“You’ve been busy. So have I.”

“You’ve got that right.” She pulled back the sheet and slipped into bed. “Thanks for taking me in tonight.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Olivia said. “We’re closer than sisters. Who else would you go to?”

“No one. Except Mom. And that would have opened a huge can of worms again.” She punched the pillow and settled in the bed. “I’m fine, Olivia. Go back to bed.”

“Shall I turn out the lights?”

“Please.”

Olivia reached out and flipped the wall switch, and the room was plunged into darkness. She stood there, silhouetted against the light streaming from the hall behind her. “Kendra … I’ve always wondered something ever since you had that operation.”

“Wondered what?”

She was silent, then asked, “How do you feel about … darkness?”

Kendra wished Olivia hadn’t turned off the light. She couldn’t tell by her voice what she was feeling. Olivia was too good at hiding her emotions. “Why do you want to know?”

“Darkness is home for me, it’s my comfort zone. Before you gained your vision, you felt that way, too. It was something we shared. I know it can never be that way again, but I was curious. Is there an instant of panic? Or is there comfort?”

Olivia had been wonderfully generous and happy when Kendra had gained her sight, but there had been many large and small issues about adjusting their relationship to the new status. Evidently, this was one of the questions that hadn’t been addressed. “How do I feel at the moment I turn out the lights and go back to the dark?” She was silent, thinking. “I guess I never analyzed it. When I first opened my eyes after the operation, I was frightened. It was all too much. Too bright. Too gloriously vivid. It took me weeks to adjust, then I gradually became accustomed to that world. Oh, not like someone who had always had their sight and took it for granted. I could never take it for granted. But I became drunk with the headiness of it. I wanted to taste every vision and sensation. I went a little off kilter trying to do it. But you know that.”

“Yes, you worried me.” She paused. “But I might have done the same thing if it had been me.”

“I wanted it to be you, too. God, how I wanted it,” Kendra said. “It will be you someday. We’ll find a way.”

“I’m exploring every avenue. Every new treatment that comes along,” Olivia said. “I’ll get there. We’ve always walked side by side. I don’t want to be left behind.”

“That’s not going to happen. We’ll always be together.” That wasn’t enough of an answer. Olivia’s question had contained deeper meanings. “And how do I feel now about darkness? There’s no panic. I could accept it if I lost my sight again. I would hate it, but we made the best of it before I was given my miracle. And, yes, there are moments when I feel a sense of comfort when I shut my eyes and let the darkness flow around me. It brings me back to the past and to you. It reminds me what we had together. That was all good.”

“You’re damn right it was.” Olivia’s voice was a little throaty. “But I didn’t mean for you to give me this long, involved speech. I just asked a simple question.”

“There’s never anything simple about you, Olivia.”

“Okay, I feel insecure every now and then.” She started to turn away, then turned back. “I don’t want you to go back to your place even after the FBI tells you they’ve plugged up the hole this rat crawled through. Why don’t you plan on staying with me until that nut is caught?”

“No way.”

“I thought you’d say that. Think about it.”

“Okay, but not tonight.” She yawned. “It’s been one hell of a day. And I don’t expect tomorrow to be any easier. I seem to be on a fast track and can’t get off.”

“And you’re on it alone, dammit. When is Adam Lynch getting back?”

“I have no idea. Good night, Olivia.”

“You want him back, too.”

Kendra turned over on her side. “See you in the morning.”

Olivia laughed. “Good night, Kendra.”

She closed the door as she left, and the darkness was almost total.

As Kendra had told Olivia, the darkness held no real fear for her. She had faced that demon and knew how to live with it. But the darkness did release her mind to race in circles. She could still see that message on the wall of her living room.

How the hell had he managed to get into her condo?

Not tonight. Shut down. She was too tired to think clearly.

If Griffin didn’t find out the answers tomorrow, she would go back to the apartment, and something would trigger it for her.

Go to sleep.

You want him back, too.

Maybe she did, but she’d never admit it to the arrogant bastard.

Shut down. Go to sleep …

*   *   *

SHE SLEPT LATER THAN USUAL. Her cell phone rang and woke her at 8:40 A.M. the next morning.

Mom!

Kendra had to clear her head and sound bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. She hadn’t expected to have to confront her before coffee.

“Good morning.” She struggled to a sitting position. “I meant to call you yesterday afternoon and tell you everything was going well, but I got busy and I—”

“Your voice sounds as if you just woke up. You never sleep past seven. Are you okay?”

“Fine. I was just up late talking to Olivia.” That was at least true. “And that fall took a little toll on my stamina.”

“I told you that you should have gone to the doctor.”

And that was something else to put her mother’s mind at ease. “Well, it turned out the doctor came to me. Lynch sent a physician to the FBI headquarters with orders to check me out.”

Silence. “He did? How … unusual.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. But I went through with it because it was easier than fighting off the doctor who evidently had strict orders. I’m absolutely fine, Mom.”

“That’s good,” she said absently. “But it was still an unusual move on Lynch’s part. I never figured him to be that protective. Now, if it was Dean, I can see how he’d be concerned enough to rush medical help to make sure you were—”

“Don’t read anything into anything Lynch does,” she interrupted. “He just likes his own way. He thinks he always knows best and tries to bulldoze his way through. That examination should never have been done, and I’m still a little pissed.”

“But you did it, and that’s unusual, too.” She abruptly dropped the subject. “I ran into Dean on my way to class this morning, and he says you didn’t call him. Why not?”

“The same reason I didn’t call you. I was busy. I believe you’re nagging, Mom.”

“Perish the thought. I never nag. I remind. And occasionally persuade. At the moment, I’m reminding you that you made me a promise. I could tell Dean was disappointed that you hadn’t taken the time to call.”

“Poor man. I’m sure he’s just waiting around for me to touch base with him again.”

“That’s right, why not? You’re not only a fascinating woman but you come of equally wonderful stock. I’m pretty damn fascinating myself. Who wouldn’t want to have me for a mother-in-law?”

Kendra chuckled. “I can’t imagine. But you’re going too fast. I went on a blind date and now you have me on my honeymoon? You’re scaring me, Mom.”

“Turnabout is fair play. You scared me when I saw you yesterday morning. And now Adam Lynch is sending you doctors and hovering over you. Didn’t you tell me they call him the Puppetmaster? I don’t like mystery men. I particularly don’t like mystery men who manage to convince you to do things you don’t want to do. When are you going to call Dean?”

She sighed. “After I take my shower and have a cup of coffee. Talking to him should be a pleasure after having you run over me.”

Silence again. “I don’t want my pushing to turn you off him. He deserves a chance.”

“Your pushing drives me nuts, but I still love you. It won’t prejudice me from realizing that Dean is a good guy and probably deserves more than I can give him. Now let me go, so I can start my day … and squeeze that call to Dean into the mix.”