He hesitated. “Perhaps. It’s difficult to tell with the swelling. But you mustn’t give up hope of a normal recovery.”

“There’s no question of that,” Kendra said. “When will we know?”

“When the swelling goes down enough for us to bring her out of the coma. Tomorrow at the earliest.”

“May we visit her?” Eve asked.

He shrugged. “Of course, just don’t expect a response.” He nodded, turned, and strode down the hall.

“Not warm,” Kendra said.

“I don’t care as long as he’s good,” Eve said. “And right about a possible normal recovery. I’m scared.”

Kendra nodded. “But she’s out of danger.”

“Temporarily.” Sam spoke for the first time from where he stood by the wall. “He didn’t seem too optimistic.”

“It appears it’s going to be a long haul,” Lynch said. “May I make a suggestion? Why don’t you all go back to my place and take a shower and change clothes? You look like you’re been through a tornado. Then decide what’s going to be the order of sitting with Beth? I’m sure she wouldn’t want you all hovering over her.”

“She’d laugh at us,” Sam said suddenly.

Kendra looked at him and nodded. How well Sam had gotten to know Beth. “I’ll stay with her and wait until you get back and—”

“No,” Eve said firmly. “I’m pulling rank. I’ll stay with my sister.” She pulled out Kendra’s remote key fob and handed it to her. “You heard me. Get out of here.”

She turned on her heel and went toward the nurses’ station.

“Well, that appears to be settled,” Lynch said. “She obviously has a mind of her own.”

Kendra nodded. “I’ll come back to relieve her in an hour or two.”

“Because you’re responsible?” Lynch said. “We’ve already discussed that.”

“I want to go and sit with Beth,” Sam said abruptly.

Kendra looked back at him. “Eve has first call, Sam. She’s family.”

“I want to do something for her.”

“And you will,” she said gently. “And you have. But look at you. Your clothes have dried on you, your hair is in spikes. That can’t be comfortable. If one of the nurses saw you with Beth, they’d probably kick you out.”

“Like you’re doing?”

She nodded. “Go home, clean up, get something to eat. Then come back and sit with Beth. That way, if she happens to wake up, you won’t scare her. Okay?”

“She won’t wake up. You heard the doctor.”

“I’d rather believe in Beth.”

He didn’t speak. Then he nodded. “Me too.” He turned and walked toward the exit.

She watched him until he was out of sight. Then she turned to Lynch. “You’ve cleared the decks so that Eve and Sam are probably going to spend most of the night with Beth. Why did you do it?”

“Me? I was merely arranging things so that it would be easiest for you. Though how you could think I could judge how things would fall into place, I have no idea.”

“You threw an idea out there and watched everyone pick up the ball in the way you thought they’d react. Manipulation.”

“A small talent, but my own. Okay, I’ll admit to manipulation if it’s for your sake.”

“And why is it for my sake?”

“You’d want to be free, and it wouldn’t be possible if you felt bound to watch over Beth.”

“Of course I want to watch over Beth.” Her gaze narrowed on his face. “And why would I need to be free?”

He took out his phone. “Because ten minutes ago, Griffin wired me this photo.” He handed the phone to her. “He crossed over the border into Mexico.”

Colby.

Wearing a hat, but the camera had caught his profile. It was unmistakable.

Her gaze flew to Lynch’s face. “How long ago?”

“An hour or so,” he said. “I know Mexico very well. I have contacts there. He’ll be looking for new documents, and I know where he can find them. If his head start isn’t too great, I’ll be able to track him.”

“Not without me.”

“I knew that would be your attitude. I would either have to take you with me, or you’d try to find him alone.” He shrugged. “So I freed you up.” He took her elbow. “I’ll walk you to your car. I’ll take the Ferrari back to my house. Follow me, and we’ll take your car. The Ferrari is a little too showy for Mexico.”

“Unless you’re a drug lord. But you probably have the same problem here in the States.”

“That stung a bit. You must be feeling a little better.” He held the door open for her. “I thought that taking action would make you function with your usual verve.”

“You mean planning on killing Colby would excite me?” She walked across the parking lot with him. “Not excite. That’s not what I’m feeling. Beth asked me once if I had it to do over again would I kill Colby instead of sending him to prison. I told her I had mixed feelings. But I don’t any longer. When I saw Beth lying there struggling to live, when I saw what he’d done to her, it was all over. I can’t stand the thought of his ever having the power to do that again. And I wouldn’t trust the police or a jury or the prison board to make certain that he was put safely away.” She met his eyes. “I have to do it myself.”

“With a little help from your friends.” He stopped beside her car. “Don’t shut me out, Kendra.” He gently touched her hair. “You don’t have to feel responsible for me. Your way is the way I want to go.”

Warmth. Strength. Safety,

Why should she feel safe with Lynch when no one would ever call him a safe man?

Because her world was not safe, and it was good to have a companion in that world.

“Then that’s the way we’ll go … for a little while.” She unlocked her keyless car with her remote fob and stuffed it into her pocket. She slipped into the driver’s seat. “I’ll see you back at the house.”

He nodded and turned and trotted across the lot toward his Ferrari.

*   *   *

BE ASSURED THE DANCE will continue.

Kendra gripped her steering wheel as she entered the freeway that would take her to Lynch’s house. Colby’s message was clearly meant to terrify her, to make her live in constant fear.

She wouldn’t let that happen.

You lose, Colby. The whole world is looking for you now. You’ll be the one looking over your shoulder, studying each face you see for that fatal flash of recognition.

And one of those times, you’ll see me there.

Maybe tonight. Maybe tomorrow.

Kendra hoped it would be that soon. She needed to get back to Beth. She had already begun compiling a mental list of world-class neurologists. She had met and worked with many of them in her years of music-therapy work, and she’d make sure Beth received the finest care possible.

As Kendra drove out of the city and traffic thinned out, she felt the slightest bit of tension draining away. There would be plenty of time to worry in the coming hours—or even days—but for now, Beth was resting and hopefully healing.

Sleep well, Beth. We’ll be there for you when you wake.

And I hope to give you news that will—

“Hello, Kendra. What a wonderful night for a drive.”

Colby!

Something cold and sharp snapped around her neck.

The steering wheel slid through her fingers, and the car careened toward the center divider!

Kendra frantically pulled the wheel hard right, narrowly missing the wall.

Her eyes flew to the rearview mirror.

The rear seatback was now down, opening a pathway from her trunk.

A thin wire was taut around her neck, beaded with blood. Her blood.

And there was Eric Colby himself, blue eyes piercing straight through her.

Shock. Panic.

How in the hell could this be happening?

He smiled. “Nice recovery, Kendra.” He tightened the wire until she gasped with pain. “No use ending this party before it’s even begun.”

“Party?” Every word was agony as it put pressure on the wire. “It’s more … of a game to you. You can’t win, Colby.”

“But I already have.”

“There’s nowhere for you to go. Nowhere.”

“Let’s classify that as my problem.” He tugged on his wire, cutting even deeper into her throat.