Chapter 8

It was strange, but by the morning, Julie didn’t find herself plagued at all by the fear that had come to her in the night.

She knew she had lived out her dream, and she and McCoy had made it through the night.

McCoy wasn’t part of the danger—he was her only protection from the danger, she was certain of it. The danger came from the kidnapper, the man with the scar on his shoulder, the man who had taken Tracy Nicholson and the other two young women.

And maybe the man had been somewhere near them last night. He was certainly still in the vicinity. That was why she was so certain that she was being watched.

McCoy had been wonderful last night. He hadn’t ridiculed her. But then, she had been so terrified, and he had known it.

By morning, though, he had been very quiet. Pensive. She couldn’t tell if he had decided she was neurotic or that there might be something to her perceptions. He was too hard-nosed to give her a clue. And he had let her off with the usual stern warnings. Don’t open the doors. Be careful. Be really careful. Use the peephole, and the latches.

After he had brought her home, she convinced herself that she was going to tackle her office—clean out all the paperwork and pay her bills before someone came after her—and then vacuum, dust, rearrange, the whole nine yards. She wanted to call Brenda Maitland; she was certain that Brenda wouldn’t mind telling her all sorts of things about McCoy that Julie wanted to know.

Julie didn’t want to call Brenda too early just in case she slept late, but then, halfway through what she liked to think of creative money management—making sure that she paid the bills that politely reminded her that she was late—she realized that Brenda Maitland couldn’t possibly sleep late, she had two children to get off to school.

She pored through the phone books, looking for Brenda Maitland. She couldn’t find the name, so she called information, only to discover that Brenda’s number was unlisted. She almost called the station to see if McCoy was there and ask him for his sister’s phone number, but then, she didn’t want him to know that she meant to give Brenda the third degree on him.

Perplexed, Julie sat on the porch, looking out over her own mountain, wishing she had the power to foretell the future at will, and wondering if she and McCoy would ever manage to really get along.

Then she jumped up. Maybe she didn’t know Brenda’s number, but she did know where Brenda lived.

Within thirty minutes she was standing in front of Brenda’s old farmhouse, perplexed once again. No one answered when she rang the bell. Right when she was about to give up and go away, a car pulled off the road and into the driveway. It was an old silver BMW, beautifully maintained.

“Miss Hatfield! What a delight!” Brenda said, stepping out of the car.

Julie smiled. Brenda already looked as if she had mischief on her mind.

She would spill all the beans, Julie knew.

“I wanted to call you, but your number wasn’t listed.”

Brenda smiled, wrinkling her nose as she walked to the porch and shook Julie’s hand. “Actually, my number is listed. One of them, at least. I’m a realtor, but I always worked under my maiden name and the business is under McCoy, too. The private line, under Maitland, is unlisted to avoid the eighteen million salespeople I seemed to attract. Anyway, I’m pleased to no end that you decided to come on out. Want lunch? Should we eat here, or would you like to go out? I have to pick up the kids at three in town—”

“Then how about that new salad place in Charles-town?” Julie suggested. “I’ve been dying to try it.”

“Perfect!” Brenda said, laughing. “I was about to suggest it myself. Robert mentioned that you liked green things.”

“Did he?”

Brenda smiled. “Shall I drive? Or do we need both cars? Like I said, I have to pick up the kids, and if we should run late, I just don’t want to inconvenience you.”

“I don’t mind seeing the kids again at all,” Julie assured her. “If you don’t mind driving—”

“Not in the least.”

They were on the road within minutes. Brenda had to be one of the easiest people to get to know. She was quick to smile, and she had a great sparkle in her eyes. Julie was barely in the car before Brenda began telling her about it. “I had always told my dad that I wanted a BMW when I graduated from college. I knew that I wasn’t getting it, of course, because my folks just didn’t have that kind of money. Robert was already in college—he’s a year and a half older than I am—and they had my tuition coming up, too. We were both working through school to help, but you know colleges. Anyway, Robert was coming in from Washington to have dinner with the family for the occasion, and to my absolute amazement, he came driving up in this very car! It was already ten years old at the time, and one of his well-off college friends had fender-bendered it and he had another friend who knew exactly how to put it back together again. I was so excited. I told him I would never want another car as long as I lived. I’m still driving it.” She hesitated for a minute. “Well,” she added softly, “my husband was the college friend who knew exactly how to put the car back together again, so there’s the real sentimentality, but no matter how crazy my brother makes me, I love him with all my heart.” She glanced quickly at Julie. “I just thought you should know that.”

