Disclaimers - See Part 1 for disclaimers.

Chapter Twenty-four

"Thanks, Gino. But if you hear anything, let me know, okay?"

Lee hung up the phone and rubbed her temples, trying to ease the dull throbbing that had developed after a couple of hours of fruitless phone calls. She shook her head in dismay. Wherever Pike and Eddie had gone, they'd been smart enough not to contact any of their assorted lowlife buddies. She'd pulled every string she could think of, but hadn't been able to turn up even a hint of their whereabouts.

Arms wrapped around her and she leaned back gratefully into her partner's warm, solid body.

"Time to take a break, honey," Dana urged, nuzzling Lee's silvered dark hair. "It's getting late, and you're not going to find them tonight."

Lee half-turned and pulled the other woman around to stand between her legs. Smiling ruefully, she gently brushed her hand over Dana's cheek. "I'm sorry, love. This didn't exactly turn out to be the romantic week to ourselves that I'd planned."

Dana captured her mate's hand and planted a kiss on its palm. "Don't worry about it. The important thing is ensuring that Rika and Rhi are safe. You're doing what you feel you have to; you wouldn't be you if you didn't throw yourself into protecting them." She leaned down and they indulged in a long, lingering kiss. Straightening, she smiled, her dark eyes lovingly caressing Lee's face. "It's just one of the things I adore about you. But it's time to rest now. You've been going non-stop all week, and I know you're feeling it."

"Yeah, not as young as I once was," Lee agreed wryly. "Okay, I'll just check on Rika, and then we'll go to bed."

Dana glanced at the kitchen clock, which read past eleven. "Oh, hon, it's late. Why don't you leave it until the morning?"

"No, she promised she'd call when they were back from David's, and she's probably been fuming because she couldn't get through while I've been tying up the line. You go get ready for bed. I'll be there in a minute." Lee smiled as she watched her partner roll her eyes before leaving the room.

With a little chuckle, she turned back to the phone and entered the speed dial code for their friend. She grinned in expectation of the scolding she'd get for being overprotective, but her smile faded as the phone was picked up by the answering machine after four rings.

"Rika...pick up. It's Lee. Hey, c'mon...pick up. Look, if you're there, call me right back."

When no one picked up, Lee frowned uneasily. Hanging up, she waited two minutes and then tried again, with the same negative results. Telling herself that they must have stayed late at David's, she dug the priest's number out of her address book and rang it.

A sleepy voice answered and the fear in Lee's belly began to grow. "David? It's Lee Glenn. Are Marika and Rhi still there?"

Instantly the voice sharpened. "Lee? They left quite a while ago."

"Damn it!" Lee swore, her mind instantly racing over possibilities. "Exactly what time did they go?" She heard a clatter over the line and waited for a response.

"Sorry, Lee. I dropped my glasses and can't see the clock without them. Um, goodness, it's been at least an hour and a half since they left."

Lee could hear the worry in the priest's voice, but she didn't have time for blithe reassurances. Her gut was telling her that every minute counted now.

"Gotta go. I'll let you know what's happening when I find out," Lee snapped.

Distressed, David asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

"Pray."

Lee hung up without another word and quickly looked up another number. Punching it in, she muttered, "C'mon, c'mon, be there!" When a curt voice answered, she sighed in relief.

"Barb? It's Lee."

"Boss?" The voice was puzzled now. "What's up?"

"Tell me you installed that GPS in the Lexus like I asked you to do." Lee held her breath.

Vaguely insulted, the security electronics expert answered, "Of course I did. Put it in the same afternoon you told me about it."

"Bless you! Remind me to give you a raise!" Lee realized she'd had a death grip on the tabletop and eased her grip.

"Hell yeah," Barb chuckled, before sobering. "But why, boss? What's going on?"

"There's a possibility that my friends are in trouble. They're not where they should be, and I haven't been able to locate them. It may be a false alarm..."

All business now, Barb said, "Let me boot up my computer and access the office interlink. Stay on the line and I'll have a location for you in a moment."

She dropped the phone without further ado, and Lee began what felt like an interminable wait. Still toweling her face dry, Dana walked back into the kitchen and looked at her curiously.

"What's taking so long, Lee?"

Lee looked at her mate, hazel eyes sick with worry. Dana returned the look in consternation. "Oh no! Lee, what's going on?"

