But one thing sure. If Luis knew those cats could speak, he wouldn't hurt them; they were too valuable to be harmed.

And if there were captive cats, and if Chichi knew about them… He sat straight up on the bed. If Chichi knew what those cats were, knew they could speak, had she guessed that he was the same?

Was that why she had looked at him so strangely, the night he "happened to wander" into her bedroom? He sat shivering and terrified, and he did not sleep anymore that night.

Ryan Flannery loved the dawn. The world seemed cleanest then, before people cluttered it up with roaring engines, exhaust fumes and shouting voices. Waking in her high-ceilinged studio apartment, as the first pale glow touched the white walls and rafters, she gave Rock a good-morning hug and let him out into the fenced backyard. Plugging in the coffeepot, which she had set up the night before, she showered quickly, pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, let Rock in again.

Outside, a gull landed on the railing, peered in through the wide windows, then flew off again. Since Rock had come to live with her, she hadn't bothered to draw the draperies at night. Rock would let her know if anyone came up the stairs onto the deck, in the small hours. The duplex studio belonged to Charlie Harper. Ryan paid her rent, in part, with carpentry and maintenance work, a nice arrangement all around-except perhaps in the eyes of the IRS, a governmental leviathan which, in Ryan's opinion, was badly in need of a severe overhaul.

While Rock was crunching his kibble, she took her coffee out on the front deck to enjoy the brightening sky and sea. High, creamy clouds floated above the village rooftops, catching reflections of the sun's first gleam from the hills behind her. The world, at dawn, seemed to belong only to her and Rock, and to the screaming gulls and the seals that were barking happily out on the rocks.

But while Ryan sat relaxed enjoying the fresh beginning of a new day, Rock pushed the door open and paced the deck looking up at her, wanting to start the day, hungering for action. He was so insistent that soon she gave it up, grabbed her gloves and battered briefcase that was jammed with house plans and receipts and work orders, snatched up her car keys, and they hit the road for a quick breakfast.

As she and Rock entered the patio of the Swiss Cafe, the big dog wagged his tail madly and surged ahead toward the back wall. Bringing him quickly to heel with a sharp command, she looked across the brick terrace to a small table where Lucinda and Pedric Greenlaw waved at her. Grinning, she moved to join them, keeping Rock close. Making her way between the tables, she took the one empty chair. "You don't mind company? This isn't a private tete-a-tete?"

Lucinda laughed. "We're celebrating-or almost celebrating. We think… we may have found the right house. We haven't seen it yet, but from the brochure… We're meeting the Realtor first thing this morning." The old couple was just finishing their pancakes and bacon and coffee. "It's just a stone's throw from Wilma's," Lucinda said. "You can see her roof from the deck."

"That'll be handy. You can walk right over."

Lucinda nodded. She had an almost secretive smile, and Pedric's blue eyes twinkled-both looked as if this house included something very special. "Tell me what it's like," Ryan said, intrigued. The Greenlaws were such a lively couple; their venerable age had not dimmed the intellectual sharpness and enthusiasm that made their friends treasure them.

"Everything we'll want is on the main level," Lucinda said. "Huge living room with a freestanding fireplace you can see from the dining room. High rafters, much like your studio. All one side is tall windows looking down on the village. One nice big bedroom on the main floor, with a big dressing room and bath, and two closets. It even has a double garage!" Garages, in the heart of the village among the crowded cottages, were at a premium, a big selling point for any house. As they talked, the waitress appeared and Ryan gave her order.

"Downstairs," Pedric said, "is a big family room, two bedrooms and a bath and laundry."

"Will you want all that?"

"We thought," Lucinda said, "to remove the inner stairs. Turn the downstairs into a separate apartment for a live-in housekeeper. If this is the house, we hope you'll take a look at the job." She glanced across the patio, watching someone.

"That blond young woman," Lucinda said, "in the pale blue sweat suit. She was finishing breakfast as we came in." She glanced at her watch. "Over forty-five minutes ago. She's been sitting there ever since, sipping coffee and watching something out the window, and making some kind of notes."

Ryan reached down to adjust Rock's leash where he lay under the table. Bent over, she managed a quick look. She straightened up, shrugging. "That's Clyde's new neighbor, Chichi something. She was in Lupe's the other night. Nervy. She came over to our table, tried to join us. Clyde hustled her away, back to her own table. She was alone and maybe she was lonesome, I get that she doesn't know anyone in the village. But she was pushy."

Lucinda said, "You can see that the waitress would like to clear her table. What can she be watching, of such interest?"

Ryan turned her chair then, fussing with Rock's collar. Across the street from the restaurant were two galleries, a leather boutique, an antique clock and watch repair, and a small bookstore specializing in local history. The waitress came quickly with her order, setting down a stack of thin Swedish pancakes, a side order of ham, and a paper plate. She leaned down to give Rock a pat. The young brunette kept two lovely boxers, and Ryan asked her about them.

"They're fine, but they're wild in this cold weather. They'd run the beach all day if I had time." She refilled Ryan's coffee cup. "At least they have each other to play with, and a big backyard." As she turned away, Pedric looked at his watch, laid some bills on the table with their check, and he and Lucinda rose.

Lucinda's eyes were bright with excitement, looking forward to yet another house to consider. Maybe this would be the one, Ryan thought. They had been house hunting for weeks. Having spent the first year of their late-life marriage traveling up and down the coast in their RV, they were anxious now to get settled, as impatient as a young pair of first-time home buyers. As Ryan watched the tall, thin couple make their way across the patio, Chichi watched them, too.

The young woman avoided looking in Ryan's direction, though they had met Saturday night at Lupe's. She probably doesn't remember me, Ryan thought. Except… I was with Clyde. And with Dallas and Max, and she was pretty interested in them, in getting to know them. She was all over Clyde. And Ryan's sudden shock of jealousy dismayed her.

She didn't like jealousy, it was a constricting and enervating emotion. If Chichi was after Clyde, if she had moved next door to get close to Clyde, that was Clyde's problem.

None of the three men at their table that night had seemed particularly drawn to the young woman. She might be good for a one-night stand, but she didn't seem to be a person who would wear well. Sipping her coffee, Ryan studied Chichi then turned away. Taking her notebook from her purse, she began making a list of hardware for the Harper loft. She loved this kind of project, turning unused space into something of value. Creating a spacious and cozy guest room where there had been nothing but stored feedbags and breeding mice.

As she completed her list, Danielle brought her the check. She just had time to pick up Lori and Dillon then swing by Clyde's and install one faucet-see if that one worked as he hoped. By the time she got up to the ranch, Scotty should have the rest of the shingles off the roof, and have the big metal jacks in place. She was fishing out small bills for the check when Rock stirred restlessly.