Julie smiled slowly. “Brenda, the last thing that I’d ever want to do is hurt your brother.”

“Right. I knew that. But I wanted to give you fair warning just in case … oh, never mind. Now, of course, you want to know just what his problem is with you, right?”

Julie inhaled quickly, then laughed. “Well, yes, in a nutshell, that’s it.”

“He doesn’t believe in psychics,” Brenda said softly.

“Yes, he’s made that very clear. I can’t even mention anything about it, or he’s down my throat.”

“He doesn’t mean to be,” Brenda said. She smoothed a strand of hair, biting softly on her lower lip. “There’s the restaurant. Let’s wait till we get inside, shall we?”

“Yes, fine,” Julie said. But it wasn’t fine. Her curiosity was driving her crazy, but what Brenda had to tell her seemed to be something very important.

The restaurant was pretty and bright, with broad picture windows and lots of ferns. They were led to a table by one of the big windows. The hostess chatted until the waitress brought the menus.

Then the waitress chatted, pointing out the different specialties, making suggestions. Julie kept smiling politely, wishing with all her heart that the waitress would go away.

“What do you think? Cajun chicken salad and gumbo sounds intriguing.”

“It sounds just great,” Julie said. Anything sounded great, just so long as the waitress would disappear.

“I don’t know. I’m still wavering between that and the Hawaiian Caesar,” Brenda murmured. “Or then there’s the taco salad—that looks great, too.”

“Oh, the taco is super!” the waitress said.

“Let’s make it tacos, then,” Julie said enthusiastically.

To her relief, Julie saw that she had won Brenda over. They both ordered iced tea, too, and then the young woman left them. Julie leaned forward, waiting expectantly.

“Okay, Brenda, please! Explain to me your brother’s big problem with psychics!”

“Well, you see, he was married,” Brenda began.

“Married!” Julie murmured.

“She was beautiful, really sweet. Serena was a Californian. He met her at George Washington University. They were really perfect for one another.”

Julie shook her head. “Brenda, what would your brother’s marital status have to do with psychics? Oh! Did they have problems because of an astrology reading or something?”

“Oh, no!” Brenda exclaimed. Then she fell silent, smiling. Their iced tea had arrived.

The waitress left them once again.

“Oh, Julie, if only it were something that simple!”

“Then …”

“You really do care a lot about him, don’t you?” Brenda asked her.

“I—yes,” Julie admitted flatly.

“Umm. And you’re sleeping with him, huh?”

“Brenda, I—”

“Never mind, don’t answer that. It’s none of my business, and it was an awful question.” But she smiled. “Especially when I know the answer.”

“Brenda!” Julie moaned. “Will you please tell me what happened with the psychic?”

“I am sorry. Well, it had to do with his work,” she began, then she broke off abruptly, frowning. “I don’t believe it!” she said, looking over Julie’s shoulder through the glass window and out to the parking lot.

“What?” Julie demanded. She swung around. To her amazement, she saw McCoy’s big Lincoln parked next to his sister’s BMW.

And McCoy was coming through the door.

He stopped as the hostess addressed him, but Julie saw him pointing toward her and Brenda. She couldn’t begin to read his thoughts because it was another black-leather-jacket-and-dark-sunglasses day. He seemed casual enough, clad in jeans, his hands in his pockets. But Julie sensed a tension about him that hadn’t been there before.

Certainly not last night. When she had been so unreasonably frightened, he had been like a rock. He hadn’t ridiculed her, but she had been certain that he hadn’t put any credence in her belief that they were being watched.

What was he doing here? she wondered. Was he looking for her, or for Brenda?

And why had he shown up just when she had discovered that he’d had a wife, and that something had happened to her?

Something that had had to do with a psychic.

“Robert!” Brenda said, her voice echoing the amazement Julie was feeling that he could have stumbled upon them.

Had he sensed that she planned to talk to his sister, trying to delve into his life?

Perhaps. His tension seemed like anger when he reached the table and sat beside Julie. He scarcely gave her a chance to move over. With him next to her, she felt his tension more keenly.

