I don’t now where all of those months since my last post went. I do know, however, that in that time, we had Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I also was sick most of one of those months, and then I tried to break up a dog fight and got bitten in the process. I also broke my foot, from which I’m still recovering. Hopefully, I’m done with all this nonsense.

Today I’m posting three chapters of my book entitled Danger in Paradise. As a reminder, here is the previous blurb about the book: The book I’m working on is entitled Danger in Paradise, and it centers on Jessie Nelson, an intelligence specialist for Wheeler Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii. Nick Ramsdale, her former boyfriend comes back into her life. While researching a spy novel he’s writing, Nick comes across suspicious information on Jessie’s fiance, Todd Hardy. Determined to reunite with Jessie, while keeping his suspicions to himself, Nick does his best to win Jessie’s heart.

I hope you enjoy the next three chapters. To read chapter one, please scroll down to the last post.

 

TWO

 

The buzzing alarm dragged Jessie from her dream of Nick. With a groan, she rolled over and pushed the button to turn off the annoyance. When silence reigned in the room, she tossed back the covers and sat up to stretch. The memory of the previous night brought a soft smile to her lips.

Seeing Nick again had been wonderful, but his good night kiss was more than she remembered. There seemed to be a promise in it this time. If she didn’t have to work, she would suggest that they spend the day together. Unfortunately, until she found that missing document, she couldn’t take time for recreation. She had initialed and logged the report herself, and she felt obligated to find it herself.

As Jessie got ready for work, her mind wandered to the past. For a twenty-eight-year-old man, Nick had been incredibly patient with an eighteen-year-old virgin. But she never understood why. Of all the men she’d dated, Nick had never tried to pressure her into bed. He’d never even suggested it after that one time. Nicholas Ramsdale was indeed a special man.

Then an idea came to her. Todd had left a message on her answering machine that he would be in Maui all weekend. Why not invite Nick to dinner that night? He’d mentioned that he hadn’t had time for dating in the last several months, so it was possible that he wasn’t busy.

When she was ready to leave her condo, she jotted down a quick note and set it beside the coffee maker. But as she started out the door, she had an overwhelming urge to look in on him.

The bedroom door squeaked as she opened it, and he rolled onto his back with a groan. Almost immediately, she regretted what she’d done. Nick’s dream-world arousal was obvious now. To her dismay, the years of celibacy she’d lived through vanished into her years of sexual activity. Without warning, the excitement of lying in a man’s arms flooded through her. Closing the door silently, she raced through the living room and out the front door, unintentionally slamming it behind her.

 

Nick woke with a start, bolting to sit on the bed. That was a door! Someone was after Jessie, just like in his dream! He stealthily searched the apartment and discovered her missing, just as he’d suspected. She’d been kidnapped! He rushed to the kitchen, where he finally saw her note. With a grimace, he unfolded the paper to read it:

 

I’ll pick up a couple of steaks if you want to come for dinner at 6:30. We’ll grill them together just like we used to. Leave me a note, and let me know if you can make it.

Forever your best friend,

Jessie

 

A couple of steaks, she’d written. Apparently, that meant two for dinner. And she’d mentioned grilling together. This was one invitation he refused to decline. Steve and Peggy would just have to understand why he couldn’t go to their place for dinner.

Fixing himself some breakfast, Nick tried desperately to think of a way to begin his courtship that evening. But nothing came to mind. By the time he’d showered, it was nine o’clock. Now it wasn’t too early to call Steve.

“Hi, Peggy,” Nick said to the woman who answered the phone. “Is Steve there?”

“Of course.”

Several seconds later Steve came on the phone. “Did you get in touch with Jessie last night?”

“Yeah,” Nick explained, “but I couldn’t reach her by phone, so I just dropped by. I told her that if she liked whirlwind romances, I’d take her on one. Apparently, it had some effect on her, because she invited me to dinner tonight. Maybe that means Hardy’s on his way out. Anyway, we’re grilling steaks—like old times. She’s getting the meat. Knowing her, she’s getting the rest of the food, too.”

“That leaves you bringing the wine and flowers, right?”

“Right.”

“Wrong, big brother. If you want a whirlwind romance, you have to keep her guessing. You’re too damned predictable. That’s probably why you lost her twice. Unless you want to find out if bad things really do come in threes, you’d better change your ways.”

“I don’t know how to keep her guessing,” Nick admitted. “I’m lousy at that kind of thing.”

“Not to worry. Peg and I will help you.”

***

Jessie hummed a cheerful tune as she arrived at work. Seeing Nick again had a calming effect on her, and she was sure she would find the missing report that day. She glanced at the roster outside the locked door to see if anyone else was there. Her boss was. He was probably busy, so she took her key from the hidden compartment in her wallet and opened the door.

She moved instinctively through her routine and went to her desk in another room. Dropping her purse on it, she put her key away then pushed her wallet back into its designated compartment. Finally, she unlocked her desk with a key on her chain and put her purse in the bottom drawer. Darn! She’d forgotten to sign in.

Humming the entire time, Jessie left the series of rooms and grabbed a pen off the receptionist’s desk as she passed. Outside, she signed the register then stared at the closed door with a groan. Where was her mind that morning? She knew the door locked automatically, yet she hadn’t blocked it open with her foot for the couple of seconds it took her to sign in. And she’d left her key inside.

Jessie pressed the buzzer outside the secured offices then waited several seconds for Colonel Gary Garver to open the door.

“Ah, so it is you,” the tall, slightly overweight officer said with a grin. “I thought I heard you roaming around, but I was in the middle of something. Where’s your key?”

“In my purse,” she explained as they headed back toward her office, “but I think I left my brain at home. Long nights will do that, you know.”

“I thought you going to bed early.”

Collapsing into her chair, she examined Gary as he sat on the chair beside her desk. He was dressed in weekend civilian clothes and looked a lot different than usual. For a middle-aged man, he had very little gray in his medium brown hair. Actually, she decided, he was quite attractive in his civvies.

“An old friend dropped by,” Jessie said, “and we spent hours talking. Nick and I haven’t seen each other in six years, so there was a lot to talk about.”

“Nick, huh? Does Todd know about him?”

“I’ve mentioned him a few times, but I never really said much about him. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do. I won’t sleep well until I find that report.”

“Right. We’ll talk at lunch.”

No matter how hard Jessie tried to concentrate, she found it impossible. Paging through a file, she woke with a start, not even realizing that she’d fallen asleep. And it happened several times within an hour. Obviously, she wasn’t in any condition to work that day. Shuffling into Gary’s office, she sank into his secretary’s desk chair.

“What a day!” she complained. “I can’t get a thing done. I’m going home before I lose another top secret document.”

“Good idea. And don’t bother coming in tomorrow.”

“We’ll see,” she said noncommittally.

“Drive carefully,” Gary warned with a chuckle. “I don’t want you falling asleep behind the wheel.”

By the time Jessie collapsed across her bed, it was ten o’clock. Inviting Nick to stay had been fun but foolish. That missing report was much more important than reminiscing with an old friend. If she didn’t find it, she could lose her job—and it wasn’t easy to get fired by the government.

 

When Jessie woke and looked at her alarm, she stared at it in disbelief. It was already after four-thirty, and she hadn’t gone to the grocery store yet. Washing her face to refresh herself, she hurried from her condo with her purse slung over her shoulder.

