr. Cool."

Robin blinked. "That's very perceptive, Lieutenant."

"I may distrust shrinks, but I've picked up some of their lingo. I think I may know why Gray concocted that story."

"Feel free to share with the rest of the class."

"He'd just killed a law officer. That's a first for him. He knows the big-time heat that comes down on a cop killer. It might make him a big man in prison, but in the meantime it can make him a dead man. There is such a thing as street justice. I'm speaking unofficially, of course."

"Of course. So he blamed the killing on someone else?"

"That's my guess."

"In that case, he should have at least wiped the blood off the screwdriver. That was what he used to unbuckle the straps, I guess. And what he used amp; on the deputy."

"You got a good look at it?"

"He held it to my throat." She touched her neck selfconsciously. "That's a little more up close and personal than I like to get with my patients."

Wolper frowned. "Doctor, I really think you should let me take you to a hospital. Even if there's no serious physical damage, an event like this can affect you in ways that" He stopped himself. "I guess I'm not telling you anything new."

"I think I can recognize the signs of post-traumatic stress. If they develop, I'll get help. Right now I'm waiting for a phone call."

"From?"

"Meg. My daughter. I told her to leave our condo, stay with a neighbor. She's supposed to call me. I haven't heard anything. It's got me concerned."

"Why? I don't get it."

"It's a little paranoid, but Gray met her once. And he took my wallet. He'll know where I live."

"Doesn't seem so paranoid to me. Besides, a little paranoia is a good thing when you're a parent."

"That's what I keep telling Meg. I don't think she buys it."

Wolper caught the tremor in her voice. He took her hand. "She'll be okay, Doctor. Our boy's got other things to worry about right now."

"I hope so," she whispered.

She should never have opened the door to him. After the frantic phone call from her mom, Meg should have known something was wrong when someone knocked on her door. But the thing was, nobody could get into the courtyard of the condo building without being buzzed in at the gate. So she assumedjust assumedthat whoever was knocking was one of her neighbors. Vaguely she imagined that her mom had called Mrs. Grandy or Mr. Haver to check on her and make sure she left the condo promptly. It ticked her off that Robin wouldn't trust her, when she was getting ready to leave, gathering up her books and stuff so she could do her homework at Mrs. Grandy's.

Peeved, she opened the door without thinking, and he was there.

Not a neighbor. Not anyone who should have been able to get onto the property without authorization.

"Gabe?" she said, the word starting as a statement and lilting into a question.

"Hey, sweetie."

She was so surprised to see him, at first she didn't think to ask how he'd gotten through the gate. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Didn't we have this conversation yesterday?"

"I mean it. You can't amp; I mean, we can't amp;"

"Can't keep meeting like this?" He was smiling, trying to be funny, but somehow it wasn't quite coming off.

"You have to go."

"I just got here."

"I think my mom is coming home." In her excitement she forgot that she never called Robin her mom in Gabe's presence.

"Not likely. Your mother's a workaholic, remember?"

"No, something's going on today. She's all freaked about something. I'm not even supposed to be here. I'm supposed to be at a neighbor's. I'm going there now. And you're taking off."

"That's not very friendly, short stuff."

He had never called her by that particular term of endearment before, and she didn't care for it.

"I have to go. You do, too. Okay?"

"Take a ride with me."

"What?"

"Come on, take a ride. It's a nice day."

"Are you crazy? I just told you, myRobin's on her way back. I can't go riding around with you."

"Sure, you can. Break the rules. Be a bad girl."

"Gabe, I'm sorry, but I'm going to a neighbor's apartment, and then I have to call Robin and find out what's got her so stressed. I'll talk to you later. You can e-mail me"

"I don't think so."

She lost her patience. Gabe was standing in the doorway, blocking her exit. "Okay, don't e-mail me. Whatever. But I'm going."

"You are going. With me."

"I already said"

"With me," he repeated, and she looked down and saw the gun that had appeared in his hand as if by a magic trick.

Her mind wasn't able to take in the reality of what her eyes saw. "What is this?"

"It's called a kidnapping, Meg. Which is appropriate, seeing as how you're a kid. A stupid, annoying kid."

The words shocked and hurt her almost as badly as the sight of the gun itself.

"What do you want?" she whispered.

"Guess you're not hearing too well today. I want you to take a ride with me. Will you do that? I'd advise you to say yes."

"Yes."

"Good girl. Now here's how we'll do this thing. You'll walk next to me through the courtyard, and you won't do anything dumb or you'll never make it to the front gate. Got it so far?"

"Yes." Her voice was low and far away.

"My car is parked down the street. We walk to it, and you get in on the driver's side. Slide over, with me next to you the whole time. You don't yell or run or fight me or do anything else that will get you killed. All right?"

"All right."

I thought you loved me, she wanted to say. I thought we were soul mates.