“Things slow down at the station?” Brenda asked, trying for a smile. Maybe she was feeling a bit guilty, too. As if he might have known that she was waiting to spill the beans about him.

“No, things were not slow at the station,” he replied, scowling. “I was looking for Julie.”

“Why?” Julie asked, surprised.

“Because I’ve got something for you.”

“Really?” Julie said. He had something for her. He had that look that he had worn when they had first collided. It was not a look she expected to see on the face of a man who wanted to give her a present. “What is it?”

“It’s in the car,” he began.

“How did you find us?” Brenda demanded.

Intuition, Julie thought suddenly. Simple intuition. He denies it, but he has a certain power all his own.

“Easy. She wasn’t home—I couldn’t find you at home or at your office. And I know that women love to gossip.”

Brenda wrinkled her nose at him. “Julie is going to think you’re incredibly rude.”

“Julie knows he’s incredibly rude,” Julie said.

She felt the sharpness of his silver gaze, right through the darkness of his glasses. “You should keep that in mind, Miss Hatfield,” he murmured.

She didn’t have a chance to wonder what he meant, for the waitress was back with their salads. McCoy looked at the giant shells piled high with lettuce and ground beef, olives, salsa and sour cream.

“What is it?”

“Something green,” Brenda said. “I don’t think you’d care for it. They do have hamburgers.”

McCoy shook his head and waved over the waitress. “I’m not hungry—but I’ll have a cup of coffee,” he told the young woman.

“How did you find us?” Brenda persisted.

McCoy sighed. “I figured you might be together.”

“Almost as if you had second sight,” Julie murmured innocently.

He made a not very delicate snorting sound. “Once I knew you were together, it was easy. I just needed to think of a place where the food was all green. And I knew this place was here, near Brenda’s, and new. It has nothing to do with second sight. It has everything to do with logical thinking,” he said. His tone was almost fierce.

Julie stared at him, startled by his tone, wondering what had happened to cause the change in him since he had left her that morning.

“Well, you’re a great lunch companion,” Brenda said, attacking her salad. “If I’d had any idea you were going to be so charming, I would have called and invited you.”

He drummed his fingers on the table, eyeing his sister. “Why? Am I disturbing you?”

Yes! Julie wanted to shout. She had just been on the verge of finding something out. And now …

“Why did you have to hunt us down?” Brenda demanded.

“I told you—I have something for Julie.”

“Well, couldn’t it wait?” Brenda demanded, exasperated.

He shook his head. “No, Brenda, it couldn’t wait. It’s not even going to make it through that salad if you don’t hurry up!”

The waitress brought McCoy his coffee.

“I’m chewing, I’m chewing,” Brenda said.

McCoy looked into Julie’s bowl. “That’s red meat in there,” he warned her.

“I do eat red meat, McCoy,” she reminded him.

It didn’t matter. Since he had arrived, Julie had lost her appetite. Her nerves felt all twisted into knots. He was angry, he was tense. She didn’t think that his anger should have been directed toward her, but somehow she was receiving the brunt of it.

And he had something for her …

Brenda’s mind was moving in the same direction. “Isn’t it wonderful to receive gifts from nice, handsome, charming men?” she commented sweetly.

“Eat, Brenda,” McCoy said.

“I know!” Brenda exclaimed. “It’s a diamond!”

They both glared at her. Brenda chuckled softly. “Well, is it intimate? Should I slink out and leave in my own car?”

“Brenda, you should finish your lunch,” McCoy said flatly.

Julie could see the steam issuing from his coffee, but he managed to gulp it down anyway. He noticed that Julie was finished with her lunch, and he turned his attention to Brenda.

“Aren’t you done yet?”

“Well, yes, I suppose, if you want me to be!” Brenda exclaimed.

“You know, McCoy, this better be good,” Julie warned him, her eyes narrowing at his impatience with his sister.

“It just can’t wait in the car any longer,” McCoy said. “Come on.”

“Gee, let’s remember not to invite him to lunch anymore, shall we?” Julie said to Brenda.

“Never,” Brenda agreed solemnly.

“Would you just—”

“We have to pay the check!” Julie said. “They frown on people who eat and leave without paying. They might even call in the police!”