Why had she said six-thirty? More to the point, why had she taken a night’s worth of sleep instead of a nap? Nick would be right on time, too. If he wasn’t, he would be either five minutes early or five minutes late. How would she ever dust, take a shower, and curl her hair before he arrived? It was already five to five by the clock in her car, and she’d just driven into the supermarket parking lot.

Zipping through the store, she picked up some fresh produce, steaks, milk, eggs, coffee and cereal. Before she left, she returned to the bakery and picked up a double-chocolate cake and some rolls. Finally, she got in the shortest checkout line, only to discover that it was also the slowest. Murphy’s law had struck again!

By the time she got home, it was nearly six. After putting the groceries away, she rushed into the bathroom, pinned up her hair, and took a quick shower. She’d just turned off the water when she heard the doorbell.

Now what? she wondered as she threw on her green satin robe. Hurrying to the door while she tied the sash, she glanced at a clock as she passed it. Six-fifteen. She rushed to open the door, and discovered a man with a grocery bag tucked under one arm and a dozen large, shiny balloons in his free hand.

“Good gravy!” Jessie exclaimed. “A walking balloon factory!”

Pulling the balloons down from before his face, Nick grinned happily. “I’m impressed, Jess. That wasn’t one of your usual clichés. Is that what working for Uncle Sam’s done for you?”

“You’re here before I expected—more than five minutes early.”

He passed her, and she closed the door as he said, “You’re seeing a new me. I brought your flowers.”

Accepting the six brightly flowered balloons he extended toward her, she examined them with a happy smile. “I don’t have a vase they’ll fit in, but thank you. They’re beautiful.”

“I also brought the dark beer.”

“Dark beer?” she repeated in shock. “You never furnished that before. You always brought wine, so I expected …”

“That’s the point. I wanted to do something you didn’t expect. I also wanted to impress you by proving that I remember Lowenbrau Dark is your favorite.”

“Well, you succeeded on both counts. Why don’t you put the beer in the frig while I dress? Then would you be a dear and start the grill? Everything’s by it, except the matches. They’re in the cabinet above the refrigerator—right side.”

“I’d rather help you dress,” he called cheerfully as she headed down the short hall.

“That’s why I’m putting you to work,” she returned with a laugh.

After changing into shorts and a tank top, she joined Nick on the patio, where he was just striking a match. As the charcoal burst into flames, she slid her arms around him from behind, giggling when he started in surprise.

“Geez, woman,” he exclaimed while he turned to embrace her. “I didn’t expect you to do that. I didn’t even think you were here. Next time make some noise.”

She released him with one arm, and they passed through the open sliding patio door. “I didn’t expect to do it. But when I saw you standing there, I felt like eleven years hadn’t gone by.”

“I feel the same way.” Stopping in the living room, he spun her into her arms. With his forearms over her shoulders, he laced his fingers behind her neck and gazed down at her with a grin. “Just think of all the time we wasted because you didn’t call when you got back.”

Unable to resist reveling in her reunion with Nick, she slid her arms around him. “Don’t rub it in. I realize I made a mistake, and I admit it. Let’s call it a truce on that, okay?”

“Right after I tell you one thing. It hurt like hell when I found out you’d come back and didn’t let me know. I had to find out from a newspaper article, for God’s sake! And it was one announcing your engagement—to Todd Hardy, of all people.”

“I made him promise not to announce it until I said he could. It wasn’t my fault that he broke his promise. I wanted to tell you first, because I knew how you’d feel when you saw it. I tried to call you, too—many times. But I always chickened out. I was still trying last night. There. I explained how it happened. Can we drop it now?

“You’re right. Let’s enjoy each other.”

Drawing her closer, Nick bore his lips down against hers in a heated kiss.

Jessie tightened her hold. Nick was the best kisser she’d ever known, but she shouldn’t accept him because of her engagement. She should push away from him—but she couldn’t. His embrace felt so right, his lips worked so passionately against hers, that she found her body responding to him against her mind’s dictates.

It felt good to be in his arms again. The years between their first kiss and now seemed to melt away in a haze of sensations that she had wondered if she would ever experience again. These were the feelings that only Nick had ever shown her, and she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the excitement he unfailingly gave her until she hadn’t had it.

To her dismay, he caressed her shoulders and pushed her away, gazing down at her with desire gleaming in his bright green eyes.

“God, that’s great to do again, Jess,” he said heatedly. “But we’d better eat now.”

“I suppose we should,” she mumbled. Then she fled into the kitchen, so he wouldn’t see how much it upset her that he’d quit kissing her. It was hard enough for her accept that she’d so willingly accepted him. She didn’t want him to think that he could try such a thing again. To keep her emotions to herself, she spoke cheerfully. “I’ll make the salad.”

 

After they ate, Jessie loaded the dishwasher just as the phone rang.

“Would you get that for me, Nick?”

Nick strode over and took the handset from the wall phone. “Nelson residence.”

“The Jessica Nelson residence?” a man asked suspiciously.

“Yes.”

“Who is this?”

“A friend,” Nick replied. “May I say who’s calling?”

“Todd Hardy,” he replied.

“Damn! Just a minute. Jess! It’s your fiancé.”

Jessie joined Nick and accepted the handset he held toward her. “Thanks. Why don’t you get my keys off the counter and go down to my car. Dessert’s in the trunk.”

“Which one’s your car?”

“The red Mazda RX7.”

“Jessica!” she heard Todd call sternly before she put the receiver to her ear.

“Hi, Todd,” she replied. “I didn’t expect to hear from you all weekend.”

“Obviously. You’d better have a good explanation for a man being there.”

Determined to change the subject, Jessie questioned him in her calmest tone. “Let’s talk about something else. How was your day?”

For several minutes they chatted, but Jessie couldn’t shake the tense feeling coursing through her. Todd was being too possessive for her liking, and she wasn’t sure how to cure him of that.

“Look, Jessica,” he said, returning to the original topic. “I don’t like you having an old friend over for dinner when I can’t be there—especially a man. It isn’t appropriate.”

Stunned by his angry, demanding tone, she replied defensively. “We’re just having dinner and talking. Nick’s the one I told you is taking care my estate.”

“Then his wife’s there, too.”

“As a matter of fact, Nick got a divorce. It’s just the two of us.”

“You shouldn’t turn to another man when I’m gone.”

“I’m not turning to anybody, Todd,” she replied calmly. “I’m having dinner with an old friend. Why are you so upset about this? It’s a harmless meal.”

“Harmless meals can turn into liaisons.”

“I don’t believe this!” she exclaimed as Nick entered the apartment. “You don’t trust me at all!”

She watched as he strolled toward her, his long, well-toned legs exposed to her view by his cut-off jeans. If people had told her years ago that she would forget how well he was built, she never would have believed them. But that’s exactly what had happened.

Then Todd’s voice interrupted her thoughts as he returned her accusation flatly. “It isn’t you I don’t trust, Jessie. It’s that bastard.”