"I can't find them. They left David's over an hour ago, and they're not answering at home."

Dana gasped and sank into the chair opposite Lee's, twisting the towel unconsciously in her hands. At that moment, Barb came back on the line.

"Got 'em, boss. The car is in the Southfield Industrial Park on the north side of the lot."

"What's in that park?" Lee asked, as she jotted down the location.

"Let's see...Okay, there's two main companies and a bunch of smaller ones. The big ones are Miller Petro-Industries and DeAndre Shipping, and the small ones..."

Lee straightened. "Did you say DeAndre Shipping?"

"Yeah. In fact, their terminal is on the north side according to the map I'm looking at."

"Jesus! Barb, stay on them; and if that car moves, call me immediately on my cell. I'm heading out now."

"Will do. Do you want me to contact the police or anything?"

Lee agonized over that for a moment. Did she have enough to go to them? What if she sent the police in and it endangered her friends? Knowing she could be at the Park in fifteen minutes or less decided her. "Hold off until I can get a look at what's going on, but be ready to tell them as soon as I give you the word."

"Okay, boss. I'll wait to hear from you."

Lee hung up and looked at her partner. "I've gotta go, hon."

Dana nodded somberly. "I know, but you be damned careful, and you call me the instant you can."

"I will." Lee stole a precious couple of seconds to hug her lover, and then strode out, snagging the cell phone and keys to the truck on the way out. Within moments, she was driving rapidly down quiet streets, heading for the south side of the city.

*****************************************************

Ever since she'd seen Gao in their back seat Rhi had been alternating between kicking herself for leaving the car door unlocked, and furiously turning over possible escape plans. Worried about Marika's head wound, the younger woman was prepared to seize the smallest opportunity that presented itself, but thus far there hadn't been any openings.

At the sound of the newcomer's voice, Rhi looked up to examine the woman who had just entered their storeroom cell. Casually dressed, the unremarkable, middle-aged stranger was of average height and build with drab brown hair and eyes. Then Rhi took a second look at those eyes, and an involuntary shiver ran through her as she tightened her grip around Marika's waist.

They were the eyes of a born predator, radiating cruelty and contempt from opaque depths. The young woman was reminded of a film on sharks she'd once seen at an Imax theatre. She'd been awed at how the flat-eyed creatures rent their prey with casual, deadly efficiency, and she had no doubt that this stranger, like the sharks, could kill without a second thought.

Rhi's fear increased a hundred-fold. Gao had been bad enough, but he didn't strike her as psychotic. She'd held out some hope of reasoning with him...but at first glance, she knew there would be no reasoning with this newcomer.

Marika raised her head off Rhi's shoulder and glared. "Cass! It figures. What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Cass knelt in front of the women and smiled. She reached out a hand to touch the lawyer's face, but Marika jerked away. For a brief instant, Rhi felt like cheering, but seeing the rage that flared in their captor's eyes, she chose the discretion of silence.

Without answering Marika, Cass turned her malevolent gaze on Rhi, who met her eyes defiantly.

"So you're the little mouse that's been causing me so many problems," Cass mused dismissively.

In deliberate imitation, Rhi mocked, "So you're the piss-ant psycho bitch that can't take no for an answer."

Cass' hand lashed out, but was blocked by Marika's arm milliseconds before impacting with Rhi's face. The young woman didn't dare take her eyes off the predator, but she could feel her friend's body quivering with tension as the lawyer pressed tightly against her and fought to hold Cass' hand back.

There was a battle of will and muscles until Cass smirked and pulled back. "Such an odd time to start showing a little backbone, my dear."

She stood and strolled over to where Gao was standing, his gun pointing at the prisoners. "Oh, do lower that," she instructed with faux-amiability. "This is just a chat between old friends...an opportunity to arrive at...an understanding."

Gao did as he was told and sank back onto the stack of boxes. Cass paced slowly in front of the women, never taking her eyes from them. She appeared to be considering something unexpected, and Rhi wondered if she'd been disconcerted by Marika's defence of her. The young woman had gleaned enough to know that Cass was accustomed to dominating the lawyer to psychological and physical extremes.

Rhi turned over the idea, looking for ways to exploit the changed dynamic, but before she could develop any plans, Cass stopped and again crouched in front of the women, focusing her gaze on the smaller woman but addressing the lawyer in an eerily ordinary tone.

