“And you can't shut it out.” He drew a deep breath. “But I can. Don't be scared. I'm coming in.”

What was he talking about?

“Look at me.” His dark eyes were holding her own. “It's going to go away now.”

It wouldn't go away. The smoke and the fire were going to go on forever. Charlie . . .

They're coming up the stairs to get you, Charlie.

Too late.

Hurting. Hurt—

The pain was gone. Charlie was gone. No smoke. No fire.

A blue lake. Sunlight. Green grass.

Peace.

“Come on.” He was standing, pulling her to her feet. “We have to get out of here. I don't how long I can hold it back.”

Two deer were coming to drink at the lake. A soft breeze was blowing the tall grass.

“Come on.” He opened the door and pulled her out into the corridor. “We're going to go get Sam and then you're going home.”

“Charlie . . .”

“He's not here at the lake now. We'll go back to him later.” He was pulling her down the corridor toward the lounge. “I'll explain everything and get us out of here. But when we enter the room, you have to smile at the kids. You don't want them to worry.”

No, children shouldn't worry. Their world should always be full of sunlight. How they'd love to be away from the city by this beautiful lake.

And suddenly they were there. She could see the little boy, Josh, laughing as he ran through the grass.

“Are you all right?” It was Melody Vanetti, gazing worriedly at her. “I went to the rest room to check on you, but you weren't there.”

“She's a little under the weather,” the man holding her arm said. “I ran into her in the hall and took her out to get a little fresh air.” He smiled and held out his hand. “You're Nurse Vanetti? She's told me how good you are with the kids. I'm Brad Silver. I work with Kerry.”

Melody shook his hand, but she was still frowning as she gazed at Kerry. “Do you think she should see one of the doctors?”

“That's what I suggested, but she just wants to go home. Isn't that right, Kerry?”

Home was the lake. Home was the children playing in the meadow.

“Kerry?”

She nodded. “I want to go home.”

“Then I'll just go get Sam.” Silver moved across the room toward the children. He squatted beside Josh.

But how could that be when she could see Josh running by the lake? Silver must be talking to some other little boy.

“I have to take your buddy away now,” he said gently to the little boy who looked like Josh. “But I promise you'll see him again.” He touched the little boy on the shoulder. “Everything's going to be all right.” He smiled at the other children as he led Sam toward Kerry. “Kerry will see you next week. She has to leave now.” He nodded at Melody. “Thanks for everything. I'll let you know how she's doing once I get her home.”

Then he was nudging Kerry out of the lounge and down the hall.

The sky over the lake was getting cloudy. Or was that smoke in the distance?

No smoke. The answer came immediately and firmly.

Sunlight. Children playing. Blue delphiniums growing straight and proud on the hillside. How she loved delphiniums. . . .

They were out of the elevator and he was leading her toward the parking lot. “Only a little longer, Kerry.” He opened the door of a black Lexus. “Jump in, Sam.” Sam jumped into the car and immediately settled down on the seat. He opened the passenger door for Kerry. “I'll have you home in no time.”

He was smiling as he helped her into a boat at the dock on the lake. Then he was rowing, his oar lifting and falling in the glittering blue water.

He pulled into her driveway and stopped the car. He reached for her purse. “I need your keys.” He pulled them out, opened the rear door for Sam, and strode up the steps to the front porch.

They had drifted under the overhanging branches of a weeping willow and she could see the reflection of the lacy fronds in the water. He was smiling at her. Warmth. Safety. Joy. “Kerry.” He was holding out his hand to help her from the boat. “Come with me.”

Where? It didn't matter. She knew wherever he led her would be beautiful. She took his hand.

They were going up the front stairs. Sam was tearing around the porch and Silver let him into the house before he pushed her gently into the foyer. He followed her into the house and closed the door.

He leaned back against it and drew a deep breath. “Thank God.”

Clouds again over the lake, she noticed uneasily. She didn't like it. . . .

“Not clouds. Smoke,” Silver said. “I can't keep it away from you any longer. It's smoke and it's getting thicker. But it's not going to hurt you anymore. That part's over, Kerry. I'm getting out. I'll try to do it slow and easy, but it's going to be a wrench.”

Smoke was swirling about her like fog, obscuring the lake and the willow and the children. And beyond the smoke . . .

Fire.

Charlie!

She screamed.

Easy.” Silver grasped her shoulders. “You knew it was coming. Accept it.”

“He's dead. Charlie's dead.”

He nodded. “He died about five minutes ago.”

She closed her eyes as she tried to absorb the shock and sorrow. “How do you know that?” Her eyes flicked open and she tore away from him. “And what the hell are you doing in my house?”

“Trying to keep you from blowing your cover. And don't give me any grief.” He added roughly, “I'm too pissed to feel sympathetic at the moment. Do you think this was easy for me? I suppose I could have left you in that closet until someone found you. But by that time you'd have probably had to be treated at the local funny farm.”

“Get out of here. I don't know who you are and I don't care.” She moved toward the telephone. “I have to call the station.”

“To find out what you already know? Charlie's dead. The other man on the staircase is on his way to Grady Hospital. He'll probably live.” He paused. “And you suspect who I am. Or at least what I am.”

“Go away. Maybe Charlie's not dead. It doesn't have to be true.” She dialed the station number and Dave picked up. “Dave, I heard there was trouble at—”

“Oh, God, Kerry.” His voice was cracking. “Charlie. What a hell of a—I knew him for thirty years. He was thinking about retiring in the spring. Why did it have to happen to—”

She hung up. She couldn't take any more. She leaned her head against the wall, the tears flowing down her cheeks.

“I'll give Sam some water and make a pot of coffee,” Silver said quietly. “Come when you're ready. Kitchen's down the hall, right?” He didn't wait for her answer.

She moved into the living room and dropped down on the couch. She should call Edna and see if she wanted her to come over. No, not now. She didn't even know if she'd been notified yet. Kerry dropped her head on the arm of the couch and didn't try to stop the tears from coming. Charlie deserved tears. . . .

She could hear Silver in the kitchen saying something to Sam. This stranger was clearly making himself at home, and yet she felt no sense of threat. Maybe she was too stunned to feel fear.

Or maybe he was making sure she wasn't afraid. That thought was terrifying in itself.

She wouldn't think about it. She was too upset to deal with anything right now. She'd give herself a little time to regain her composure before she had to go and face him. She'd close her eyes for just a moment and escape from all the pain and sorrow. . . .

She was sleeping.

Silver stood in the doorway and looked down at her, curled on the couch. He knew it was a sleep that wouldn't last long. She'd been exposed to too much and had to recoup from the overload. He'd seen it many times before.

She looked almost childlike with her tousled, short, chestnut hair and smooth, satiny complexion. But she wasn't a child. She was tough and stubborn and was going to give him a hell of a bad time.