“Well, we could get up occasionally.” He sat back, studying her expression. “No?”
She shook her head. “It's not a good idea.”
“But not because you don't want to. You're just afraid that you're liking it too much. That you're liking me too much.”
“You're too demanding. You even warned me that you—” She drew a deep breath. “And you're getting sidetracked. What about Trask?”
“I haven't forgotten him. But since we have only one trip a day . . . that leaves all that other time to play.” He smiled. “And we will play, Kerry. You know it as well as I do. Life's too short to skip the good things.”
Yes, she knew it. If they were together, there would be sex, and in the present circumstances there was no walking away from him. But it was important that he not get all his own way. “Not now.” She got to her feet. “I'm going to the hospital to visit Carmela. Why don't you make yourself useful and see what you can do about arranging to get her sister out of her mother's house?”
“Yes, ma'am.” He rose to his feet. “But I can do that by phone on the way to the hospital. I'm going with you.” He headed for the door. “Remember? I go with you every trip. I'm with you every minute.”
You're not really a social worker, are you?” Carmela glared at Kerry as she walked into the hospital room. “Who the hell are you?”
Kerry gazed at her warily. “Why do you think I lied to you?”
“I asked the nurse and she said she didn't know anything about you. And the hospital has its own social workers.” Her gaze bored into Kerry's. “So are you a reporter?”
“No.”
“Or maybe from the police?” She didn't wait for an answer. “I'm not going back to my mother. You can forget it.”
“I'm not with the police. Actually, I work as an arson investigator for the fire department.”
“I didn't set the fire.”
“I know you didn't.”
“I didn't see who set it.”
“I know that too.”
“Then why the hell don't you get out of here?” Carmela's eyes were glittering with tears. “I don't want to talk to you. You lied to me. The owner of the warehouse isn't going to give me any money, is he? I'm not going to be able to get Rosa away from that bastard.”
“We're working on it. It would help if you'd admit that Harvey raped you.”
“Yeah, sure.” She turned her face to the wall. “And the police would arrest my mother too. I know how it works. I went to the library and looked it up before I left home. It's called child endangerment.”
“I know you don't want to hurt your mother, but you have to admit that Rosa is in danger.”
“I don't have to admit anything to you. I've told Rosa to go on the run if Harvey comes near her. It may not happen. He's going to be careful after I went to Mom about him. Besides, I'll take care of Rosa as soon as I get out of here.”
“Okay, but that may be a few days. I believe we'll have to find a way to get Rosa out of that house right away.” She held up her hand as Carmela looked at her in alarm. “Without involving your mother with the police.”
Carmela stared at her for a moment. “Why would you do that?”
“For heaven's sake, Carmela. Maybe I don't like the idea of a young girl being victimized. Is that so hard to believe?”
“How do I know? I don't know you. And I don't think the fire department goes in for this kind of charity work.”
Lord, she was suspicious, Kerry thought. Well, why not? She hadn't had much opportunity to develop trust, and the one person closest to her had betrayed her. Tell the kid the truth. “No, it doesn't. We help where we can, but you're an unusual case. And it's a personal issue with me.” She paused. “The person who started the fire wanted you to die in that blaze.”
“You're crazy. No one knew I was in that warehouse.”
“Trask knew it. He called me and told me your name. He even described you.”
“Trask? That's his name?”
“James Trask.”
“But why would he want to kill me?”
“It wasn't about you. It was about me. He has a sort of . . . fixation about me. He knew I'd hate the idea of a young girl dying in a fire, and he wanted me to get to know you so that your death would mean more to me.” She added gently, “He succeeded. I began to feel very close to you while we were searching for that warehouse.”
She didn't speak for a moment. “Really?”
“Really.”
“But I still don't see why he'd try to kill me. I didn't do anything to him.”
She could see why Carmela was having difficulty accepting Trask's motivation, when Kerry herself found it totally incomprehensible. “I told you, he wanted to get at me through you. I'm the one he wanted to hurt.”
“Well, he hurt me too. He's got to be one nutty son of a bitch.” She hesitated. “Is he still going to try to—”
“I don't think so. But we have a guard on you just in case.”
“Nutty.” She shook her head in disgust. “Do you run into people like him a lot?”
“No, not like him.” She had told Carmela enough, and she wasn't about to go into details that might frighten her. “But you can see why I'm concerned about you. You may not have known about it, but we have a connection.”
“Yeah, that nut who has it in for both of us.” Carmela's lips tightened. “If you're telling me the truth.”
Lord, the kid was tough. “You have to trust someone sometime, Carmela.”
“Why? It's lots safer not to—”
“Here he is.” A young candy striper was half pulled into the room by Sam. “The kids in pediatrics loved him.” She made a face as she handed the leash to Kerry. “I didn't think you'd be able to convince the head nurse to let a dog in the ward.”
“I had to have her call the hospital in Atlanta and get a recommendation.” She patted Sam's head. “But I knew once Sam started strutting his stuff that no one was going to kick him out.”
“He's adorable.” The candy striper smiled as she headed for the door. “And amazingly well behaved once he saw the kids.”
“That's because he knows his job. Thanks for bringing him up here.”
“My pleasure.” She waved as she left the room.
“It probably wasn't a total pleasure.” Kerry smiled as she turned back to Carmela. “He's not the best-behaved dog on the planet.”
Carmela's gaze was fixed on Sam. “He's . . . beautiful. Why did you bring him here?”
“I thought you might want to meet him. And I knew he'd help the kids.” She unsnapped the leash. “Do you want to pet him? Just call his name.”
“Sam?”
Sam bounded across the room toward the bed and planted his forepaws on the mattress.
Kerry chuckled. “He doesn't take much urging.”
Carmela tentatively reached out and stroked his head. “He feels . . . silky.”
“Did you have a dog?”
She shook her head. “Mom said they were too much trouble.”
Sam rubbed his head on her hand and gave a soft woo-woo.
Carmela smiled. “He likes this.” She looked up at Kerry. “I've heard about arson dogs. Is Sam one?”
She nodded. “He's very famous.”
Carmela frowned in puzzlement. “But you told that nurse he knew his job when he was with the kids. That's not his job.”
“Sure it is. Actually, he's far more suited to help those kids than he is to fight fires.” That was certainly the truth. “Sam has one outstanding gift. He gives love and keeps on giving.”
“That doesn't seem to be much of a gift.”
“It's the greatest gift. Unconditional love? Not many creatures are capable of that kind of affection. He warms the heart and keeps loneliness away. Why, Sam's a blooming miracle.” She smiled ruefully. “He's a rambunctious rascal, but I've never seen him be anything but gentle with any of those kids. He seems to sense when he has to take care.”
“He doesn't seem—” She broke off as Sam licked her hand. “He . . . likes me.”
Kerry could almost see the wall around Carmela melting. Thank you, Sam. “Yes, he does. And as long as he senses you're not in top shape, he won't jump in bed and lick you to death.”