She stiffened. He had been so sharp and businesslike since he’d appeared that she’d thought it was going to be okay. But the electricity between them was suddenly tangible. “I’ll take care of my son.”

“We’ll all keep an eye on him, Cameron,” Erin said quietly. “Though he takes pretty good care of himself.”

“Don’t rely on it.” For the first time since he’d entered the room, he smiled. “How are you, Erin?”

“Better in some ways. Not so good in others. I want the killing to stop.”

“It will. Give me a little while.”

She nodded. “I know you’re doing your best.”

He turned back to Hu Chang. “I figure that you’ll be safe here for perhaps another twenty-four hours. That should give us enough time. I have to take care of Jack Sen, but then I’ll be able to concentrate on Kadmus.”

Catherine said dryly, “Meanwhile, as you said, he’ll be concentrating extremely hard on us. He’ll be very glad that you’re planning a diversion.”

“Twenty-four hours,” he repeated.

“And how are you going to ‘take care’ of Jack Sen?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Oh, that’s right, Hu Chang said that you have teams all over the world just waiting to obey your every word.” Her voice was faintly mocking. “Are they better than this Nagle Kadmus turned loose on us?”

“John Blake is a good man,” Cameron said quietly. “And the people he uses to help me are also very good.” He met her eyes. “Would you rather I go up against Kadmus’s pet snake, Nagle, by myself?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Good, because it wouldn’t happen. Blake’s men will go into the hospital and get him at lunchtime when the staff is busiest. He’ll be taken down to the morgue and put in an ambulance to be driven off the property. I’ll have him on a private jet back to Hong Kong an hour later. He’ll be taken to a private hospital in Tibet to recover.”

“You make it sound easy,” Catherine said. “There will be police guards and security and nursing staff at that hospital. It’s not going to be so simple.”

“Money makes everything simple. The guard at the door will be suddenly taken deathly ill and rush to the bathroom to throw up. He’s already been furnished with a pill to make sure that happens and protect him from sellout accusations after the fact. The head nurse will keep everyone away from the area by slowing paperwork at the desk and keeping the nurses on duty busy down the hall, helping with the meal distribution. It will take three minutes to disconnect Sen’s tubes and get him out of the room, down the hall and into the elevator. One minute to get him to the garage level. Another minute to transfer him to the ambulance. By that time, there will be a ruckus when they discover Sen’s gone. But the ambulance will be out of the garage and driving down the street while they’re still scrambling.”

“Bribes,” Catherine said. “No violence?”

“That wouldn’t be efficient. I always prefer money whenever possible.”

“How much money?”

“Substantial. Some would say astonishing. Enough to sway anyone to take a chance if they thought they could get away with it. It was particularly important in this case because the time factor was so short. I didn’t know exactly what method I’d be using to extract Sen before I found out he was in the hospital. I had to notify Blake, the head of the team here, that a fix had to be made immediately. But he made it happen.”

“I only talked to you seven hours ago.”

He smiled. “I told you, Blake is very, very good. He had everything else in place about the actual exit plan from when I contacted him before I left Hong Kong.”

“Then you clearly knew before you got on that plane that Sen wouldn’t obey your orders,” Hu Chang said.

“There was a possibility that he would.” He shrugged. “But I had to prepare damage control in case he didn’t.”

“I still might be able to persuade Venable that we should get Sen out,” Catherine said.

“I’m sure you could persuade a leopard to change its spots, but we don’t have time. If we don’t get him out, then he’ll be taken to jail. Or Kadmus might order him killed in the hospital to set an example for killing two of his men. It wouldn’t take nearly as much money as I spent to bribe someone to put a lethal dose in his bottle.” He met her eyes. “I can’t risk Venable’s saying no to you.”

“And you’re sure this Blake will be able to get him out of San Francisco?”

“The chances are 85 percent positive. I’ve had him do similar jobs for me before here in San Francisco. He’s very good at extraction.”

“Extraction,” she repeated. “Like the young Indian boy you arranged to be extracted from that train on the way to China?”

He grimaced. “Hu Chang has been talking.”

“A little,” Hu Chang said. “The circumstance warranted it. In the end, my loyalty is not to you but to Catherine.”

“Understandable.” Cameron said to Catherine, “Yes, that was considered an extraction. I sanction and personally do a good many.” He made a chopping motion with his hand. “And I do it well. So you should feel comfortable that Jack Sen will just be another one in a long list.”

“I’m not comfortable,” she said bluntly. “I want Sen to be out of danger, but I don’t want any innocent people hurt. Can you guarantee that won’t happen?”

“No, but I’ve done everything I can to assure that it won’t.” He paused. “Look, I’m going to be in constant contact with Blake throughout the extraction. I’ll be in a car a few blocks from the hospital when that ambulance pulls out of the garage. If anything goes wrong, I’ll be there to take charge. I’ll follow the ambulance to the airport and be there until Sen is on the plane and off the ground.”

“That will be a risk for you.” Erin frowned. “Kadmus won’t care a damn about Jack Sen if he finds out you’re anywhere near him.”

“Then hopefully he won’t. Though there’s a strong possibility that the hospital is being watched. What will be, will be. I’ll adapt.”

“How fatalistic,” Catherine said. “And stupid.”

“I’m sending Blake in to do the job. It may not be as clean as I’d like. I have to back him.” He added softly, “I’m touched you care.”

Heat.

Push it away.

“You didn’t worry that much when Erin was in trouble. You didn’t go near her. You were only concerned about your precious rules.”

“Catherine,” Erin said sharply. “I told you that—”

“Hush,” Cameron said gently. “I don’t need you to defend me.” He said to Catherine, “You’re right, but I’ve decided I have to change the rules. Kadmus has to be stopped no matter what anyone else thinks. But I have to make sure there are no hostages when I make a move. Jack Sen could be a hostage.”

Catherine was silent, studying him. He was telling the truth. At least, she thought he was being sincere. How did she know with all those mental tricks?

“You know,” he said. “And all the tricks are over. We’re so close now, I can’t stop being with you. But I won’t lie, and I won’t manipulate.”

She pulled her eyes away from him. “No, I don’t like hostage situations either, but I don’t like the idea of your running the risk.” She forced a smile. “You have a few unique talents. I might have use for you later.”

“I have every intention of letting you use me later. I’m leaving now. I should be back here by three, and we’ll start moving toward Kadmus.”

She stood up. “I’m going with you.” The words had come out of nowhere and caught her by surprise. “You may need backup yourself.”

“No.” He turned and moved toward the arched door. “Stay close to the house and don’t let—”

“Cameron?” Celia stood in the doorway with Luke beside her. Her eyes were wide with shock as she stared at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Just leaving.” He smiled at her. “It’s good to see you again, Celia. I take it that Hu Chang didn’t mention that I was involved in this problem he threw at you?”

“No. I prefer not to know details where Hu Chang is concerned. You’re … a surprise.”