Programmed for Peril

she couldn’t deal with in her present state.
    Sarkman turned his scowl toward the assertive Italian. “We’re the murder crew. We don’t do missing persons.”
    “I forget you don’t do it all,” Dino said sourly.
    “Anyway, we got approval to put a man on Trish,” Jerry said.
    “About time,” Dino said. “I been doing your job for you.” True, he had been hovering on the edge of her days, almost always out of sight. That nothing had happened to her she attributed gratefully to his presence. That mornings knowing she was joining with police, he allowed her and Melody to drive off alone. At PC-Pros he had picked her up again. “Maybe I can get some sleep now,” he said.
    She touched his shoulder. “Thank you for all you’ve done.”
    "Prego.” He leaned toward her ear. “Come over to the bakery if Carson doesn’t buy their crap,” he whispered.
    He was about to step out the door when the phone rang. Trish stared at it for a moment, then giggled nervously at her own paralysis. She looked questioningly at Jerry. He nodded. She picked up the receiver.
    “Shame on you, thinking you could fool me with police tricks!” She could not mistake Carson’s new, gruff voice that had threatened her so often. She touched a button that activated the speaker phone. “What do you want, Carson?”
    “I am not Carson.”
    Trish frowned in disbelief. “Whoever you are—”
    “You leave him no choice.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “If death itself doesn’t bring you to him, Queen of My Heart, then he’ll find something worse that will.”
    Sarkman cursed softly.
    “Carson!” She swallowed. She had no words for him. “It’s only hours now until you’ll be together forever!”
    “No!”
    “Keep him talking,” Sarkman whispered. “We have a phone net on this number.”
    Trish couldn’t bear to hear Carson’s voice any longer. She slammed the phone down.
    “Jesus! Can’t you help us?” Sarkman said.
    “Can’t you help me?” She felt tears spring to her eyes. Lord, there was nothing left of her nerves! She sprang to her feet. “Don’t you know he is going to get me to go away with him? Somehow he’s going to do it!”
    “My ass he will!” Dino was still standing in the doorway. He dipped a shoulder, summoning her. “Come on over to the bakery when you can. We gotta talk.” He left.
    She had to meet her bodyguard. Officer Danny D., they called him. Jerry explained that the man would stick close to her day and night. He’d be her shadow until the manhunt turned up Carson. When he got worn down they’d find another man.
    “Is he going to tell me what to do, where to go?” she asked Jerry.
    “Not unless you try to do something crazy. He just… tags along.” Jerry looked at his watch. “He’s due here in a few minutes.”
    Danny D. arrived. He wore a business suit and a perpetual sly smile on his pockmarked face. He chewed toothpicks. His cologne was expensive. “Think of me as Mr. Comfort,” he said.
    “More than just in name, I hope,” she said.
    Sarkman left. Danny D. decided to have a look around pC-Pros, just in case. Jerry sat beside Trish. His long face was set with concern. “I want you to know how worried I am about you,” he said. “We’re doing all we can. Just the same...” He put an arm over her shoulder. She allowed him to pull her closer. “Anything happens, you get in touch with me.” He gave her both his phone numbers and reminded her that she could also locate him at any time by calling headquarters.
    To her surprise he lowered his face and kissed her. His kiss was firm but not intrusive. She returned the pressure, thinking there was something honest in his lips. Matched the rest of him. She was surprised at how comforted she felt. She broke the brief embrace. Nothing about her emotions could be trusted these days.
    Sweet Jerry left reluctantly. For the moment she was alone in her office. She sat at her desk. She turned on her computer, brought up the calendar. It was September thirteenth.
    Two days before what would have been her wedding date.
    The breadth of Carson’s destructiveness fell afresh upon her. Look at her, an emotional wreck, increasingly isolated and frightened. Her business edged on ruin. Still her demanding devil wasn’t content. He struggled on to possess her fully. Instinct told her she would soon have to confront his inescapable evil face to face.
    And Foster! Marylou told her his character had drained out of him as though from an