Sacred Sins

her, looking, as she did, out over the parking lot. The wind sent a small brown bag racing across the asphalt. “I've got a neighbor who'll look after my cat for a while.” When Tess remained silent, he shifted. “I want to move in with you.”
    She stared hard at the flat tire. “More police protection?”

    “That's right.” And more, a whole lot more. He wanted to be with her, day and night. He couldn't explain, not yet, that he wanted to live with her, when he'd never lived with another woman. That kind of commitment had been dangerously close to a permanency he didn't consider himself ready for.
    Tess studied the peanuts in her hand before slipping them into her pocket. As Ed had said, he was easy enough to read if you knew how to look. “I'll give you a key, but I won't cook breakfast.”
    “How about dinner?”
    “Now and then.”
    “Sounds reasonable. Tess?”
    “Yes?”
    “If I told you I wanted you to go because …” He hesitated, then put his hands on her shoulders. “Because I don't think I could handle it if anything happened to you, would you go?”
    “Would you come with me?”
    “I can't. You know I have to—” He broke off, struggling with frustration as she looked up at him. “All right. I should know better than to argue with someone who plays Ping-Pong with brain cells. You'll do what you're told, though, right down the line.”
    “I have a vested interest in making this case easier for you, Ben. Until it's over, I'll do what I'm told.”
    “That has to do.” He backed off just enough for her to realize it was the cop now, much more than the man, who stood with her. “Two uniforms are following you to your office. We've arranged for the guard in the lobby to take a vacation, and have already replaced him with one of ours. We'll have three men taking turns in your waiting room. Whenever it can be arranged, I'll pick you up and take you home. When it can't, the uniforms will follow you. We're using an empty apartment on the third floor as a base, but when you get in, your door stays locked. If you have to go out for any reason, you call in and wait until it's cleared.”
    “It sounds thorough.”
    He thought about the four glossies on the corkboard.

    “Yeah. If anything, I mean anything , happens—a guy cuts you off at a light, somebody stops you on the street for directions—I want to know about it.”
    “Ben, it's no one's fault that things have taken this turn. Not yours, not Harris's, not mine. We just have to see it through.”
    “That's what I intend to do. There're the uniforms. You'd better get going.”
    “All right.” She went down the first step, then stopped and turned back. “I guess it would be improper conduct for you to kiss me here, while you're on duty.”
    “Yeah.” He bent down, and in the way that never failed to make her limbs weak, cupped her face in his hands. Eyes open and on hers, he lowered his mouth. Her lips were chilled, but soft, generous. Her free hand gripped the front of his coat for balance, or to keep him there an extra moment. He watched in fascination as her lashes fluttered, then lowered slowly to shadow her cheeks.
    “Can you remember just where you were for about eight hours?” Tess murmured.
    “I'll make a point of it.” He drew away, but kept her hand in his. “Drive carefully. We wouldn't want the uniforms to be tempted to give you a ticket.”
    “I'd just have it fixed.” She smiled. “See you tonight.”
    He let her go. “I like my steak medium-well.”
    “I like mine rare.”
    He watched her get into her car then pull competently out of the lot. The uniforms stayed a car length behind.

    T ESS knew she was dreaming, just as she knew there were solid and logical reasons for the dream. But it didn't stop her from knowing fear.

    She was running. The muscles in her right calf were knotted with the effort. In sleep she whimpered quietly in pain. Corridors sprang up everywhere, confusing her. As much as she was able, she kept to a straight route, knowing there was a doorway somewhere. She had only to find it. In the maze her breathing bounced back heavily. The walls were mirrored now, and threw dozens of her reflections at her.
    She was carrying a briefcase. She looked down at it stupidly, but didn't set it aside. When it became too heavy for one hand, she dragged it with both and continued to run. As she lost her balance, she thrust out a hand and connected with a mirror. Panting, she looked up. Anne Reasoner