Brenda said she’d leave a tip, and Julie pushed past McCoy, catching their waitress by the cash register. When she turned, McCoy was waiting at the door. He was holding it open for her.

Julie watched him as she walked out the door, wondering how someone could seem so furious with her and be so determined to give her a gift.

“Will you please hurry?” he demanded.

“I’m here now!” she exclaimed. “But what can make you so impatient I can’t begin to—”

She broke off because she suddenly saw why he hadn’t wanted to stay in the restaurant.

His gift, waiting in the Lincoln, was panting.

Just as she came outside, the creature stuck its huge head out of the window.

She’d never seen such a large head on a dog, nor had she ever seen a dog quite like this one. For a moment she wondered if it was beautiful—or the ugliest dog she had ever come across.

It was certainly the biggest.

“You’re giving her a monster?” Brenda demanded incredulously.

“He’s not a monster,” McCoy said indignantly. “He’s half shepherd and half Rottweiler.”

Julie stared blankly at McCoy. Of all the things she might have expected, it was certainly not a dog big enough to eat her out of house and home.

She searched her mind frantically. Had she ever given him the slightest reason to think that she had wanted a dog? No … she was certain that she hadn’t. And if someone had asked her to please think about what kind of dog she’d like, she’d have probably said that her favorite might be a beagle or a Scottie, or something fairly small—and cute.

This dog could never, never be described as cute.

“You’ll get to like him,” McCoy assured her. He walked to his car and opened the back door. The creature hopped out. His head came nearly to McCoy’s hip.

“He’s bigger than Julie is,” Brenda stated. Brenda seemed convinced that her brother had lost his mind. “Actually, Robert, it might have been a bit premature, but personally, I think that the diamond would have been a better idea.”

McCoy ignored her. “His name is Rusty,” he told Julie.

“Rusty. Nice name,” Julie murmured. She stared at Rusty. He cocked his head at her, as if he knew he was being judged. A massive, shepherdlike tail began to wag, and Rusty gave a little whine.

He had great eyes, Julie decided at last. Big, brown, mournful eyes. He looked at her as if he knew that she was supposed to be his master, as if he knew it was necessary for her to like him.

“Rusty, Julie,” McCoy said. The dog trotted forward a few steps to Julie. He pressed a cold nose against her hand.

“Hi, Rusty,” Julie said.

“Robert, this is a restaurant parking lot,” Brenda reminded him. “We’re going to scare away all the clientele with that monster.”

“He’s not a monster.”

“He’s ugly as hell!”

“He was the best in his class,” McCoy retorted.

Julie stared at him again, her eyes narrowing. “Maybe we should head back to Brenda’s,” she murmured.

“Rusty’s not getting in my car!” Brenda said with a laugh.

“No, he’s not, he’s getting in mine,” McCoy told her. “And don’t you ever beg me for a fine dog like Rusty, little sister, because after this, you’ll never get one from me!”

“Thank God!” Brenda said, laughing. “Julie, you go ahead with that new creature of yours. Or both those creatures of yours. I’m going for my kids. I’ll meet you at my house.” Brenda waved and started for her car.

“Come on, Rusty, let’s go,” McCoy told the dog.

As obediently as if he understood every inflection of every word, Rusty turned and hopped into the backseat. Julie walked around to sit next to McCoy in the front passenger seat.

As they headed out of the parking lot, she exploded with a, “But why?”

He hesitated, as if he didn’t want to answer her. Then he smiled. “Didn’t you always want a big old dog?”

“No, not really,” she admitted, but she had to smile. He was trying. She’d give him that.

“How about a thank-you gift?” he said huskily.

“Flowers would have done fine,” she said.

He was silent for just a second. “Julie, the kidnapper called me today.”

“What?” she gasped, turning to him. Despite his dark glasses, she could see the gravity in his features. She bit her lower lip.

The kidnapper had called him. Was that the danger she had seen in the dream that had become reality now?

“What—what did he say? How did you know it was him?”

McCoy shrugged. She wondered if he was hedging. “He didn’t say too much of anything. I knew it was him because I’ll never forget his voice. Julie, he knows me. He knows what is going on around me. I’ll just feel better if you’re not alone.”

She looked at her hands. They were shaking. She clenched them, determined that he wouldn’t see she had suddenly felt a terrible sweep of fear come rushing over her.