Fury swept through her at his unwarranted jealousy. She’d never done anything to lead him to believe that she would be unfaithful. Unable to restrain her anger, she demanded, “Don’t ever talk about my friends like that!” She turned her gaze on Nick, watching with a half-smile as he approached her. He looked great in his shorts and knit shirt. And nothing turned her on more than a pair of firm thighs and long legs—just like Nick’s! He stepped behind her and slid his arms around her waist. She stared up at him and sighed. “And especially not Nick. He would never do anything to hurt me.”

To her amazement, he broke contact, his face masked with distress. Spinning from her, he went out on the patio. Jessie followed and laid her hand on his shoulder blade while he stared out over the Pacific Ocean from the balcony. She knew what he was thinking about, and she knew how much it still bothered him. He never would have mentioned it last night if it didn’t. Somehow, she had to put his mind at rest, to ease the guilt that had been eating at him for the past six years.

“Jessica Nelson!” Todd said sternly into her ear. “What’s going on there?”

Her voice filled with bitterness despite her tender grasp of Nick’s shoulder. “It’s none of your business.”

“I’m coming home tonight.”

“Don’t bother, Todd,” she replied. “Nothing’s going to happen between Nick and me. We’re really just friends.”

Again, Nick broke away from her. Jessie’s heart went out to him. After all these years, she could read him as well as if they hadn’t been separated for more than an hour. He was thinking about her saying that they were just friends. He was wondering how she could say that after everything that had happened that fateful morning. But the memory of that morning made her heart ache every time she thought of it.

Jessie watched as he paced the patio. They had a lot to talk about tonight—a lot that she’d hoped she could avoid saying. She had to admit the entire truth, no matter how deeply it hurt her—not to mention him.

“But I love you,” Todd said into her ear. “I don’t want you spending time with any man but me.”

“He’s no threat to our relationship, Todd,” she explained. “He spent the night here last night and nothing happened.”

“He spent the night?” Todd asked in astonishment. “How could you do that to me after I announced our engagement?”

The reminder of his broken promise brought back her anger. “I won’t discuss that over the phone. I’ve got to go. Nick and I haven’t had dessert yet. Good-bye, Todd.”

“I’ll be there about eleven, Jessie,” Todd warned just before she hung up. “Make sure Ramsdale’s gone—for good.”

Following Jessie into the apartment, Nick leaned against the archway beside the phone base as she replaced the handset and said, “You shouldn’t have left the cake in the trunk, Jessie. The frosting melted to the plastic.”

“That’s okay. I’ll stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. That should harden it pretty quickly.”

“Don’t bother,” he said as she picked up the box. “I’m stuffed from dinner.”

“Okay.” Jessie put the cake into the refrigerator, then closed the door and leaned against it, her arms crossed under her breasts.

Turning his back on her, he wandered into the living room and collapsed onto the white contemporary couch. She followed and sat on the opposite end. As she bent her leg to face him directly, he gazed over at her and shook his head slowly. Jessie had no doubt about what he was thinking.

“We have to talk, Nick.” Her heart ached over what she was about to confess. What he felt now was nothing compared to what he would feel when she told him her secret. In fact, she would be surprised if he stayed long enough for Todd to get there and send him away.

“No, we don’t,” he said firmly. “It’s just a wonderful nightmare that we should keep in the past where it belongs.”

“That nightmare still haunts you, and it’s not going to stop until we talk it out.”

“No!” He shot to his feet and rushed toward the door so fast that Jessie barely had time to block his exit. “Get the hell out of my way.”

She stared up at him with more determination than she’d ever had in her life. She was at least as determined to discuss this as he was not to. Every other time, she’d let Nick have his way. Now that she could see what it had done to him, she couldn’t let it go on for another minute. “You’re not leaving until we talk about this—even if I have to stand here all night.”

“I will not talk about this. Do you understand?”

“Talk about what?” she prodded.

“You know what.”

“No, I don’t. We may not even mean the same thing.”

“We always mean the same thing. It doesn’t matter who starts the conversation. We always know what the other’s talking about.”

“Maybe that’s changed. Now what don’t you want to discuss?”

“That night, damn it,” he returned angrily. “And you know it.”

“What night?”

“The last one we were together.”

“Last night?”

Nick grabbed her shoulders, his fury vividly displayed in his eyes; but she stared up at him innocently, as though she really didn’t understand. His expression softened in an instant, and he massaged her shoulders gently. “You’ve become a good actress, Jessie. I almost believe that you don’t know which night I’m talking about.”

“Tell me which night.”

He released her and turned his back on her again. As much as it hurt to do this to him, she couldn’t stop goading him. It was the only way she could think of to get him to open up to her. Only then could she admit the truth about what had happened that night. She knew how much it hurt him to think about it, but they had to air this.

Again, she laid her hand on his back, this time rubbing it tenderly. If she did anything that night, it would be getting Nick to admit what he believed, even if his belief was wrong. After all these years, she’d thought he would come to his senses, but she’d obviously been wrong. Somehow, she had to get him to realize the truth.

“I know what you’re doing, Jess,” he said, his voice filled with the pain in his heart, “but I can’t say it.”

“Say what?” Wrapping her arms around him, she sighed inwardly as he returned her secure embrace. “We need to talk, Nick. We have to settle everything about that night.” When he released her, she tightened her hold and wouldn’t let him push her away. With a sigh of resignation, he embraced her again while she admitted, “I knew all along what you meant. I always know what you mean. But I don’t want you to tell me just for you. I want you to say it for me, too.”

“For you?” he asked, stunned. “Why for you?”

“Unless you admit it, I won’t be able to go on with the conversation.”

“Honest?”

“I’ve never lied to you, Nick. Not once.”

“I guess you haven’t. In fact, there were times when you were brutally honest. All right. I’ll say it.” He inhaled deeply. Again, she sensed what he was thinking, that once he voiced what was in his mind, she would break away from him—maybe forever. But she had no intention of doing such a thing. “I’m talking about the night that I … Oh, God, Jess. I don’t know if I can say this. The night that I … forced my attentions on you.” He tightened his hold, and tears came to her eyes. “God, this hurts.”

“Not as much as it’s going to.” Her heart broke in sympathy. He still hadn’t said what she knew was in his heart, and it was imperative that he voice the words to cleanse his soul. “That’s not what you believe, Nick. Tell me honestly what you say in your mind—and your heart—when you think about that night.”

“Rape,” he spat out painfully. “I call it acquaintance rape.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks. He’d finally said the words, and she could feel in her own heart how much they hurt him. Maybe now she could help him heal his wounds.

“I don’t,” she assured him in a tender tone. “I’ll admit that I said no at first—even that I fought against you and begged you not to. But that was only in the beginning. I could have stopped you—if I’d really wanted to.”

Tears came to his eyes, and Jessie knew they were tears of regret and grief over their failed friendship.

“Oh, God, Jess!” he said. “I’m so sorry. I never said that. I just asked for your forgiveness.”

“Listen to me, Nick,” she insisted sternly. “I wanted you to make love to me, but I was afraid at first. My upbringing always said not before marriage, and never with a married man. I was glad that you forced the issue.”

Nick stepped back and stared at her in shock. Although tears streaked his cheeks, he was no longer crying. He appeared numb now, unable to believe what she’d just said. “You wanted me?”

“That’s right. We have more to discuss, too.” She studied his expression intently. There had to be a better way to explain than mere words. “Would you take a ride with me?”

“Where do you want to go?”

