After all, which option would inflict the most injury on Rousseau? That single instant of comprehension for him, when Bennett put the gun to Rousseaus head and prepared to pull the trigger? Or days of guilt-soaked agony and torture of the soul, Rick knowing that hed allowed his woman to be stolen and probably killed?

Plan B, obviously. It was genius. It was the ultimate payback. Bennett was only sorry he couldnt hold the girl hostage for seven years before he killed her.

Now /that/ would be eye for an eye. /… you wouldnt hurt a fly, Benny./ Bennett slammed his fist against the cheap steering wheel. Damn! How he wished LaShelle had kept her opinions to herself! If forty-five years in business had taught him anything, it was this: If you doubt your success, then youll fail.

Ginger was the first inside Josies apartment. I dont think shes here, she said, confused. Did she go somewhere?

Rick cocked his head, the adrenaline rushing through his body. Teeny dropped the dogs leash, pulled out his gun, and pushed past everyone to get in the living room.

Stay back, Rick said, motioning for the women to retreat to the hallway.

Josie? he called out, over the music. He ran to the sound system and turned down the volume. Josie? he repeated, even louder.

Teeny swept the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathroom. Genghis sniffed at a knife lying on the kitchen floor.

Teeny ran back to the living room, shaking his head to indicate he hadnt found her, his face twisted with grief.

What the hells going on? Bea stepped inside the apartment and walked right up to Teeny. Why the hell do you have a gun?

Has something happened to Josie? Roxanne yelled. Should we call the police?

Ive got a real bad feeling about this, Ginger whispered.

Rick took a second to gather his thoughts, but there was only one thought to gather: Bennett Cummings had Josie.

He was sure of it.

Bennett needed a stiff drink. Lifting the girl from the car and propping her in the rolling office chair had just about done him in. His heart raced. Perspiration soaked into his shirt. Bennett made himself a vodka and tonic, and settled into a comfortable love seat.

The girl tried to kick her legs again, and Bennett was pleased to see the ropes holding nicely. As a sailor, hed always prided himself on his knots. Never once, however, did he suspect hed use his yachting prowess to tie a girl to anything, let alone an office chair on wheels.

She tried to scream, but her mouth was muffled by the balled-up washcloth held in place with a kitchen towel. Hed used a colorful pink scarf he found in the closet as a blindfold. The overall effect looked less menacing than a hostage scene from a movie, but it would have to do.

It would be to your benefit if youd relax, Bennett said in his most soothing voice. If you are calm and quiet, you will be allowed to move freely in the guest suite. You can have something to eat or watch movies. Youll be quite comfortable. I just finished preparing everything for you.

The girl kept wiggling.

However, if you continue to struggle, Ill have to leave you bound and gagged for the several days I plan to keep you here. Is that what youd prefer?

The girl screamed and thrashed violently. Bennett got up and made himself another drink. His hand shook when he added two jiggers of Ciroc.

He was aware that from here on out, things would be unpleasant. There was no avoiding it.

Within minutes of Josies disappearance, Teeny had the security teams emergency plan in place, everyone aware that Josie Sheehans safe return was the only objective. Teeny spoke to several of his associates in Rhode Island, demanding that they come up with somethinganythingthat would provide new information on Bennett Cummingss whereabouts.

Two FBI agents and two San Francisco Police Department detectives talked quietly in Ricks kitchen. Josies apartment was now a crime scene. The FBI had already issued an APB for Josie and Cummings, along with a vague description of a late-model, dark sedan. Rick had provided police a detailed statement about the nature of his relationship with Bennett Cummings, the threat hed received, and his suspicions that Josie had become his target. Bea had already arranged for the /Herald/ to run a front-page story on Josies disappearance in the morning edition. Police had put out a bulletin to be aired on the late news that very same night.

In the midst of all the activity, a detective had taken Rick aside and asked, If you were so concerned something would happen to her, why did you leave her alone?

There was no satisfactory answer to that question. There never would be.

Rick had asked himself a hundred times in the last three hours how he could have let this happen, and with each passing minute the black tentacles of self-hate got tighter around his throat. Certainly, Josies family over there on the sofa wasnt comforted by the fact that Rick had only intended to take the dog out for a few minutes. They didnt care that Rick had assumed he himself was the target, not Josie. The truth was, he had left her aloneand took the bodyguard with him!and now she was gone. He had failed to keep her safe.

Rick now understood that the uneasy feeling from earlier in the week had been his intuition talking. When hed raced back to Josies apartment to find her asleep in the tub, that was his warning. Yet he didnt listen. /He didnt fucking listen!/ Come here a minute, man. Teeny wrapped his arm around Ricks shoulders and guided him past the dozens of people gathered in his living room and into the study, shutting the door behind them. Dont go there on me, Rousseau, Teeny said. Dont you dare go there.

Rick stayed silent.

If you want to get Josie back, then you stay right here, you stay alive and aware, do you hear me? Teeny got down in his face. You keep your mind sharp and your thoughts positive. That evil self-destructive shit has no place in your world anymore. It doesnt belong here. Josie deserves better from you.

Like she did earlier tonight, when I left her.

Teeny put both his hands on Ricks shoulders, shaking him. I dont want to have to kick your ass, but I will. Stop it. /Now/.

Rick took a deep breath. I hear you, he whispered.

Good. Teeny straightened and smiled. Now, heres the good news, man. One of my sources came through for me, found out that Cummings drove at least part of the way in his gardeners car. We got a plate and a description.

Good, Rick said.

Were going to find her, Teeny said.

Rick nodded. I know we will.

Thats what Im talking about.

There was a knock on the study door. It was Bea. Excuse me, Teeny, but you just got a call on your cell. She says its important.

Rick and Teeny hurried back to the dining room, where Teeny had set up a kind of command center. He grabbed the phone from the glass tabletop.

Worrell, he said. A second later, frowning, he handed the phone to Rick.

Its Gwen Anders, he whispered. Shes hysterical.

Rick took the phone. He didnt have a spare second for her. I cant talk right now, he barked.

Rick! Its my fault! I did it! I just saw the news report about Josie Sheehan being abducted! Gwen began to sob.

What? Rick stopped breathing. You have Josie?

No! No! Cummings came to my house and put a gun to my head! I told him about Josie! I told him she was your girlfriend! Its my fault!

Rick handed the phone back to Teeny as Gwen sobbed. Send somebody over there to get her, Rick said. She has a statement to make.

Teeny looked incredulous. What the hell does Gwen Anders know about Josies disappearance?

She told Cummings all about her.

Teenys eyes flashed. /Fuck!/ Rick kept his voice down so Josies family couldnt hear him. Just get Gwen over here so she can talk to the cops.