“McCoy, I keep a gun. It’s a little ladies’ Colt. Petty taught me how to use it. I’m actually pretty good at a firing range.”

He turned to her, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Is poor Rusty really that ugly? I thought he was a great-looking dog. I spent hours with the trainer before making my final choice. He was on special request for a cop in the D.C. area, but I convinced the guy I needed him more. He’s perfectly housebroken. And he’ll obey every command you give him.”

“A dog is better than a gun?” Julie said.

“A dog senses things when you’re asleep. Can a gun do that?”

Julie laughed softly. “I guess not.” She was suddenly touched. McCoy had taken a lot of effort to get the dog for her. He had probably done some heavy-duty bargaining. And a dog like Rusty had probably been a very expensive investment, too.

Maybe more than a diamond—a small diamond, anyway.

She turned to look at Rusty. His face was a perfect cross between Rottweiller and shepherd, with shepherdesque markings. Those huge brown eyes looked at her soulfully. He wagged his massive tail, and barked once.

“He’s … he’s great,” Julie said.

She saw McCoy smile, and was convinced that he thought she was merely humoring him. It didn’t seem to matter.

Just so long as she kept the dog.

Julie sat back as he drove. “It’s very strange, you know.”

“What’s so strange?”

“Well, you don’t seem to have any problems thinking that a dog can have a sixth sense.”

She watched as his fingers tightened around the wheel. “I never said that a dog had a sixth sense. A dog has an excellent sense of smell and very acute hearing. And this fellow should scare away almost anyone.”

Julie couldn’t argue with that.

They pulled into Brenda’s driveway well ahead of Brenda. McCoy said that she needed to get to know Rusty. And although Rusty might be one of the most obedient dogs in the world, McCoy seemed determined to teach her how to give instructions. So out in front of Brenda’s farmhouse they worked with Rusty. Julie told him to come, to heel, to lie down and to play dead. She told him to bark, and she told him to be quiet.

“Is that it?” Julie asked McCoy.

“Not quite,” McCoy said grimly.

“Well?”

“You can tell him to attack,” McCoy said very softly. “Just remember that if you do, he’ll take hold of the person by the throat and throw the full force of his weight upon him.”

“Will he …”

“No, he won’t rip the throat out, he’ll just stay there, forever if need be, until he’s told to get off. I watched him working with the dummy. If a fool tried to fight him, the fool could be pretty well ripped up.”

Julie turned away uneasily.

McCoy spun her around. “Julie, this man has tried to kill three times. We can only assume that he succeeded once, since only one young woman has never been found. He tried to kill a child, Julie.”

She nodded. “Yes, I know.”

Brenda’s car pulled up the drive. She had barely braked it to a halt before Taylor and Tammy leaped out and ran to McCoy. “Uncle Robert, Mom’s been telling us about the dog for Julie!” Taylor called out. Then he saw the dog. “Oh, wow, he’s great!”

“He’s not as ugly as all sin, Mom,” Tammy cried, puzzled as she studied poor Rusty.

“Well, maybe he’s only as ugly as half of all sin!” Brenda called out cheerfully. Then she became somber as she stepped out of the car. “Robert, Rusty won’t hurt the kids, will he?”

“Definitely not,” McCoy said. And it was a good thing, of course, because the kids were already on the ground with Rusty, shrieking with laughter as they rolled over and over with the giant canine. Brenda, coming up to stand between McCoy and Julie, gave her grudging approval at last.

“Well, he is quite a creature, isn’t he?” she said. “Julie, before you leave, I thought of a few things my brother didn’t. I have some bowls and a twenty-five-pound bag of dog chow in my trunk. That’ll last you until at least tomorrow.”

Julie smiled. “Thanks.”

“And since my brother decided not to let anyone enjoy lunch, I picked up some burgers to barbecue.”

“Brenda, I have to go back to the station,” McCoy began.

“Oh, you have another hour, I’m sure.”

“They’re turkey burgers, Uncle Robert,” Tammy said.

McCoy groaned. “I don’t think I have an hour—”

“You weren’t supposed to tell him!” Brenda moaned.

“Honest, Uncle Robert,” Taylor advised him, one man to another. “You really can’t tell the difference. They’re pretty good. I eat them.”