“Someplace very important. Let me get my purse, and I’ll drive.”

 

THREE

 

Nick stared down in disbelief. Dropping to one knee, he tentatively touched the cool, moonlit stone. It was real all right—so real that it was carved in granite. He traced the letters: Nicholas Porter Ramsdale.

Nicholas Porter Ramsdale. Jessie hadn’t said the words, but there was no denying it. Nicholas Porter Ramsdale was his son—at least, he had been. After an hour and a half of lying in Jessie’s arms, they had produced a child.

Coming out of his daze, he noticed that Jessie was kneeling beside him, writing something in Magic Marker on the balloon she’d brought. He glanced down to see what she was saying. To our dear Nicky, Here is your first balloon. Love always, Mommy and Daddy.

Without a word, she tied it to the wire cone meant to hold flowers. The gentle trade wind lifted the helium-filled balloon until the paper ribbon stopped it. His heart ached as he stared up at the flowered balloon.

Beside him, Jessie spoke in a cracking near-whisper that told him she felt the same as he did. “Now we’ve done something together for our son.”

Nick’s chest tightened with emotional agony. She’d finally said the words that he’d longed to hear ever since he’d read the headstone. Our son. What a bittersweet joy.

The balloon bobbed as another breeze caught it, and his attention turned to the view of Diamond Head in the background.

 

How appropriate, Jessie thought. She’d always envisioned Nicky sitting on the tip of the most famous spot in Hawaii, watching over her and Nick and wishing he could be with his parents. Together they’d given him the gift of life, which had lasted only days. Now, together, they’d given him the gift of a balloon.

Tears blurred her vision as she rose, staring at the balloon in silence while Nick draped his arm around her shoulders. When she looked up at him, she saw that he, too, was staring at Diamond Head. The tears in his eyes told her that he also grieved. But were they a result of the death of his son—or her cruel secret?

“You could have told me,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I wanted to, Nick.” The tears in her eyes now flowed down her cheeks. “I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out. I wanted to tell you when he was born. I wanted to tell you when I came here with his tiny body. I tried to tell you. But I was only here for two days, and I couldn’t get up the courage to finish the phone call. Then I tried to tell you every July 13 when I made the trip to be with him on his birthday. But it tore me apart to be away from him, so I moved back.”

“Didn’t your parents know? I mean, they never said anything to me when I ran into them.”

“I swore them to secrecy. I didn’t want you to hear about him from anybody but me. I thought I’d be able to tell you long before this, Nick. I really did. But there was Cathy. That’s why I couldn’t tell you when I found out I was pregnant. I couldn’t see what purpose it would serve. I knew how badly you wanted children; you’d talked about it often enough. Telling you after his birth would have been ludicrous, because the doctors said all along that he wouldn’t make it.”

“I could have been there to see him alive, Jess,” he said. “I could have been there to comfort you. We could have gone through it together.”

“You were married—to a woman who despises me, who I despised in return. I couldn’t call you under those circumstances, because I knew you had obligations.” Jessie released a ragged sigh and snuggled against him. That was only a partial truth, and she’d promised herself that she would be honest with him. Oh, well, she may as well get it over with, because it would all come out eventually, anyway. “But that wasn’t the only reason. Don’t you see, Nick? I wanted to spare you. I knew how upset you’d be, and what you didn’t know couldn’t hurt you. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

Nick embraced her, tangling his fingers in her long hair while she sobbed against his chest. “I know exactly why you didn’t tell me, honey. And I can’t say that I would have handled it differently had our positions been reversed. I wouldn’t have wanted to hurt you, either.”

Returning his embrace, she gazed up at him. There was a warm smile on his lips, one that showed his forgiveness better than words ever could. “Dear God,” she prayed aloud as she tightened her hug on Nick, “thank you.”

“For what?” he asked.

“For you.” She gazed up at him again, her whole being filled with the mixture of sorrow and joy. “You’re the most understanding man on earth. You have to be after what I did to you by keeping Nicky secret for so long. You should be furious with me.”

“I understand why you did it, because I love you.”

“Love,” she repeated. “I wouldn’t know the meaning of the word today if it hadn’t been for Nicky. Our son taught me to love, Nick. Before I was pregnant, I didn’t understand what love was. That’s probably why I had so much trouble accepting yours.”

“Do you know what it is now?”

“Oh, yes. But I sure couldn’t explain it.”

“Good, because that means you understand what true love is. That’s not something you can explain. It’s only something you feel. It’s here …” He released her with one hand to lay it lightly on her chest. “… in your heart. And it’s definitely here …” This time he laid his hand on his own chest. “… in my heart—for you. Give back that big, glittery rock on your hand. Let me put a small one there.”

Frightened of the emotions rampaging through her, she pushed away and stared down at Nicky’s headstone. She wasn’t ready to hear what Nick was saying. The feelings that overcame her at the mere mention of his name were too violent to consider.

“Don’t turn your back on me,” he said as he slid his arms around her waist.

“Don’t!” she shrieked, frantically breaking his hold. “Don’t be nice to me. I was terrible to you—because I didn’t tell you about Nicky. So, don’t be nice to me. I don’t deserve it.”

She raced toward the car with Nick following. When she reached the driver’s door, his long fingers wrapped around her upper arm, and he spun her around to face him. A moment later, he pinned her against the Mazda.

With his body pressed against hers, excitement flooded her veins. She wanted him again—as much as she’d wanted him that night six years ago. But she was still afraid. Even though the feelings hadn’t physically hurt her, they had emotionally. She couldn’t bear that kind of hurt again. From the moment he slid his fingers into her hair, she knew his kiss was coming. She also knew she had to distract him.

“He was premature,” Jessie explained in a shaky voice.

“I could see that by the headstone,” he worded heatedly. “He was born only six and a half months after our night together. Now, don’t deny what’s happening here.”

“I’m not denying anything,” she returned.

He spoke his next words slowly, distinctly, enunciating each syllable. “I love you, Jessica.”

“You love a memory from eleven years ago. You’ve always loved a memory.”

“I’ve always loved you,” he proclaimed so clearly that she couldn’t mistake his feelings for anything else. Nick really did love her, she realized as he added, “And I always will.”

His lips captured hers. His tongue forced its way into her mouth to taunt hers delectably, excitingly, heatedly. Her heart pounded in her chest, harder than she’d ever thought possible. She wanted him—but she wanted him to stop, too. She was afraid that he was acting out of grief, out of desire to try for another child. Oh, how she longed to give him another child!

But another child would never replace Nicky. Another child would only make her want him back all the more. Besides, another child—especially Nick’s—would only complicate their lives further, and she had enough complications to last her a lifetime. No, she needed to gather her courage and go on, without Nick to make her want his child.

At last, her mind gained control over her body. Mustering her strength, she pushed him away. Nick fell to the gravel driveway and gazed up at her in stunned disbelief. “What the hell did you do that for?”

“You don’t love me,” she stubbornly insisted. “You just want another baby. Well, I won’t give you one. Find some other woman to seduce, because I won’t risk losing another baby—ever. Besides, I’m engaged to Todd. You keep forgetting that.”

Jessie threw open the car door and got in behind the wheel, slamming the door behind her. No man was going to seduce her again, especially not Nick Ramsdale. Irritated, she dug through her purse for her keys. Where were they, anyway? They were supposed to be in their special pouch, but they were gone.