"To answer your question, Marika, I've come to claim what is mine." Slowly she let her eyes drift to the lawyer, and she smiled. "You."

Anger flaring, Rhi was about to tell the woman off when she felt Marika's hand close over hers with a slight warning squeeze. With equal calm, the lawyer said simply, "No."

Cass' nostrils flared and Rhi saw fury erupt in brown eyes, but when she spoke, her voice was controlled. "I'm afraid I wasn't offering you a choice, my dear. I'm not in the habit of allowing my chattel...free will."

Marika leaned forward, and again stated firmly, "No, I'm not yours. I never was. I never will be."

The tranquil façade slipped and Cass' flat, cold eyes narrowed. "I don't think you quite grasp the situation, dear." Then changing tack abruptly, she gestured at Rhi and sneered, "You think this little thing can satisfy you? She'd run screaming if she knew what you're really like...if she had even an idea of the rot inside you."

"The only rot in her was the shadow you cast," Rhi snapped. "She's free of you now, and you'll never be able to touch her again."

A malignant laugh rang out as Cass inclined her head at the smaller woman. "You are a fool, little girl. She'll even admit herself that she can't keep away. I didn't have to summon her. She just kept coming back because she needs what I do to her. She knows she deserves it, and no way she can get it from a white bread thing like you."

"Past tense," Rhi asserted fervently. "Whatever you did to her, she's grown beyond you."

Cass' eyes blazed. "Would you like to know what I did to her, little girl? Shall I tell you the details of how I made her crawl and cry...of how sweet it was to make her beg for more and then beg me to stop?"

Rhi's foot lashed out and caught Cass solidly on the thigh, sending her sprawling backwards. Marika gasped and Gao leapt up, aiming his gun dead at the young woman's head before Cass growled, "No!" as she pulled herself to her feet.

Terrified at what her instinctive reaction might have wrought, Rhi was nonetheless grimly pleased that their captor limped as she returned to her position in front of them. She was also wryly amused that Cass positioned herself carefully to Marika's side and out of range of any further flying feet.

Cass stared at Rhi, and the young woman read her death sentence in that venomous gaze. Then to her surprise, the predator turned her attention away, ignoring Rhi completely as she focused intently on the lawyer. Taking a different approach, she said reasonably, "I believe we can come to an arrangement here, Marika. I understand your little pet here might be somewhat important to you, so I'll offer you a deal. I've got an apartment waiting for you in Vancouver. You agree to fly there with me tonight, and we'll forget all about this nastiness. Your little pet can stay here, and you and I will pursue our...arrangement without her interference."

Rhi opened her mouth to protest, but was forestalled as Cass said casually, "Say a word, girl, and I'll cut your tongue out." She backed up her words by pulling a switchblade out of her pocket and flicking it open.

Instantly Rhi's mouth snapped shut. She had no doubt at all that Cass would take profound pleasure in mutilating her, but she sensed that she was safe for the moment while the woman attempted to persuade Marika.

"I don't even mind if you wish to continue your career, my dear," Cass said soothingly. "We'll make arrangements for you to transfer to the top firm in the city. You'll have every advantage you could possibly ask for."

"And all I have to do is be at your beck and call," Marika said with disturbing self-possession.

Rhi wanted to shout at her not to trust this woman, not to accept her terms, not to willingly submit to slavery. Every instinct screamed that Cass was not to be trusted, but Rhi feared that the lawyer would accept this deal in exchange for her friend's life.

Cass laughed, an undertone of confidence readily apparent. "Oh don't worry, dear. I won't make too many demands on your time. After all, I do have my own life to lead. You'll be quite free to live your life mostly as you choose. You can even bring your damned cat with you."

"You'll let Rhi go? She'll be safe?"

Cass nodded, but didn't say anything.

Rhi tensed, this new fear overwhelming everything else. She can't agree! She can't go with that...monster! Knife be damned, she was about to plead with Marika not to listen, when loving gray eyes sought hers out. Instantly, Rhi calmed, reading the unspoken message in the clear, peaceful depths...a message that spoke of love and indivisibility. Whatever happened would happen to them both.

Turning back to face Cass, Marika reiterated calmly, "No. I'll never be with you again, under any circumstances."

Incredulous, Cass repeated, "No? You understand that if you refuse, I'll kill your little pet?"