“Oh, well. If my nephew eats them, they can’t be all bad. But really, Brenda, I’ve got to go back to work. Hurry it up, will you?”

“Yes, sir!”

“I’ll give you a hand,” Julie said.

“No, no. You get to know your creature. There really isn’t anything to do. The barbecue is all set, I have those quick-burning coals. And I have store-bought tossed salad, macaroni salad and chips. It will only take a few minutes.”

She smiled merrily and went off, Tammy following behind her like a very mature little helper.

“He really is a great dog, Uncle Robert,” Taylor said.

“Yeah? You think so?” McCoy said, ruffling his nephew’s hair.

“You can come see him anytime you want,” Julie said. “And if your mom is real busy, I can bring him here sometimes.”

McCoy knelt by Taylor and threw a stick. Rusty began to bark and bellow, then chased after it. “Guess what, Taylor.”

“What?”

“Rusty has a brother. But don’t tell your mom yet. I want her to suffer.”

“Uncle Robert, I’ll be the one suffering!” Taylor said.

McCoy laughed. “Well, we’ll see. I’m going to have to break this to her gently.” He glared at Julie. “Don’t you say anything to her, either.”

“Not a word!” Julie said.

Brenda poked her head out the door. “Come on in. Taylor, you can give that monster some water and a bowl of dog food. Julie, Robert, you can wash up and grab the plates—it’s paper and plastic tonight, all right?”

“Sounds great!” Julie said.

“Taylor, get the hose out in back for his water, huh?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Taylor went off as he was told. McCoy and Brenda watched as Julie knelt and patted Rusty on the head. He rewarded her with a lick of the tongue that seemed to encompass her entire face. “Yuck!” She laughed. “Brenda, I think I need a bath!” she wailed.

“Oh, quit being such a fuss!” McCoy said flatly.

She stood indignantly. “Well, excuse me. You just remember that if he decides to sleep in bed with me. My room is small,” she warned McCoy softly.

“What was that?” Brenda asked. She had heard. That soft blue glitter of mischief was in her eyes.

Julie flushed and McCoy laughed. “Do you ladies have to tell each other everything?” he whispered.

She let out a sigh of exasperation and spun around, heading for the house. “He deserves turkey burgers nightly!” she told Brenda.

Actually, the turkey burgers were very good, and piled high with lettuce and tomatoes and pickles, they resembled their beef cousins to a T. McCoy commented to his sister that they were delicious.

They ate at the picnic table in the backyard. The children sat for at least ten minutes, dutifully eating one burger each, making their mother happy by quickly consuming salad, then jumped up to play with the dog.

Rusty hadn’t stayed around the table. Julie hadn’t had the heart to send him away when he had come sniffing, but McCoy had ordered him to go sit, and that was exactly what the dog had done.

But when the kids rose to go play with him, McCoy let them each take half a turkey burger to give to Rusty. The kids, delighted, fed him.

And Rusty, delighted, lapped up the turkey burger.

Then the three of them raced around the big lawn. The kids shrieked with gales of laughter. Rusty barked now and then, his furry tail flying.

“I think I’m going to feel guilty taking him home,” Julie said.

“Oh, no, no, no!” Brenda laughed. “The housing market hasn’t been that good lately. I sprung for the puppy chow today. Now it’s in your lap.”

McCoy took a long swig of soda. “Every boy should have a dog,” he said. “And that Taylor, he’s a good kid.”

“Didn’t you say that you had to go back to work, Robert?” Brenda asked him.

He laughed. “Yeah, I do. Come on, Julie. I’ll follow you home.”

She looked up, startled.

“Julie doesn’t have to go to work, you do.”

“I’m going to follow her home,” McCoy said simply. He stood and kissed his sister on top of the head. “Thanks for dinner. It was great. Julie, come on.”

“Has he always had this illusion that he’s a drill sergeant?” Julie asked Brenda. She wasn’t going, she decided.

“It only comes out at times,” Brenda promised her.

“Julie!” He turned to look across the yard where the kids were playing with Rusty. “Hey, Rusty, come!”

Rusty barked and came bounding toward him. “See? Look how good Rusty is—no complaints,” McCoy told Julie.