Her car door opened, and she looked over at Nick irately. A moment later, her keys dangled before her eyes.

“Looking for these?” he asked.

She grabbed for the keys. Wrapping his hand around them, Nick jerked his arm back so fast that she grabbed only a handful of air.

“Give me those,” she demanded.

“You’re the one who wanted me to drive home,” he reminded her, gently grasping her upper arm. “That’s why you gave me the keys, remember?”

“Give them to me.”

“Out,” he ordered.

“No.”

“Sometimes I forget how exasperating you can be,” he said as he pulled her from the car. “Aren’t you ever going to lose that stubborn streak of yours?”

She stood before him proudly, not taking her irritated gaze from his face. “Never. Now give me back my keys.”

“When I get you home.” A smile come to his lips, the same boyish grin that he used every time he wanted to lighten the tension when they argued. Once again, Jessie realized, his charm had calmed her. Then he spoke words that tore savagely at her heart. “Otherwise, you’ll leave me stranded here with our son. Then I’ll have to walk back to your place.”

Jessie stared up at him. Her heart ached. How could Nick accuse her of abandoning their son? It was such a cruel thing to say, to even think. After all the years he’d been with her, he should know that she would never do such a thing. To hide her distress, she spoke defiantly. “I did not strand Nicky. I brought him to the place I call home. I brought him here so he would be near his father—so he could be near you. Why can’t you understand that?”

“I didn’t mean it that way, honey,” he explained. Steering her around the car, he opened the passenger door. “I meant that you would leave me with Nicky, not that you stranded him.” Again, he turned her toward him and grasped her head. “I’m sorry I gave you the wrong impression, honey. It was completely unintentional. I was just trying to relieve some of the tension.”

“There wouldn’t be any tension if you would remember that I’m engaged—if you would stop trying to seduce me.”

“I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything. Somehow I have to convince you that you’re marrying the wrong man.” Laying his hands on her shoulders, he gently pushed her down into the passenger seat. After he got in behind the wheel, he slid the key in the ignition and started the motor. Instead of putting the car in gear, he faced her once more. “I love you, Jessie, and someday—soon, I hope—I’m going to steal you away from Hardy. He’s using you, and I’m going to prove it—not just to you, but to the whole damned world.”

 

When Jessie started yawning around ten o’clock, Nick suggested that they go to bed.

“We?” she asked in shock. “After what I told you at the cemetery? Are you crazy?”

“That’s not what I meant,” he returned with a chuckle. “I was talking about you going to bed in your room. I’ll sleep in your guest room like last night.”

“Oh,” she said, grimacing as she rose from the couch. “I’m sorry I accused you of wanting more. I really should get to bed, though. Even after all the sleep I got today, I’m tired. And I’ve got to work tomorrow. I lost a top-secret document, and I have to find it, so I don’t get fired. Or worse yet, thrown into jail.”

Nick stared at her in stunned disbelief. “You lost a what?”

“You gone deaf in your old age, Ramsdale? I lost a top-secret document, and I’d rather not talk about it. You don’t have a need to know. Or, for you espionage writers who don’t understand governmentese, it’s none of your business. Now, if you want to stay up and watch TV, go ahead. I’m going to bed. Good night.”

“Good night,” he responded as she disappeared into her bedroom.

 

Nick stared at the television set but didn’t notice the action-adventure movie playing. Jessie had lost a top-secret document. That meant she was in serious trouble—more serious than he’d imagined. Even if she wasn’t the mother of his child, he would have been concerned.

His child, he thought dreamily. When they’d returned to her condo, she’d shown him some photographs of the baby. Even with all the tubes and wires attached to the child, Nicky was still the most beautiful baby he’d ever seen. Of course, he was! Nicky was his child—his and Jessie’s. No child could be more beautiful than theirs.

Nick withdrew a photograph from the pocket of his knit shirt and studied it again. Nicholas Porter Ramsdale. She’d even named the baby after him. And she’d given him this picture to keep in remembrance of the child that he would never know.

If he’d kept in touch with Jessie, they could have gotten married. Then their child would have had two loving parents during his short life.

Yet he understood why Jessie hadn’t told him about Nicky, probably too well. He felt the same distress that she did over their loss. If only she’d told him about Nicky when he was born. Maybe he could have spared Jessie some of the pain.

A knock jolted Nick to reality, and he raced from the guest room to answer the door. To his surprise, a tall, good-looking, blond man stood in the hall, his face set with rage.

“What the hell’s going on here?” Todd Hardy demanded as he stared at Nick.

Glancing down, Nick realized that he was wearing only his briefs. He’d been so deep in thought that he hadn’t even realized that he’d gotten ready for bed.

“Answer me, damn it!” Todd raged. “What are you doing with my fiancée?”

“Calm down,” Nick replied in a whisper. “She’s sleeping. I imagine the neighbors are, too.”

Todd pushed Nick out of the way and barged into the apartment while Nick closed the door. Turning to the slightly shorter man, Nick clenched his fists, ready for a physical confrontation. From the look on Todd’s chiseled features, however, that wouldn’t be necessary. Nick relaxed slightly as he examined his opponent for Jessie’s affections. Obviously, Todd realized when a man was more powerful than he and didn’t want to start anything he couldn’t handle.

“How do you know she’s sleeping?” Todd asked, studying Nick suspiciously.

Nick shook his head slowly and groaned, “Oh, for God’s sake. She had an emotionally wrenching evening, so she went to bed. She was exhausted, so if she is awake, it’s because of you.”

“I suppose you had something to do with this emotionally wrenching evening.”

“I know who you are, Hardy,” Nick announced, abruptly changing the subject, “and it’s a hell of a lot more than just a state senator. I also know what you’re doing to Jessie. But I’m going to stop you—even if I have to give up my life to do it.”

“What are you talking about?” Todd asked.

“You and what you’re doing.”

“Oh,” he said, nodding his head. “You read about my bid for the United States Congress.”

“Yeah,” Nick returned flatly. “I know all about it.”

“You can’t seriously believe that I’m using Jessie to get to the Senate. She doesn’t have any Washington connections—not the kind I need, anyway.”

“Then you admit that she has connections.”

“Of course, I admit it,” Todd said. “But she was with the Department of Defense. Those aren’t the kind of connections I can use.”

Nick stifled his rage. He’d been right all along. Hardy did know what Jessie did for a living. At least, he knew what she’d done in the past, and it only followed that he knew what she did in the present. To hide his suspicions, Nick replied flatly. “Maybe they’re not the kind you’re after.”

“You know,” Todd said, eyeing Nick with a suspicious expression, “you have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don’t even know your name. And there you are, standing there in your underwear, making accusations that are completely incoherent.”

“I’m Nick Ramsdale. And my accusations may be incoherent to anybody else—including Jessie. But you know exactly what I’m talking about.” Nick glared at Todd. “The majority of your constituents may believe your act, but I’m not one of them. I can see through that façade of yours to what’s underneath. And I’ll tell you exactly what that is—slime.”

“You’re making no sense, my friend. In fact, I doubt you could prosecute me for slander and win if I called you a raving lunatic in public. Just what kind of connections do you think I’m after?” He paused a moment as if for effect. “And where do you get off making these accusations?”

