But there was a Molino threat and time had run out.

He dialed Jed Harley in Miami, Florida. "I'm leaving Paris tonight. I want you to head for Atlanta right away."

"And leave these sunny beaches and half-naked women lusting after my sexy body? There had better be a good reason, Grady."

"Molino may have found Megan Blair."

"Shit. That's bad."

"Very bad. I thought she was off his radar."

"Wait a minute. It's been twelve years. She hasn't done anything that would tip him off, has she?"

"Not according to Phillip. She's been the typical wholesome American girl, smart, hardworking, affectionate with animals, kind to the sick. In short, she's a bloody miracle."

"And you're not believing him?"

"I believe him. But Phillip cares about her and he may be turning a blind eye. He doesn't want her to be a Pandora." Grady's lips twisted. "Hell, I've never tried to persuade him otherwise because I wanted him to be her guardian. Phillip was perfect, everything I wasn't. There was a chance that he might even have been right."

"You're talking past tense."

"Was I?"

"What are you planning, Grady?"

"I let Megan Blair have twelve years, Harley."

"And that means?"

"If she's ready to explode, then why shouldn't I use her to find the Ledger and blow Molino to hell?"

"Are you asking me? I'd already left the unit before you had to yank Megan's mother away from Molino and set her up in North Carolina. I don't know the stakes and if I did, I probably wouldn't understand them. I'm not like you. I'm as normal as apple pie and I like it that way. I wouldn't have your baggage for all the tea in China." He chuckled. "Well, maybe I could handle it if I was emperor of all I survey. But the compensation would have to be substantial."

"You could handle it." He hadn't run across much that Harley couldn't handle in the years he'd known him. He'd been one of the most valuable soldiers in the Special Forces unit where Grady had acted as "consultant." After he had drifted away from the unit and gone on to other things, they'd still kept in touch. He was smart as a whip, experienced, and tough. Very tough. "But there's not enough compensation on the planet, Harley. Trust me."

"Oh, I do trust you. I wouldn't allow myself to be at your beck and call if I didn't. Actually, I find all that psychic mumbo jumbo rather fascinating... at a distance. So what am I supposed to do in Atlanta?"

"Surveillance on Megan Blair until I can get there." He rattled off her home address.

"Boring."

"It may not be dull if Molino's man tries to chop her again. You may be able to cut someone's throat."

"That's true. You do know how to brighten my day. I'm on my way." He hung up.

Grady pressed the disconnect. He hadn't been certain what action he was going to take until he'd put it into words with Harley. The hell he didn't know, he thought impatiently. He'd just needed to make it clear to himself what he had to do. During these last years they'd been linked he had grown to know Megan more intimately than he had ever known anyone. It hadn't been an easy decision.

Okay, the choice was made. Let out the tiger.

Get used to me, Megan. We're going to become very, very close.

Don't just stand here. Get packed and go to the airport. She was sleeping now and it would offer him an opportunity to ease her gently into a frame to accept him. While he was on the plane, he'd concentrate on slowly trying to let Megan become aware of him on a subconscious level and cause the link to strengthen.

And God help both of them.

LORD, SHE FELT GOOD, Megan thought as she stepped beneath the shower. Her mind was clear and she felt brimming with energy. Perhaps it was the extra sleep she had gotten. She had slept for ten hours and that was uncommon for her. Maybe that accident last night had upset her more than she'd thought. All she'd been aware of at the time had been anger and later a sense of helplessness that had been even more infuriating.

Stop analyzing and forget about it. That creep who'd tried to run her off the road wasn't worth worrying about. Let the police take care of him. She had a life to lead and it would be a good life, dammit.

Phillip looked up with a smile as she came into the kitchen. "You look full of vim and vigor." He studied her. "And optimism?"

"Why not?" She poured a bowl of cornflakes. "Everything seemed pretty gloomy last night, but I can't go around practicing medicine the way everyone else wants me to do it. I'm doing what's right for me and what I believe is right for my patients. If the hospital kicks me out because I don't fit their mold, I'll go volunteer to work with AIDS patients in Africa. Screw what anyone else thinks."

"I'll second that." He handed her the milk. "You just seemed a little depressed last night. I didn't expect you to bounce back so soon. You're not prone to mood swings. At least, I didn't notice if you are. You're not, are you?"

She shook her head.

"No nightmares?"

"No." She shrugged. "And they say sleep brings counsel. I certainly slept enough last night." She started to eat. "If I don't hurry, I'm going to be late picking up Davy. I have the day off and I promised to take him to the zoo this afternoon after preschool. Could I borrow your Camry until I can arrange to pick up a rental car?"

"Sure." He handed her the car keys. "But you could use a little more rest. You've been burning the candle at both ends for the last couple weeks. You could beg off."

"I don't want to beg off. Davy doesn't get that much attention from Scott or Jana these days. They're too involved in making their marriage work." She shook her head. "Scott tries to ignore the fact that Davy is another man's son but it gets in the way. And Jana is a good mother, but she wants to enjoy being a wife right now."

"So you're mothering the little boy."

"No, he has a mother. I wouldn't try to replace Jana. But love doesn't have to have a name or a title. Davy's a sweet kid and four-year-olds don't have a problem with accepting affection wherever they can get it."

"You should have a child of your own."

"That would be nice." She looked down at her cereal. "Maybe in a decade or so. Providing I can find the right guy."

"And what do you call 'right'? Whatever happened to that young man you were dating in school?" He frowned. "What was his name... ?"

"Julio Medera."

"Ah, yes. Very intense and smoldering. He couldn't seem to keep his hands off you. The passionate Latin lover type. Is that what appeals to you?"

"Passion appeals to most women." Her curious gaze lifted to his face. "I can't remember you ever asking me about my love life before. Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"No way."

"I'm out of school now and I could get an apartment near the hospital. I should probably think about it."

"Don't you dare. You wouldn't want to leave an old crock like me alone. I'd probably just fade away into the sunset." He smiled gently. "We're family, Megan. If there comes a time when you want to go, then I'll help you. But don't be in a hurry. These years have been too good for both of us."

She nodded. "I just wondered why you were talking about love and marriage and babies. It's not like you."