Absolutely, Positively

minute.”

    “To be blunt,” Harry said deliberately, “I can do without some of the added excitement you've brought into my life. Unfortunately, I don't foresee it fading until they catch Kendall.”

    “They'll catch him,” Molly predicted. “You heard the detective who talked to us yesterday. They'll track him down now that they know he's truly dangerous. Want to talk about our wedding plans?”

    Harry nearly choked on a fried clam. It was the first time she had mentioned the subject of marriage since she had proposed last night. He grabbed his iced tea and took a deep swallow.

    Molly frowned in concern. “Are you all right?”

    “Yes.” He took another slug of tea and set the cup down with great precision. He cleared his throat. “I was thinking of something simple. Vegas, maybe.”

    “I was thinking of something large and magnificent,” Molly said.

    Harry eyed her warily. “Do you have a lot of friends to invite?”

    “Yes. And then there's all those Strattons and Trevelyans.”

    Harry raised his brows. “Are you kidding? The Strattons and Trevelyans won't sit in the same room together long enough for a preacher to say the magic words.”

    “Hmm.”

    “Forget the fancy wedding. It'll have to be a courthouse marriage or Vegas. Take your pick.” Harry paused. “If you're still serious about this, that is.”

    “Oh, I'm very serious about it,” Molly assured him.

    Harry's stomach unclenched. He downed the rest of his fried clams with a curious sense of relief.

    Molly sat alone in the front room of Harry's condominium the following evening and listened to the silence. It was an unnatural sort of silence. A silence fraught with meaning and portent.

    Olivia was in Harry's study. She had been in there alone with him for nearly twenty minutes. The door of the study was firmly closed.

    Molly had immediately excused herself when Olivia had made it clear that she wished to speak to Harry alone. Harry had not appeared pleased at the prospect of a private interview with his ex-fiancée, but he had accepted the situation with his usual stoicism.

    Molly watched the late summer twilight give way to night and thought about Olivia and Harry. It was difficult to see what Harry had thought he'd had in common with his ex-fiancée other than a Ph.D. It was odd that a man who had a talent for insight had made such a mistake in his personal life. He did appear to have a gift for shooting himself in the foot every time he tried to apply his intellectual abilities to matters of emotion.

    Molly glanced at the clock. Another five minutes had passed. She went back to the book she had been trying to read.

    The study door opened. Molly put one arm on the back of the couch and turned her head to see Olivia walking toward her. There was no sign of Harry.

    “Finished?” Molly asked politely.

    “Yes. It was family business.”

    Molly nodded. “Harry gets a lot of that.”

    Olivia frowned. “I beg your pardon?”

    “Never mind. Inside joke.”

    Olivia glanced back at the study door with a look of irritation. “Harry's in one of his moods.”

    “He's probably just thinking. Can I make you a cup of tea?”

    “No, thank you. Harry got a business call just as I was getting ready to leave. He's still on the phone.”

    Molly started to rise. “I'll see you out.”

    “That won't be necessary.” Olivia's smile was cool. “I know my way around here.”

    “I'm sure you do.”

    “He tells me that the two of you are going to be married.”

    “That's right.” Molly gave Olivia her most winning smile. “I'm planning a big wedding, by the way.”

    “Are you?”

    “Everyone from both sides of his family will be invited, of course.”

    “That should be interesting.” Olivia hesitated. “I'd like to ask you a personal question, if you don't mind.”

    “Okay. I can't guarantee an answer, though.”

    “Are you sure you know what you're doing?”

    “Yes, thank you.”

    Olivia's mouth tightened. She glanced again at the closed study door. “I probably shouldn't tell you this, but in my professional opinion, Harry has some serious problems. He ought to be in therapy.”

    “Harry is different, I'll give you that. But I don't think a shrink will do him any good.”

    “I'm sorry, but I know him a great deal better than you do, and I think it's a mistake for him to marry. Any marriage that Harry enters into is bound to fail.”

    “Are you nuts?”

    Olivia gave her a cold stare.