Look, before you say anything, I just want everyone to know that I am not intentionally in violation of my restraining order. Carrie glanced frantically around the room. Riley, help me get him to the couch. Matt, call EMS. You… Carrie blinked as she looked at Aidan. Oh my God!

Wow. You've got to be Aidanget some blankets.

Nobody fucking move! With a wild swing of his arms, Virgil clipped Carrie in the face with an elbow. She fell with a thud. In his left hand he held a gun, and though he swayed unsteadily, he aimed it right at Kat.

Everything's your fault, he said to her, and began to pull the trigger.

All that flashed through Kat's mind was, /I can't die. My life just started/.

Madeline knew it was a brazen thing to do, but she'd decided to walk on over there with this chocolate-cranberry torte, like a good neighbor, and wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. She dressed up her old metal tart pan with a bit of clear plastic wrap and a festive red bow.

Yes, she'd see Matt and Nola together, but truly, Madeline was exhausted from all the petty jealousy. That stupid catfight with Carrie in the kitchen had been a new low. Madeline was disgusted with herself, with both of them. It pained her to admit it, but Carrie was rightit was time to grow up and move on. Life was too short to spend it meddling in other people's affairs.

Besides, Madeline wanted to see how Joanna Loveless was coming along with her article.

Madeline walked briskly up the sidewalk, pausing only to give a quizzical glance at what was obviously Carrie's Volvo parked at the curb. Where had she gone? Madeline wondered if, after she'd kicked Carrie out of the buffet line, the poor woman had gone door-to-door through Persuasion, begging for a cup of green bean casserole. Madeline sighed, promising herself that if she ran into Carrie, she'd invite her back to Cherry Hill. There was plenty to go around.

Madeline headed up the walk. Oddly enough, the front door to Kat's house gaped wide open, so Madeline poked her head in and gave a polite holler to announce her arrival.

It was then she noticed a room full of people cringing in terror, Carrie's body sprawled out on the welcome mat, and an unsteady Virgil Cavanaugh, who that second whipped around in Madeline's direction. The wild insanity in his eyes and the gun in his hand was further proof that she'd come at a bad time.

Madeline screamed. She raised the tart pan in front of her face and winced. Virgil fired the gun. The tart pan bent from the zing of the bullet and clattered to the floor. So did Virgil Cavanaugh, who was then tackled by what looked like an entire football team's worth of men.

Matt Bohland topped the heap, using his cell phone to call for an ambulance and report a twenty-seven-eight in progress, whatever that was. Joanna Loveless fainted, and her spiral notebook slid across the foyer floor.

Thank you, Madeline. For everything.

Finally, after about six hours, Kat had stopped trembling. The cup of herbal tea Madeline just placed in Kat's hands already had begun to cut through the chill in her bones. Loretta lay snoring at her feet. I appreciate you opening up your home like this.

It's nothing. Half the group was staying here anyway, and you couldn't exactly relax in a living room roped off with police tape.

That was true. In fact, she didn't know when she'd be able to relax in that house, if ever.

Madeline once again disappeared into the kitchen, but the B and B buzzed with activity. The parlor and library swarmed with police of every jurisdiction, plus the county medical examiner, reporters from as far away as Morgantown and Charleston, evidence technicians, and a host of Persuasionites who had no reason whatsoever to be there except to share in the excitement and eat Madeline's leftovers.

Rita sat across the room, huddled with the funeral director. Kat had overheard Rita tell him how she wanted Virgil's remains cremated once the body was released after autopsy. Rita added that there was no need to select a style of funerary urn, because no one would be taking the ashes.

That's an unusual twist, the mortician said.

He was an unusually twisted man, Rita replied.

Virgil had died of a gunshot wound. The bullet from his own gun had apparently ricocheted off Madeline's baking dish and hit him right between the eyes, killing him instantly.

Everyone else who'd been in Kat's house was well and accounted for.

Carrie was fine. She was in the library at that very moment flirting with a TV reporter. Poor Joanna Loveless had been admitted to Davis Memorial for observation but was listed in good condition. The girls had been sleeping for hours, but Cliff and Barbara had only moments ago gone upstairs for the night. Cliff was a good man, simple and direct. He told Kat he'd understand completely if she hated him. With a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek, she assured him she didn't.

Unfortunately, Aidan was already on his way back to Hopkins. Though Kat worried about him driving at night, Rachel was inconsolable and said she needed to go back to Baltimore, where it was safe. Kat had a feeling their love might not survive the events of that night, but Aidan seemed upbeat when he left.

I'll come home after finals. I love you, Mom, he said, hugging her tight.

Nola came through the parlor with another tray of desserts and stopped to check in on Kat. Madeline said the fund-raiser's already been rescheduled for next monthit's a done deal and everyone's been notified, so no worries there.

Kat nodded with relief. She's incredible.

Nola laughed. I haven't seen anyone kick ass in the kitchen like that since Grandma Tuti. I'll be back in a sec, hon.

Kat smiled. It was fascinating how life just seemed to go on. Earlier that day, her universe had been blown to pieces, yet it had already started to put itself back together again, in an entirely different formits true form. She now understood the cryptic comment Phyllis had made that day so long ago, while Kat chowed down on a plate of Chef Boyardee. Phyllis had said that everyone was in this mess together, connected like puzzle pieces even if they couldn't see the big picture.

Kat finally got her big picture. Her mother had loved her. Her father had, too. And she'd always had a family who, whether she knew it or not at the time, were looking out for her.

At that moment, Riley and Matt came bursting through the B and B's front door. Kat noticed how Matt immediately scanned the rooms for Nola and Riley for her. Let's get out of here, Riley said, helping her from the chair and motioning for Loretta to come along. Now.

Is something wrong? Kat asked as soon as they were all in the pickup.

Yeah. The tires squealed going around the corner. I need to be with you.

Alone. We need to go over a few details.

Kat sighed. Like where I'm going to be staying.

That one's easy. You're staying with me. Riley whipped the pickup into the drive at Bohland House. He went around to her side and opened the squeaky door and reached for her. Without a word, Riley picked her up in his arms and started up the walk toward the porch. He managed to open and close the door without putting her down, then practically ran up the stairs to his bedroom.

He gently placed Kat on the bed. He took off his clothes, then, in silence, removed everything Kat had on. He laid her down and got under the covers with her.

OK. This is good, he said. I can breathe now.

Kat smiled and snuggled into him, realizing that for the first time in many hours, she could breathe, too.

Who do you love?

The urgency she heard in Riley's question concerned her, and Kat answered in a gentle voice, I love Riley James Bohland, forever and ever, of course. Who do you love?

Katharine Ann Turner, forever and ever. Riley's body suddenly shuddered.