Keith looked at it and saw his name in Annie's familiar handwriting. He sipped his coffee, which he needed.

Terry said, "I tried to keep her here, but she said it was okay, she'd see you another time." Terry added, "She's always so bubbly, you know, and you can't tell when she's hurting. I don't mean this morning, but with that bastard she's married to. Oh, God, I want so much for her to be happy. Really happy again."

"Me, too." Keith said, "So how are you? You look good."

She smiled. "Thank you. You look terrific, Keith. I recognized you as soon as you got out of your car."

"It's been a lot of years, hasn't it?"

"Oh, yes. They were good times back then."

"They were, weren't they?"

She nodded, then said, "Larry had to go into work. He hung around awhile to see you. Said to say hello."

"I'll see him next time."

"Hope so. So you've done okay for yourself. I always knew you would."

"Thanks. This is a nice house."

"Oh, these old places are a pain, but Larry likes to fix things. You're back on the farm?"

"Yup. Lot of work. How are your parents?"

"They're fine. Getting on, but healthy, thank the Lord. Yours?"

"Enjoying Florida. They can't believe they have a son who's retired."

She smiled. "You look too young to retire."

"That seems to be the consensus."

"So you were in Washington?"

"I had to finish up some business. Thought I'd be back in time."

They talked awhile, the letter lying on the table between them. Keith thought it was important to reestablish a relationship with Annie's sister, and in fact he liked Terry, and he wanted her to like him, as a person, not as her sister's lover or white knight. She turned out to be a lot more lucid than she'd sounded at seven that morning, and he had the sense she had a lot she wanted to tell him, but he kept the conversation general for a while, but then said to her, "I only want the best for your sister. You know we've never stopped loving each other."

Terry nodded, and a tear ran down her cheek.

Keith took the letter and said, "Mind if I read it here?"

"No, go ahead..." She stood and said, "I have to go throw some stuff in the dryer." She went down into the basement.

Keith opened the envelope and read: "Dear Keith, No, I'm not angry, yes, I'm disappointed. I know that whatever took you back to Washington couldn't be helped, but it gave me a few hours this morning to think. Oh, no, Prentis! You're not thinking again!"

Keith smiled, remembering that he used to say that to her in college whenever she preceded a sentence with, "I've been thinking..."

He knew this wasn't going to be an amusing letter, however, and he read on. "What I was thinking is that this is a big step for you. For me, it means getting out of a situation that I can't stand any longer. But for you, it means taking on a big responsibility — being responsible for me. Maybe you don't need that burden. I know my husband has made life difficult for you, and I know that you can deal with it fine. But I'm starting to feel guilty about all of this. I mean, Keith, I don't think you'd be here, or be in this situation, if it weren't for me, and I appreciate that. But without me, you could do what you want, which, by now, after all that's happened, is probably to go back to Washington, or to Europe, or wherever without trying to fit me into your plans. No, I'm not being sulky, I'm finally thinking about what's best for you."

Keith was pretty sure he knew the gist of the next paragraph, but read it anyway. "Maybe we both need some time to think and to let things cool off. We waited this long, so maybe we can wait a few more weeks. It would probably be a good idea if you left — not that I want you to leave, but, with the situation with Cliff, it might be best. As we've done for twenty years, you can contact me through Terry, and we'll work out a time and place to meet and talk it over — but not for a while. I know, you're probably angry that I didn't wait, but I couldn't handle it — sorry. And yes, I'm a lousy letter writer, and I can't write what I feel, but you know how I feel, Mr. Landry, and I'll tell you again when we meet. Love, Annie."

Keith folded the letter and put it in his pocket.

Terry came upstairs into the kitchen and glanced at him as she got the coffeepot off the counter. "Another cup?"

"No, thanks." He stood. "Well, thank you again. When you see Annie, tell her I'll be leaving Monday."

"You're leaving? Where are you going?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll contact her through you, if I may."

"Okay... hey, let me call her. She's got a car phone, and maybe she's on the road, and I'll tell her you're here."

"That's okay. It's getting late." Keith moved to the door.

"You want to leave her a note?"

"No, I'll write and send it here."

Terry walked out with him. She said, "I don't know what she wrote, but I know what she feels. Maybe you shouldn't pay a lot of attention to that letter."

"The letter was okay."

"I don't think so. Hey, what's wrong with you two?"

Keith smiled. "Bad luck, lousy timing." He got into the Blazer and rolled down the window. "We'll work it out."

"You came real close to doing that this time." She put her hand on the car door and said, "Keith, I know my sister, and I wouldn't tell this to another soul except you... she's frightened. She had a bad week with him."

"Do you think she's in any danger?"

"She didn't think so, but... I think it got to be too much for her this morning. She started getting worried about you... so she called up at their lodge in Michigan, and he answered the phone, and she hung up. She felt better knowing he was there and not around here. Just the same, about an hour later, she said she was going home. That was about two hours before you got here. I'm surprised you didn't pass each other."

"I took another route."

"She probably went past your place."

"Maybe."

"Try to speak to her before you leave. She needs to hear from you."

"That's not easy."

"I'll drive out to see her tomorrow. I know I can't call her on the phone. But I'll stop by after church and get her alone somehow. I'll work out a meeting for you two."

"Terry, I really appreciate what you're doing, but she and I both need time to think."

"You had over twenty years for that."

"And another few weeks won't make a difference."

"They could."

"No, they can't. Let's let it slide for now. I'll contact you in a few weeks. By then, everyone will be thinking clearly, and we can take it from there."

Terry stepped back from the Blazer. "Okay. I don't want to interfere."

"You've been very helpful." He started the car.

"You're angry."

"No, I'm not." He smiled. "If I tell you you're as good-looking and sexy as your sister, will you be a real midwestern lady and slap me?"

She smiled. "No, you get a kiss." She leaned through the window and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Take care of yourself. See you soon."

"Hope so." He backed out of the drive and headed back to Spencer County.

Being an intelligence officer for twenty years had its advantages. For one thing, you learned how to think differently than most people, you played life like a chess game and thought six moves ahead, and you never gave away your game plan and never gave out more information than the other person needed to have. He could trust Terry, of course, but he didn't trust her judgment. It was best for her to think he was angry or whatever she was thinking. He wasn't trying to manipulate her, and through her, Annie. But Cliff Baxter had to be reckoned with, and the less Terry knew, the better.

Annie's letter. He didn't have to read between the lines — it was all there in her own words. She was disappointed, perhaps hurt. She was concerned about his safety. She didn't want to be a burden to him. He took all this at face value. What she wanted from him was a reassurance that it was still okay — the trip to Washington was nothing to be concerned about, Cliff Baxter didn't worry him, she wasn't a burden, she lifted his spirits.