“To begin with,” Nick replied, “I’m not your friend, and I never will be. In fact, it would be safe to say that I’m your enemy. Now that you’ve been warned, you would be wise keep your eye out for me. I’m going to be watching every move you make, because I know your past isn’t as clean as you want people to think. I also know why you’ve never asked Jess what she does for a living. You knew before that car accident, and you probably caused it just to meet her.”

Todd’s expression turned to one of concern as Nick spoke.

“What are you going to do?” Todd demanded. “Wait a minute! You’re going to do something to frame me, so you can have Jessie. That’s what all your crazy talk is about. Well, it won’t work. I love Jessie, and she loves me.”

“Jessie isn’t stupid,” Nick countered. “As soon as I can prove my suspicions, I’ll tell her about them. Then she’ll come to her senses.”

“What suspicions could you possibly have concerning me?”

“If I told you that,” Nick returned, “you could cover your tracks. But I can assure you that I know exactly what you’re trying to do. In fact, I know a hell of a lot more about you than you do about me.”

“Of course, you do. My name and picture are in the papers all the time. I’m getting ready to run for the United States Senate. I’ve done as much as I can in Hawaii. It’s time to move upward. It’s time to start making my bid for the White House.”

“The White House!” Nick exclaimed with a sarcastic laugh. “You won’t make it to the white dog house. And do you know why? Because I’m going to stop you. And I’m sure as hell going to stop you from meeting Jessie at the altar. Three weeks, Hardy. That’s all it will take for me to ruin your life.”

Todd stared at Nick in shock. Without considering the possible ramifications of his actions, Nick grabbed Todd’s suit jacket lapels and jerked him so close that their faces were only inches apart. Nick spat out his next words menacingly.

“Did you hear me, Hardy? Three weeks—or less—and your life’s going to lie in ruins at your feet. You’d better get ready for the fight of your life, Hardy, because I’m going to win Jessie—and destroy you in the process.”

“Let go, Ramsdale, or I’ll file assault charges.” Nick loosened his grip slowly, and Todd released a relieved sigh. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’re way off base with your accusations—whatever they mean. Now I’m going to ask you one question, then I’m going to leave. Did you sleep with my fiancée?”

Nick grinned vengefully, glad that Todd had worded his question that way. Now he could answer honestly—even if he wouldn’t tell the man that it hadn’t happened tonight. “Not only did I, but she wanted me as much as I did her. She told me so. Now get the hell out of here before I tear you apart and forget the formalities of destroying you.”

“You may have won her body, Ramsdale,” Todd proclaimed calmly as he left. “But you’ll never win her hand.”

“She sure as hell won’t marry you—not if I have anything to say about it!” Nick shouted down the hall after him.

Closing the door, Nick went back to the guest room and lay down. He didn’t like his encounter with Hardy. The man was up to something. Nick could feel it in his gut, that nagging sensation in the pit of his stomach. He got it every time something happened that told him he should back off on in his research. That gut instinct was starting to hurt again, too.

Creeping into Jessie’s bathroom, he looked in her medicine cabinet. As he’d hoped, he found a bottle of Pepto Bismol. Taking the measuring cup off the cap, he opened the bottle and measured the amount he needed into the cup. After gulping it down, he rinsed the cup and put everything back the way he’d found it.

At last, he went back to bed, content knowing he’d shown Hardy that he wasn’t going to sit back and let Jessie get away from him again. All he had to do was prove the hearsay information about Todd that he’d run across while he was researching his next book.

 

FOUR

 

Work went smoother for Jessie the next day. For three hours she diligently searched the files in the vault. When the secured landline on her desk rang, she rushed into the nearest office to answer it.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Todd said cheerfully. “I thought I’d never find you.”

“Todd!” she exclaimed. “Did you come back last night? Or are you calling from Maui?”

“I came back,” he replied. “And I had a nice little chat with your guest. I’m surprised he didn’t tell you about it. After all, he told me that he’d slept with you.”

Nick had told Todd what? Of all the nerve! But it wasn’t Todd’s fault that Nick had lied, and she didn’t want to argue with her intended. She would save her anger for the man who deserved it.

“No, he didn’t,” she said. “He was watching TV when I went to bed. And he was sleeping in the guest room when I got up this morning.”

“The man threatened me, Jessie,” Todd announced. “And he made some accusations that I didn’t appreciate—or consider being anything other than serious.”

That certainly sounded like something Nick would do. He always had been overly protective of her. But despite her irritation, she questioned Todd calmly. “What kind of accusations?”

“He wouldn’t say. Who is that guy, anyway?”

“I’ve already explained that. Nick’s an old friend.”

“I know that. But what does he do for a living? How do you know him? Where does he get off saying the things he did?”

“You’ve never heard of Nick Ramsdale?” she asked. “He writes spy novels—espionage, undercover stuff, that kind of thing. He’s really good, and I’m not just saying that because he’s a close friend. I also told you how I know him. He was my college English professor before we dated. As for what he said, I don’t have the faintest notion. I didn’t hear your conversation.”

“There’s more to it than that, isn’t there.”

“I don’t know why you think that.”

“Because of the way he acted. He was awfully defensive of you, Jessie. He came awfully close to punching my lights out, too. And from the looks of him, he could have done it—even though I do have those awards.”

Jessie envisioned Nick. He was probably the best built man she’d ever run across. That was the main thing that had attracted her to him in the first place. In class, she’d often lost track of what he was saying because she was so engrossed in her fantasies of being alone with him.

The last day of school her dreams had become reality when he called her aside after class to invite her on a picnic. Although she’d been thrilled by the prospect, she’d also been reluctant. But he’d taken away her fears of their age difference by offering to bring his thirteen-year-old brother along. To keep him in line, he’d said with a mischievous wink.

That was the first time she’d seen Nick in shorts—cut-offs to be precise, skin-tight, faded blue jeans. Immediately, she’d fallen in love with his strong, athletic legs; immediately, she’d begun having a new kind of daydream. It was the same daydream she’d had about him every day for the next eleven years. And it was probably the same one she would have for the rest of her life.

“Jessie,” Todd asked irritably, “are you still there?”

Disappointment flooded through her. She didn’t want to hear Todd’s voice; she wanted to hear Nick’s. “I’m sorry, Todd. I was just thinking.”

“About how good last night was no doubt,” he returned.

“My evening wasn’t as great as you want to believe,” she explained. “For the most part, it was miserable. I had to do something I didn’t particularly want to.”

“Funny. I got the impression that you adore Ramsdale. You seem to go off on some inner trip every time I mention his name.”

“Please don’t act jealous, Todd,” she replied softly to reassure him. None of this was his fault, and she didn’t want him upset by Nick’s sudden appearance in her life. The best way to redirect his jealousy was to remain calm and explain fully. “Nick’s a very good friend, and we’ve had some great times together. It’s fun to relive the memories. But that’s really all there is to it—no matter what he told you.”

Todd sighed into her ear, and Jessie released a mental sigh that she’d allayed his distress over Nick’s attitude last night; although, she really did need to discuss it with Nick as soon as she could.

“All right, sweetheart,” Todd said, bringing her back to reality. “I trust you. Now about why I called. I wanted you to know that I have to go back to Maui this afternoon. I’m not done with my business.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come home.”

