“And what if Trask decides not to use Dickens? What if he's out there with his little dish all set to burn you to a crisp?”

“Then it's up to you to make sure he doesn't. I can't do everything.” She turned and strode down the hall toward the kitchen. “But I can make myself coffee and some toast, and that's what I'm going to do right now. You argue with George about it, if it makes you feel better. But you know I'm right.”

She heard him mutter a curse behind her, but she ignored it. She had no desire to argue with Silver right now. She was having to exert all her effort to shake off this sense of . . . what? Fear, anxiety, foreboding? Maybe a little of all those emotions.

Or maybe her imagination was just working overtime. She had a right to a case of nerves after what had happened at the warehouse.

She had the coffee brewed and was on her second cup when Silver came into the kitchen. “It took you long enough. I thought George was more persuasive than that.”

“I didn't waste my time. I knew you had your mind made up.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down across from her. “I just talked to him and Ledbruk and set up your surveillance. If you're determined to do it, I want to make sure the security is iron-tight.” He took a sip of coffee. “But understand this. I go with you every trip. I'm with you every minute.”

“I've no objection.”

“And one trip a day. Never at the same time. Never going to the same place.”

“That makes sense.” She met his gaze across the table. “Now admit I'm right. This way we have a chance at Dickens.”

“Okay, you're right.” He scowled. “Satisfied?”

“My, that hurt.” She smiled. “Jesus, you're a surly bastard. I don't know how I managed to get past that sulkiness to realize you weren't a complete asshole.”

His scowl disappeared. “Shall I tell you?” He leaned across the table and took her hand. “Sex is always the bridge.” His thumb slowly rubbed her palm. “I may be an asshole, but I'm damn good. Now you admit I'm right.”

Dammit, he knew how sensitive her palms and wrists were to touch. He knew everything about her body. He only had to touch her to cause her to be ready. She drew a shaky breath and pulled her hand away. “No big deal. Stop bragging. It's not as if you didn't start with a gigantic advantage over most men.” She looked him in the eye. “And I'm not talking physiology.”

He frowned and then started to laugh. “My God, Kerry. You really know how to deflate a guy. I hope you'll concede the physiology is adequate?”

She smiled. “Quite adequate.”

“Then let's go back upstairs and test it out.”

Her smile faded. He wasn't joking. “You can't be serious. We just got out of bed an hour ago.”

“I didn't get enough. I don't know if I'll ever get enough. I told you, we're pretty extraordinary together.”

She wasn't sure that she would ever get enough either. She had never believed she could be addicted to sex, but now she wasn't sure. And that uncertainty was enough to make her very wary. “That doesn't mean we should spend all our time in the sack.”

“Well, we could get up occasionally.” He sat back, studying her expression. “No?”

She shook her head. “It's not a good idea.”

“But not because you don't want to. You're just afraid that you're liking it too much. That you're liking me too much.”

“You're too demanding. You even warned me that you—” She drew a deep breath. “And you're getting sidetracked. What about Trask?”

“I haven't forgotten him. But since we have only one trip a day . . . that leaves all that other time to play.” He smiled. “And we will play, Kerry. You know it as well as I do. Life's too short to skip the good things.”

Yes, she knew it. If they were together, there would be sex, and in the present circumstances there was no walking away from him. But it was important that he not get all his own way. “Not now.” She got to her feet. “I'm going to the hospital to visit Carmela. Why don't you make yourself useful and see what you can do about arranging to get her sister out of her mother's house?”

“Yes, ma'am.” He rose to his feet. “But I can do that by phone on the way to the hospital. I'm going with you.” He headed for the door. “Remember? I go with you every trip. I'm with you every minute.”

You're not really a social worker, are you?” Carmela glared at Kerry as she walked into the hospital room. “Who the hell are you?”

Kerry gazed at her warily. “Why do you think I lied to you?”

“I asked the nurse and she said she didn't know anything about you. And the hospital has its own social workers.” Her gaze bored into Kerry's. “So are you a reporter?”

“No.”

“Or maybe from the police?” She didn't wait for an answer. “I'm not going back to my mother. You can forget it.”

“I'm not with the police. Actually, I work as an arson investigator for the fire department.”

“I didn't set the fire.”

“I know you didn't.”

“I didn't see who set it.”

“I know that too.”

“Then why the hell don't you get out of here?” Carmela's eyes were glittering with tears. “I don't want to talk to you. You lied to me. The owner of the warehouse isn't going to give me any money, is he? I'm not going to be able to get Rosa away from that bastard.”

“We're working on it. It would help if you'd admit that Harvey raped you.”

“Yeah, sure.” She turned her face to the wall. “And the police would arrest my mother too. I know how it works. I went to the library and looked it up before I left home. It's called child endangerment.”

“I know you don't want to hurt your mother, but you have to admit that Rosa is in danger.”

“I don't have to admit anything to you. I've told Rosa to go on the run if Harvey comes near her. It may not happen. He's going to be careful after I went to Mom about him. Besides, I'll take care of Rosa as soon as I get out of here.”

“Okay, but that may be a few days. I believe we'll have to find a way to get Rosa out of that house right away.” She held up her hand as Carmela looked at her in alarm. “Without involving your mother with the police.”

Carmela stared at her for a moment. “Why would you do that?”

“For heaven's sake, Carmela. Maybe I don't like the idea of a young girl being victimized. Is that so hard to believe?”

“How do I know? I don't know you. And I don't think the fire department goes in for this kind of charity work.”

Lord, she was suspicious, Kerry thought. Well, why not? She hadn't had much opportunity to develop trust, and the one person closest to her had betrayed her. Tell the kid the truth. “No, it doesn't. We help where we can, but you're an unusual case. And it's a personal issue with me.” She paused. “The person who started the fire wanted you to die in that blaze.”

“You're crazy. No one knew I was in that warehouse.”

“Trask knew it. He called me and told me your name. He even described you.”

“Trask? That's his name?”

“James Trask.”

“But why would he want to kill me?”

“It wasn't about you. It was about me. He has a sort of . . . fixation about me. He knew I'd hate the idea of a young girl dying in a fire, and he wanted me to get to know you so that your death would mean more to me.” She added gently, “He succeeded. I began to feel very close to you while we were searching for that warehouse.”

She didn't speak for a moment. “Really?”

“Really.”

“But I still don't see why he'd try to kill me. I didn't do anything to him.”

She could see why Carmela was having difficulty accepting Trask's motivation, when Kerry herself found it totally incomprehensible. “I told you, he wanted to get at me through you. I'm the one he wanted to hurt.”

“Well, he hurt me too. He's got to be one nutty son of a bitch.” She hesitated. “Is he still going to try to—”

“I don't think so. But we have a guard on you just in case.”