Marika met her eyes steadily and said with absolute certainty, "You're going to kill her anyway, and I'd rather be with her than you."

The knife trembled in Cass' hand. Pointing it at Rhi, she snarled, "You'd choose dying with this...this nothing, over living with me!?"

"Yes." With a slight, bemused smile, Marika added, "She'd never forgive me otherwise."

Rhi was awed at the lawyer's sang-froid, aware-even as she was convinced they were seconds from death-that something profound had changed in her friend. Marika didn't flinch from Cass' furious stare, meeting her eyes coolly until the other woman abruptly stood and snapped her knife shut.

"Kill them."

Instantly Gao moved forward, but Cass barked, "Not here, you moron. Make sure there's no trace of them ever having been here. Everything else...I'll leave to your discretion." Looking at him coldly, she warned, "Don't let me down, Gao."

"No, Madam. It will be as you said." Gao bowed his head slightly as the Chameleon strode to the door. She paused with her hand on the doorknob and turned back to gaze at Marika.

Rhi wondered what was going through the woman's mind. Reeling from the casual execution order, the young woman was startled to see a brief flash of...regret? She blinked, and the muddy brown eyes were once again flat and impassive.

"Unfortunate, my dear. You were an interesting...divertissement." With those dismissive words, Cass opened the door and left the room.

*****************************************************

Lee worked her way silently up the side of the building, cursing the security lighting that left so few shadows to shelter in. She could clearly see Marika's Lexus and another car parked beside the back door to DeAndre Shipping. She had made it to the Industrial Park in record time and parked the truck behind one of the big transports lined up at the rear of the yard.

She was within twenty feet of the door when it opened and she flattened herself back against the building. In the quiet night air, Lee heard a woman say, "They'll be leaving in a few moments. When they do, double-check the room, and then lock up for the night. Did you ensure the security videos were replaced?"

The big woman heard the rumble of a man's voice, but couldn't make out the words. She decided that he must have been still standing inside the building. She was heartened by the woman's words, taking "them" to mean that her friends were still alive; but she knew she'd likely only have one chance at a rescue, and that time was critical.

Waiting until she heard one of the cars start up and pull away, she rapidly covered the remaining distance, pausing under the floodlights nearest to the entrance. Lee had grabbed the security locking bar that she normally affixed to her steering wheel as a makeshift weapon, and she used it now to break two floodlights, covering her head against the shower of broken glass.

Satisfied with the results, the big woman took up a position beside the door, weapon in hand as she waited. She'd been there less than five minutes when the door swung open and Rhi stepped out, closely followed by Marika and Gao pointing a gun at her back.

Instantly, Lee lashed out with the locking bar, smashing the gun out of the man's hand and drawing a howl of a pain as he clutched his damaged hand. She swung the bar again, snapping his head back as he collapsed in a heap.

Hearing a shout from down the hall and the clatter of running feet, Lee hissed at her shocked friends, "Go! Now!!"

Galvanized, they sprang for the Lexus, Rhi fumbling in her pocket for the keys. Lee set herself and met the other man with a solid blow to the stomach as he burst through the door. He went down with an audible whoosh of expelled air, and she dashed for the car, where Marika was holding the door open for her. She dove in and the car roared off, tires screeching.

Glancing out the back window, Lee saw the second man trying to get up and was mildly relieved to see the first man stirring too. With a grim smile she acknowledged that she didn't really care if he died, but she didn't need the aggravation of the investigation and enquiry that was sure to ensue if she had killed him.

"Where to?" An increased velocity accompanied Rhi's terse question as they sped away from the industrial park.

"Head for my house," Lee instructed as her cell phone began to vibrate in her pocket.

"Yeah?" she answered. "Oh, thanks, Barb. I know it's moving. I'm in it, and I've got my friends with me. Thanks a million, kiddo. There'll definitely be a bonus in your next paycheque."

Hanging up on the electronics expert, Lee was surprised when Rhi abruptly pulled off the busy main road into a quiet side street and stopped at the curb, throwing the car into neutral and engaging the emergency brake.

"What...?" Lee's confusion cleared as Rhi and Marika reached for each other at the same time. She leaned back against the seat and smiled in understanding as the women clung to each other in wordless comfort. After a long moment, they drew apart, and Rhi gently touched the left side of Marika's face.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt badly?"

