Grand Passion

story.” A thought occurred to him. “How much damage did the fire do?”
    “The meditation center is gone, but the lodge is fine. So are the guest quarters,” Daystar said. “We're in good shape, considering what might have happened. But, then, O'Reilly says that destroying Cosmic Harmony was not really Valence's goal. He just wanted to use the fire as a means of causing confusion.”
    “Valence set the fire using timed fuses so that he could get back to the inn before the blaze started,” O'Reilly explained.
    “Poor Nolan,” Cleo said. “To think we once suspected him of being behind the incidents.”
    Max did not like the sound of “ poor Nolan,” but he nobly chose to ignore the reference. He could afford to be generous, he told himself. He had Cleo. All Hildebrand had was a budding career in politics, to which he was more than welcome as far as Max was concerned.
    “Valence knew a fire at Cosmic Harmony would create chaos not just there but also at the inn,” Sylvia said.
    “He'd stayed at the inn often enough to know how important Cosmic Harmony was to me,” Cleo agreed.
    “He obviously figured one of two things would happen when the fire was discovered,” Max said. “The first possibility was that Cleo would rush to the scene. If that happened, he no doubt intended to follow and try to get at her in the confusion and darkness while everyone concentrated on the fire.”
    “The other possibility was that you would leave her safely behind at the inn while you went to see what was happening,” O'Reilly concluded.
    Max swore softly. “It was a logical plan. Either way Cleo would be vulnerable for the first time since that day Valence had stalked her in the fog.”
    “He must have realized that Max was keeping an eye on you, Cleo, because of the incidents that had been occurring,” Sylvia said. “It was no secret, especially after O'Reilly started talking to people in town about them.”
    “That's right,” Daystar said. “Valence knew he would somehow have to separate Max and Cleo. Trying to get at Cleo while Max was protecting her would have complicated things no end for him.”
    “He was very proud of his research and planning,” Cleo whispered. “And absolutely obsessive about his reputation.”
    Max felt the shudder that went through her. He tightened his grip on her hand. She smiled tremulously at him. The love in her eyes was bright and clear, and he knew it would last him his whole life.
    No one had ever looked at him the way Cleo did. Last night when she had told him that she loved him, he had been so shaken by his good fortune that he had been unable to sort out his emotions. He had only known that he wanted her more than ever, that he had to protect her. She was the most important thing in his world.
    This morning when he had awakened to find Cleo sitting beside his bed, he had taken one look at her and finally understood what had happened to him.
    “When did it hit you that the fire might be a diversion?” Andromeda asked.
    Max pulled his thoughts back to the subject at hand. “When I was about a quarter of a mile down the road. I turned around and drove straight back to the inn. But I had a feeling that something had really gone bad. I started to call Cleo on the car phone, but O'Reilly called me first.”
    “He was just pulling back into the parking lot when I reached him,” O'Reilly said. “I told him what I had told Cleo about a psychotic killer who had a thing about his reputation and who always planned his hits with military precision. The last thing I heard Max say before he hung up was that he knew who the guy was.”
    “I came to the same conclusion Cleo did,” Max said quietly. “Valence was the obvious suspect. He'd been in and out of Harmony Cove all winter giving his damn seminars. He'd had plenty of opportunity to see how things worked at the inn. Plenty of time to set things up.”
    “We didn't think of him when we drew up that list of guests who had been at the inn the night the ribbon was left on my pillow,” Cleo said ruefully.
    Max exchanged glances with O'Reilly. “I put him on the list,” he said.
    “You did?” Cleo was startled.
    O'Reilly made a face. “Valence was on the list, and I checked him out, but there were no red flags. The guy had a nice, clean background. Everything was in order.” He held up his hands. “What can I say? Valence was a pro.”
    Max looked at Cleo. “All I could think of was that I had left you alone. I knew