“I had to.” His voice was finally calm again as he explained. “You were spending the evening with another man, and I needed to make sure he knew that I wouldn’t let you go so easily. You’re going to marry me, Jessie. How can you expect me not to be jealous? Which reminds me, are you going to entertain him again this evening?”

“I don’t know.” She paused, unsure she should admit that she’d been thinking along those lines all morning. “Maybe.” Immediately, she regretted her confession, so she added, “And maybe not.”

“Then I’ll come back again tonight—and every other night that I have to be out of town. I have to make sure that you and Ramsdale don’t renew any old times that you shouldn’t.”

Jessie didn’t know if she was pleased that he loved her enough to fight for her—or angered because he was being so possessive. “You can’t keep checking up on me, Todd.”

“If you love me, you won’t see him again.”

That did it. She hated it when men used that tired line—as if love was a one-way street, from the woman’s direction.

“And if you love me,” she countered, “you won’t smother me. Nick’s my friend; we have a special bond that can’t be broken.”

“This sounds like you’ve already made plans to get together with him tonight. Cancel them.”

Jessie breathed through gritted teeth. He had just stepped onto ground that she refused to relinquish. Todd being her fiancé didn’t give him any right to run her life. If she wanted to do something, she would. She didn’t care if she had Todd’s approval or not.

“I have no intention of telling you my plans for tonight,” she declared. “You won’t even be here, so you have no say in the matter.”

“Don’t you dare see him again, Jessica Nelson,” Todd ordered.

That was the end! He’d just done the only thing he could to insure she saw Nick that night. He’d told her not to. Nothing he could say or do—not even an apology—would change her mind. She would call Nick as soon as she could and ask him to dinner.

“I mean it, Jessie,” Todd continued when she didn’t reply. “Don’t you ever see Nick Ramsdale again.”

“I’m not going to discuss this over the phone, Todd,” she said, struggling to keep her voice calm. “Besides, I have to get back to work. Good-bye.”

She slammed the handset onto the phone, staring at it angrily. Nobody was going to tell her what to do, especially not Todd Hardy. But if she called Nick right away, Todd would know what she was doing. She needed to wait until after lunch to make the phone call. Better yet, she would do it from a phone booth, if she could find one, so Todd wouldn’t get a busy signal if he called back.

 

Jessie hung up the phone slowly. Where could Nick be? She’d tried his cell phone a number of times, but it went directly to voice mail.

Going back to the office, she unlocked the door and signed the space below where she had signed out when she left. She may as well get back to work and try to forget Nick. The only reason she’d wanted to contact him in the first place was to show Todd that he couldn’t tell her what to do. Like her mother always said, if somebody told her to do something, she would go out of her way not to—and vise versa.

After about twenty minutes, she went to her office for a glass of lemonade that she’d brought in a thermos. When she picked it up, she noticed that the lid wasn’t as tight as it usually was. She’d been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t screwed it on well.

Pouring some into her glass, she took a long, thirst-quenching swallow. Almost immediately, she stopped drinking and grimaced. It was tarter than she remembered, probably because she’d had a Diet Coke with lunch. She took another gulp. That one went down easier. All she needed to do was get used to the bitterness after having had something sweet to drink. Thirsty, she took several more swallows on her way back to the vault where she was working.

Suddenly, pain shot through her stomach. Dropping her plastic glass, she doubled over in agony and made her way to the chair in the vault by sliding along the wall. She sat there for several minutes, but the pain continued. She never should have had Mexican food for lunch. Now she had indigestion—and no Pepto Bismol in her purse. She’d used the last of her chewable tablets two days ago.

Too bad her cell phone didn’t work in this area of the building. Getting up again, she made her way to the nearest phone and dialed out. The phone on the opposite end rang twice before Todd’s voice came to her. “I’m unable to come to the phone now. Please leave your name and number, and I’ll return your call as soon as possible.”

That’s right! Todd had gone back to Maui. No sense in leaving a message. He couldn’t get to her, anyway. She pushed the button down to disconnect the call then pushed some more numbers. Again, all she received was a recording. This time, however, she left a weak, barely audible message at the tone.

“Nick, it’s Jessie. I’m really sick. Please. Come get me at …”

Before she could finish, blackness overwhelmed her. She only vaguely felt her head hit the desk as she collapsed.

 

After wandering in from the beach, Nick reached into the refrigerator for two beers and handed one to Steve. They sat down at the kitchen table before Steve questioned his brother in concern while he stared at the photo before him.

“Are you absolutely sure, Nick? I mean, you told me that you’d never …”

“I lied,” Nick admitted sadly. “I had—once.”

“And that did it?” Steve asked in amazement. “Just one time? I mean, most couples try for a while before the woman gets pregnant. And Jessie did just like that?”

“Just like that,” Nick repeated. “She named him after me, too—even gave him my last name. Nicholas Porter Ramsdale. She took me to his grave last night. I saw it all for myself. And I went back this morning to make sure it wasn’t a dream.”

Steve ran his fingers through his curly, dark hair. “I can’t get over this. You, a daddy. And you never even suspected it.”

“I never even got to see him. Jessie thought I was still married to Cathy. Ironic, isn’t it. Just two weeks before Nicky’s birth, my divorce was final.”

“If you ask me, it’s more sad than ironic. You could have been with them when they needed you. Instead, Jessie had to go through it alone.”

“Yeah, I know.” Nick took a swig of his beer directly from the can then gazed sorrowfully at his brother. “We gave him a balloon.”

“A balloon?” Steve asked.

Taking the snapshot from his brother, Nick gazed at it longingly. “It was symbolic. We gave him life, even though it was short, so we gave him a balloon, too.”

Rising, Steve wandered to the family room while Nick followed. When he reached the telephone stand by the patio doors, he glanced down and said, “You have a message on your machine.”

Nick absently joined Steve and pushed the play button. He’d kept the antiquated phone, so Jessie could get in touch with him whenever she needed him. When the tape stopped rewinding, he listened silently to the strange, yet familiar voice that spoke to him. “Nick, it’s Jessie. I’m really sick. Please. Come get me at …” There was the sound of the phone clattering to the desk, then a thud of some sort. As Nick opened his mouth to speak, he heard another noise. Finally, the machine said, “That was your last message.”

Nick’s heart leapt into his throat. He didn’t like the sound of her voice—not to mention the odd noises that followed it. His arm shot out and pushed the “Save” button on the answering machine.

“Oh, my God!” he exclaimed in a panic. “Something happened to Jessie.”

“She probably fainted.”

“It’s more than that,” Nick insisted. He pushed the play button and listened to the recording again. “Listen carefully.” They heard Jessie’s words, the phone on the desk, the thud, something else, then the answering machine’s computerized voice. Nick saved the message again.

“Did you hear it?” Nick asked, struggling to keep his voice calm.

“Yeah,” Steve admitted, “but I don’t know what it was.”

“Footsteps.”

“Are you sure?” Steve asked skeptically.

“Positive. Jessie’s in trouble.” Thinking quickly, he took the tape out of the machine so her message wouldn’t be inadvertently recorded over and pocketed it. Then he took another tape from the drawer of the table and slipped it into the machine before turning toward his brother. “Come on. We’re going after her.”