Lee frowned as she noticed for the first time that the side of Marika's temple was streaked with blood. "Hey! Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Marika shook her head slightly and, tearing her eyes from Rhi, turned to Lee. "No, it's all right. I have a bad headache, but he didn't hit me that hard. I just want to go home."

Shaking her head, Lee demurred. "Not home, Rika. You two are staying with us tonight, where I can keep an eye on you. We'll figure things out tomorrow."

Rhi reached back and gripped Lee's knee. "I don't know how you did it, Madam Dragonslayer, but I'll never forget what I owe you." Her words were fervent, and Marika nodded her agreement.

"We'd have been dead without you, Lee. Cass told him..."

"So it was Cass!" Lee leaned forward in excitement. "Then we can nail the bitch."

Wearily, Marika leaned back in her seat. "We can try, but she's very well-connected, Lee, and it'll only be our word against hers. How much you want to bet that she's already set up a rock solid alibi?"

Rhi disengaged the emergency brake and put the car in gear, executing a U-turn to get back to the main street. Lee turned Marika's words over in her mind as they headed for her house. She hated to think that Cass might get away with it, but she had to admit that Marika was probably right.

Taking out her phone again, Lee hit the speed dial for home. When Dana's worried voice answered, she said, "They're okay, love. Everyone's okay."

"Thank God!" Dana breathed in relief.

"I'm bringing them home, and hon, Rika looks like she's got a nasty cut on her head."

"I'll be ready," Dana assured her in a no-nonsense voice. "And I'll get the guest room made up, too."

"Thanks. Oh, and Dana, could you take your car out of the garage and leave the door open. I want Rika's car off the street and hidden from view."

"Will do. Are you on your way now?"

"Yeah, should be there in about fifteen minutes." Lee was about to say goodbye when something else occurred to her. "Hon, can you find Marc Manion's home number in my address book? And would you mind giving David a call and letting him know that everything is all right?"

Once Dana had retrieved the number for her, she closed the connection and punched in the new number. She hesitated for a moment before pressing send, aware of the lateness of the hour, but she knew the whole matter would have to be turned over to the police, and she preferred having her high-ranking friend in on it from the beginning.

When the phone was answered, Lee said apologetically, "Andrea? It's Lee Glenn. I'm really sorry to call so late, but I was wondering if I could speak to Marc?"

"Lee! Well, for heaven's sake! Long time, no see."

Lee was reassured that Marc's wife didn't sound irritated or even as if she'd been sleeping. Her ex-commander came on the line almost immediately and without wasting time asked, "Lee? What's going on? I was going to call you tomorrow, but did you hear already?"

"Um, hear? About what?" Lee asked in puzzlement.

"About Pike and Eddie King, of course. I only just heard as I was leaving work, and we went out to celebrate our anniversary tonight. Just got back as a matter of fact, so I didn't get a chance to call you."

Feeling the familiar tingle that told her she was closing in on her quarry, Lee quickly asked, "Did they find them?"

Marc snorted. "You could say that. The idiots got picked up for shoplifting in Edmonton, and the arresting officer noticed the flag I put on them. They're in custody up there now, and they'll be transferred back to Calgary in the morning."

"That's great news, Cap'n!" Lee exulted, then she sobered. "But that's not why I called you." She laid out the evening's events in detail, hearing his slight gasp when she told him of Sandra DeAndre's involvement. When she finished, there was a long moment of silence.

"Lee, it's time to pull in the bigger guns. I talked to my friend in the Major Crimes Unit after you left this afternoon, and he was very interested in what you had to say. Seems they'd just stumbled on a link between Gao and a major snakehead organization running out of Vancouver, one that they've been trying to get inside for a long time. He wanted me to set up a meeting with you next week to compare notes, but I think under the circumstances we should meet tomorrow before the King boys arrive back."

"Sounds good to me," Lee agreed, her mind gleefully anticipating taking Marika's nemesis down. "Look, I know you'll need statements from my friends, but they're pretty shaken up right now. Can it wait until the morning?"

"You know the best time to get statements is while events are fresh, Lee," Marc reminded her. Then he sighed. "Okay, tell you what I'll do. It's not like you haven't taken a statement or two in your time. You do it tonight, and I'll let them slide until the morning for the official ones. I'll also see to having a warrant issued for Gao's arrest, though I'm sure he's long gone by now."

"Thanks, Cap'n. I sure appreciate it, and I'll take care of the statements."