“That’s right, McCoy. Something you should bear in mind. Rusty is obedient, and I am not,” Julie said with feigned patience. “Rusty is a dog, and I am a woman.”

McCoy laughed. “All right. Come here, woman. Let’s go. Please!”

All right. It was the “please” that did it. She’d go. She didn’t know why he was so determined to follow her home, but he was.

She thanked Brenda for dinner and was pleasantly touched when both kids—manly Taylor included—offered her a kiss on the cheek goodbye. Then she was packed into her car, and McCoy was behind her with Rusty in his backseat, his big head sticking out the window.

“You should be the one to keep that dog, McCoy!” she said softly beneath her breath.

She pulled up to her own mountain. McCoy came behind her just as she was dragging Brenda’s gift of the twenty-five pounds of dog food out of the car. “I’ll get it,” McCoy told her. He carried the food into her kitchen, Rusty following behind him, his tail wagging.

“There are rules here,” Julie warned the dog. “The kitchen is yours, the porch is yours. Upstairs is a no-no. I will not have fleas where I sleep.”

“Are you insinuating that I would buy you a dog with fleas?” McCoy inquired. “Or are you just trying to keep him out of my half of the bed?”

She had to laugh at the inquiry. Then she realized that his eyes were on fire, that a slow grin was sensually curling his lip. He took a step toward her.

“McCoy, you said you have to go back to work,” she reminded him.

“I do,” he told her. But he was closer. And she was suddenly in his arms. And his kiss had the same sizzling appeal it had always had.

Yes, he had to go back to work. But apparently, he had a little time. Before she knew it, they were upstairs. And their clothing seemed to be melting away.

And the world disappeared as he made love to her.

Yet, as he lay beside her later, his chest glistening in the moonlight that flickered into her room, he seemed more distant than ever before. He rose, walked to the window, then came back to her.

“I have to go.”

“Are you coming back tonight?” she asked.

He hesitated. “No. I’ll be busy.”

She gritted her teeth. He wasn’t going to be busy. And he wasn’t coming back tomorrow, or the day after. She knew it. What she didn’t know was why.

“Fine.”

“Julie—”

“Never mind! Just go.”

“Damn you, Julie, if you just understood—”

“Well, I don’t, because you never want to tell me anything. And you’re making me neurotic. One minute you can’t leave my side, and the next minute you’re climbing out of bed to tell me that you don’t want to see me again.”

“I didn’t say that—”

“I’m a psychic, remember?” she said curtly. He wasn’t coming back, she thought with panic. At least, that was what he was thinking at the moment.

And everything still seemed so intimate between them. They were both naked, slick, warm. They should have been content. They should have been curled into one another’s arms.

She leaped up, wrenched her robe from the foot of her bed and slipped into it. She tied the belt in a knot as she continued speaking to him.

“But then, that is the problem, isn’t it? You’d be perfectly happy if I’d just pretend that none of it existed. Well, I can’t!”

“Julie, damn you!”

He was sputtering. She was right. But suddenly he jerked her into his arms.

And kissed her again.

And it was all there. All the passion, all the demand. All the hunger.

Maybe even love …

But then he broke from her abruptly. “I have to go.”

She stepped back, tears stinging her eyes as he dressed.

“Julie—”

“You said that you had to go,” she said flatly.

He didn’t try to argue with her. He left her in the room. She heard his footsteps as he hurried down the hallway—and then the door slammed.

Then she heard his bellow far beneath her. “Come lock this door!”

“I have a monster of a dog,” she muttered to herself. “Why do I have to lock the damned door?”

But she went downstairs and did so. She leaned against the door while she heard him gun his motor, then drive away.

“I hate him!” she said out loud. Then she added softly, “I think I love him. I really do.”

Rusty came and stuck his cold wet nose into her hand while he wagged his tail, waiting to be petted. Absently, Julie obliged him.

“What makes him tick, Rusty?” she said to the dog. “He can’t seem to stay away, he buys me presents—like you. And then …”

She paused, realizing that she still didn’t really know what Brenda had been about to tell her about her brother.

He had been married. That was all she knew.

“So what happened to his wife, Rusty? And why did it make him hate psychics?”

Rusty barked.

“I swear, I am going to find out tomorrow!” Julie vowed.

But the questions seemed to plague her relentlessly.

It was going to be a long, long night.