“You don’t even know where she is,” Steve reminded him as he hurried through the mansion behind Nick. “Besides, those footsteps you heard could have been her fiancé coming to help.”

“I doubt it.” Nick locked the front door behind them and raced to his Toyota RAV4 parked in the driveway while Steve ran to keep up with him. “Even if it was, I don’t trust him any farther than he could throw me.”

“So, call her before you go off on a tangent. That way you’ll know for sure if she’s alone or not.”

“For God’s sake, Steve. Think!” They got into his car, and Nick started the motor. “Put on your seat belt. I’m about to take you on the ride of your life.”

When Steve’s belt clicked into place, Nick shifted into gear and roared out of the driveway. Steve clung to the dashboard for balance.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Steve demanded. “Are you trying to get us killed?”

“Just hang on and shut up.” As Nick turned a corner, the wheels squealed in complaint. “I’m going to tell you something that you might not believe. Jessie isn’t at home. I can be sure of that for two reasons. One, she told me she was going to work today. And two, she wouldn’t have called me to come get her if she was at home. She works out at Wheeler Air Force Base, too—as an intelligence specialist. That means she works with top-secret documents on a regular basis. Now do you see why I’m so worried? If she’d known somebody was at the office with her, she wouldn’t have called me. She would have had sense enough to have that person take her home. Obviously, she thought she was alone.”

“Oh, God,” Steve groaned. “You’re right. And I thought your writer’s mind was working overtime again.” The car screeched around another curve, and a horn blared. Nick swerved back into his own lane, barely missing the other car. “God! Be careful, will you? We’re going to end up at the bottom of the ocean if you aren’t.”

“Quit complaining. Jessie’s life is at stake. I’m not going to dawdle when she needs my help.”

“But she might not need your help. Maybe her boss showed up and found her or something.”

“I don’t care,” Nick declared. “I’m getting there as fast as I can.”

“And how do you plan to get on post? You can’t just crash through the gate.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get on. Let’s cut the conversation so I can concentrate on driving.”

“Gladly,” Steve agreed without hesitation.

 

“Are you absolutely sure your girlfriend’s in there, Mr. Ramsdale?” the base policeman asked skeptically.

“For God’s sake,” Nick returned as he continued to pound on the locked door, “her car’s still in the parking lot. She has to be in there. Or is there some other place that they store top-secret material?”

“No, sir. This is it.”

“Jessie!” Nick shouted. “Jessie! Open up!” When she didn’t respond, he collapsed back against the door. “How are we going to get her out of there? She could be dying, and there’s not a damned thing I can do. I feel so helpless.”

“I still say her boss could have taken her home,” Steve said, laying his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Maybe I could call her.”

“That’s a good idea,” the policeman agreed, studying Nick suspiciously. “You go ahead. I’ll wait here with Mr. Ramsdale.”

As Steve took Nick’s cell phone from him, Nick turned his gaze to the policeman. From the look in his blue eyes, he didn’t trust Nick. Of course, given the situation, he could hardly blame the young man. This was a top-secret room. He probably thought he was being diverted so Nick could break in.

“Don’t worry,” Nick said to calm his anxiety. “I have no intention of stealing any critical information. I just want to get my girlfriend out of there. Hey, wait a sec! Surely, you cops know how to get hold of her boss. You’d have to, in case of an emergency.”

 

Jessie opened a door and entered the hallway leading to the secured room. When she saw Nick leaning against the door with a security policeman standing before him, she stopped short. Curious, she approached them slowly. “What’s going on?”

“Jessie!” Nick exclaimed, racing to embrace her. “Thank God, you’re all right.”

“Of course, I’m all right,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t you remember, honey? You called me to come get you.”

“As a matter of fact, I don’t remember.” Pushing away from him, she stared up at him, confused by his statement. “When did I do that?”

Nick gazed down at her in concern. While she was in the bathroom, she’d discovered that she had cut her forehead somehow and a deep bruise had already swelled around it. To avoid infection, she’d put some Bacitracin on the wound then covered it with a flesh-colored Band-Aid.

Now he reached out and tenderly touched the injury just above her right eyebrow as he questioned her in concern. “What happened, Jess?”

She flinched slightly at the stinging pain and pulled her head back. “I don’t know. I had a terrible case of indigestion from the Mexican food I ate for lunch. I guess I passed out. I woke up on the floor by a desk. All I can figure is that I hit my head.”

“That must have happened while you were on the phone to my answering machine.”

“No. I hung up both times I tried calling you. I didn’t want to leave a message.”

“Well, you did.” He withdrew the tape in his shirt pocket and held it before her face. Her eyes focused on it while he added, “I have it right here. You asked me to come for you. Are you sure you don’t remember?”

“Positive. I felt awful, though. Maybe that’s why.”

“No wonder I couldn’t get you on the phone,” Steve said as he joined the trio after having wandered away for better reception.

Jessie shot her startled gaze to the young man; her mouth dropped open in astonishment. This couldn’t be Nick’s baby brother. Jessie looked from Steve to Nick then back again. They were definitely brothers, because they looked almost exactly alike. And Nick only had one brother, although he had several younger sisters. It had to be Steve. When she recovered enough to speak, she questioned him hesitantly. “Steve?”

“That’s right,” he admitted with a wide grin identical to Nick’s.

“My land!” she exclaimed. “Have you ever grown up! You’re almost as handsome as your big brother.”

“Don’t let Mom hear you say that,” Nick teased with a chuckle. “She likes to think we’re twins.”

“Except for the little bit of gray hair you have,” she returned, smiling, “you could be.”

“I’m glad you’re all right,” Steve said. “Nick almost ran down four cars trying to get here to save your life.”

“Save my life?” she repeated in astonishment. “Why would you think anything was that desperate?”

“Wait ‘til you hear …” Steve stopped talking instantly, and Jessie glanced at Nick in time to see him shake his head with a look of warning in his green eyes. “Never mind. Now that we know she’s safe, brother, can we get out of here? Peggy’s going to wonder where I disappeared to.”

“I have to make sure everything’s secure before I can leave,” Jessie said. “If you guys don’t mind waiting about five minutes, maybe Steve could drive my car back to my condo. I still have an upset stomach and a massive headache. I don’t particularly feel like driving.”

“Fine by me,” Nick said, grinning at her. “And that means it’s fine by Steve. He’s at my mercy, since I have the wheels.”

After opening the door, Jessie went back to the vault. To her amazement, the papers she’d been working on earlier were no longer on the desk. How could that be? She went to the safe. It was unlocked, but the file folder she’d had out was where it belonged in the drawer. Obviously, she’d forgotten more than just the phone call to Nick. She’d also forgotten that she’d started cleaning up before she placed it.

Locking the safe, she initialed the form to indicate that she had, then locked the vault. After initialing that form, she left the offices, locked the outside door and signed out. When she turned around, Nick was gazing down at her, his concern evident in his expression.

“What?” she asked.

“Was everything all right back there?” he responded.

“Of course. Why do you ask?”

“You look confused.”

“I am, but I don’t want to go into it now. Could we talk about it over pizza at my place?”

“All right. Come on, everybody,” he said. Taking her hand, he started toward the elevator. “Let’s vacate this place.”