They made arrangements to meet in his office in the morning and said goodnight. Lee hung up just as they drove up to her home. Seeing the garage door open, she directed Rhi inside, smiling as she saw Dana come out to meet them. The women were just getting out of the car when David's ancient Volvo pulled up behind them.

They all came together in mad crush of hugs and questions and reassurances, until Dana took over and ordered everyone into the kitchen where she'd put on a pot of fresh coffee. Taking Marika's arm, the nurse briskly directed her to the bathroom, and they returned a few minutes later with the lawyer sporting a clean dressing on her temple.

Once they were all settled around the table, Lee held up her hand. "Look, everyone, I know you all want to find out what's been going on and so do I, but I promised Marc I'd take informal statements tonight so that you don't have to go in to the station until tomorrow, or at least later today. So why don't I take notes while you tell us everything that happened."

Marika and Rhi nodded, and Lee grabbed a pen and legal pad from the drawer by the phone. She carefully walked the women through the night's events, beginning with their departure from David's place. She frowned when Rhi confessed that she'd forgotten to lock the Lexus and set the car alarm, but then took pity on the young woman who'd so obviously been feeling horribly guilty about it herself.

"Hey, don't worry about it, Lady Mouse. I don't doubt he'd have gotten into it one way or another. All that matters is that you two are okay, got it?"

Rhi nodded, but still hung her head until Marika took her hand and squeezed it. Lee suppressed a smile at the grateful look that got the lawyer, and she continued to note all the details down, slowly but thoroughly.

David and Dana hung on every word, gasping when Marika told of Rhi's kick that had sent Cass sprawling. Lee smiled broadly, remembering when she'd first nicknamed the small woman and thinking she should've called her Mighty Mouse instead.

The big woman was livid when she heard about Cass' proposed deal, but was greatly reassured when Rhi broke into the lawyer's narrative to boast about how Marika had turned Cass down, even though it meant her life too. Lee found further reassurance in the way the two women looked at each other, hungrily drinking in the other's features and exchanging loving glances as they reminded each other of small details.

Cass didn't stand a chance against what they're feeling for each other. Lee's smug thought was echoed in the expressions on David and Dana's faces. They all had the exhilarated look of emerging victorious from an unexpected battle, and Lee doubted that any of them would sleep easily tonight. Except maybe those two. Seeing her friends' growing look of exhaustion, Lee quickly wrapped up the statements and had both of them sign and date them. She added her signature as the recording officer and set the tablet aside.

"What now?" Rhi's simple question was delivered in a fatigued voice, and before Lee could answer, Dana broke in.

"Now you two are going to march yourselves downstairs and go to bed. The guest room is made up and ready, and I don't want to see hide nor hair of you until breakfast time."

Marika smiled gratefully at the nurse. "Thanks, Dana." She held a hand out to Rhi, who took it and quietly followed the lawyer to the stairs.

Lee, Dana and David silently watched them go, and then the priest asked seriously, "What does happen now, Lee?"

Looking at her companions, Lee shook her head somberly. "Now we have to protect them until Cass' whole house of cards crumples around her. I don't know how badly I hurt Gao, but I imagine he's heading for the hills as fast as he can go right now. What bothers me is the way he acted towards Cass. From what Rhi and Rika said, he was scared spitless of her, which means there may be a whole lot more to Mrs. DeAndre than just a secret identity. I mean, I know I always said Cass was a psycho, but this was way over the top, even for her. I get the feeling there's a whole lot we don't know yet, and until we do, I don't think Rika and Rhi are safe."

"Can we protect them here?" Dana asked, her brow furrowed with worry. "I can have Danny stay with his father for another week or so if necessary."

Lee nodded slowly. "That might not be a bad idea until this is all settled. I was over there when Marika's place was bugged, and it wouldn't be difficult to figure out who I am or where we live. I want you taking extra precautions too, Dana. In fact, I'd rather you went and stayed with your sister until this is over."

"No. If you're here, I'm here."

Lee shook her head in exasperation. It would have surprised her if Dana had agreed to go away, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to argue the issue. She was about to debate with her stubborn partner when David broke in.

"If they can connect them to this house, then maybe we'd better get Rhi and Marika somewhere else," the priest suggested.

"Agreed," Lee said, distracted from Dana's obstreperousness. "I'm not sure where. Maybe get them to stay in a hotel or something."

"If I could make a suggestion? An old friend of mine owns a cabin at Shuswap Lakes in B.C. I know he wouldn't mind loaning it to them as long as no one else is in it at the moment. I can call him first thing in the morning."

"Good idea, David," Lee approved. "That would get them well out of the city and safely away. I don't think they'll have to be gone long. I have the feeling that everything has already started to crumble under Cass' feet, and it shouldn't take long now. At the very least, once she's flushed out into the open, she won't dare take any action against them."

A thought occurred to her and she added, "I don't want them taking the Lexus in case someone is keeping an eye out for it." When David started to speak, she shook her head with a laugh. "No, Padre. I'm not sure that old Volvo would even make the drive. We're talking five hours through the mountains, and the last thing they need is to break down en route."

The priest looked vaguely insulted until Dana patted him on the arm. "It was a very nice offer, David, but they'd be better off taking my car."

Lee shook her head. "Thanks, hon, but I don't want anything linking them back to us. Maybe a rental or something. We'll figure something out."

They brainstormed for another few minutes, and then David drained his coffee and stood up. "I'd better get going and let you two get some sleep. I'll call you in the morning as soon as I talk to my friend."

Lee and Dana walked the priest to the door and bid him goodnight. When the door closed behind him, they looked at each other and grinned ruefully.

"I have to say, love...life is never dull around you," Dana teased, then she added affectionately, "So, my hero...are you ready for bed?"

"Aw geez, I'm no hero," Lee protested as she opened the closet to set their alarm system and wrapped an arm around her partner.

They walked down the hall to their bedroom, and Dana patted Lee's belly. "You'll always be my hero, honey, and I'm sure that Rhi and Rika would agree wholeheartedly."

"Mmm," Lee murmured noncommittally. Then with a comical leer, she asked, "So, do you think they're doing it?"

"Lee!" Dana laughed. "You are so bad."

"Well, I didn't see them protesting about sharing a bed," Lee defended herself. "Besides, did you see the way they were looking at each other?"

"Yes, I did, but then they'd just survived a pretty scary situation. It could just have been survivor relief."

"Nuh uh," Lee disagreed as she stepped aside to let Dana precede her into their bedroom. "Those two are crazy about each other."

The door closed on their amiable bickering as one floor below the subjects of their conjecture were getting ready for bed.

Marika had laughed out loud at the sight of Rhi draped in one of Lee's old t-shirts, but the small woman had snickered right back as the lawyer's makeshift nightshirt engulfed her slender frame. Turning out the light, they slid under the bedding, still chuckling at the discrepancy between Lee's shirts and their bodies.

Settling down, they faced each other only inches apart, their faces dimly illuminated by the light from the small window.

"Are you all right?" Marika asked softly, lightly pushing Rhi's hair back off her forehead.

"Considering that it wasn't that long ago that I thought I'd be going to sleep permanently tonight, I'm doing pretty well," Rhi answered as she caught and held the lawyer's graceful hand.

They regarded each other quietly, the awareness of their narrow escape still thrumming just below the surface and keeping sleep at bay. Finally Rhi confessed, "I was scared."

Even in the darkness she could see Marika's brow lift, and she smiled at the familiar sight.

"Perfectly understandable, Rhi. She's a very dangerous woman, and we were in an extremely tight spot. If Lee hadn't found us..."

Rhi shook her head. "No. I was scared that you were going to agree to her terms, hoping it would save me."

It was Marika's turn to shake her head. "I knew she was lying. I knew she wouldn't let you live."

"But you could've." The words were quiet, but laced with emotion. "I would've understood, you know."

The lawyer's voice was hurt. "Do you really think I'd buy my life at the price of yours?"

"No, I knew you wouldn't. And I don't know what I was more afraid of...that you'd die, or that you'd end up in her clutches."

"There was never any question, Rhi. I wouldn't go back to her at any price."

Marika spoke with unshakable certainty, and Rhi couldn't suppress a brilliant smile as she said simply, "I'm glad."

The blonde returned the smile and then opened her arms. Without hesitation, Rhi snuggled into them, wrapping her small body tightly around Marika's slender frame as long arms closed fiercely around her. Moulded together, they held each other in a desperate embrace, seeking to erase the memory of the night's terror in the warmth of each other's bodies.

Continued in Chapter 25