Silent Run

was no answer.
    Crossing the room to the desk, he rifled through the drawers of her desk, feeling only a slight twinge of guilt at invading her privacy. Any woman who left her door unlocked was fair game, he rationalized.
    The phone on the desk suddenly rang, and he jumped. He stared at it for a long moment and then picked up the receiver. “Hello,” he said.
    He heard someone take a breath; then the phone slammed down and there was nothing but silence. Obviously the caller had not expected a man to answer. That was odd.
    He was just hanging up when the front door opened and Catherine walked in. Her golden-red hair was windblown, her cheeks stained with pink, her eyes a deep, mesmerizing shade of blue. He drew in a quick breath, shocked by his physical reaction to her. She wasn’t his type at all, he reminded himself. Nor was he here to get involved with her. She was just the means to an end -- the end being Caitlyn and his brother back together.
    â€œYour door was open,” he said.
    â€œAnd a lock would have stopped you?” she countered, a challenge in her eyes.
    â€œMaybe not, but it might have slowed me down. Do you always leave your door open when you go out?"
    She hung up her coat on a hook by the door. “I just ran next door to see if my neighbor could watch my pets while we’re gone. But we’re going to have to wait until morning."
    â€œWhy?” he asked sharply. “You said you’d go tonight. Why have you changed your mind? Don’t you realize how important this is?"
    â€œI do, but it’s starting to rain, and the storm will be severe. If we leave tonight, we won’t make it."
    â€œOf course we’ll make it. It’s just a little rain. I can handle it."
    â€œI saw an accident,” Catherine said slowly, quietly.
    â€œWhat do you mean, you saw an accident?"
    She stared back at him, the answer in her eyes -- an answer he didn’t want to believe.
    â€œYou mean, like, in a vision?” he asked.
    â€œYes."
    It sounded like an awfully convenient vision to him. “Look, we’ll drive carefully, slowly."
    â€œI’m surprised those two words are in your vocabulary, because you’re neither slow nor careful. But I am. And I can’t go tonight. Tomorrow -- in the morning. That’s when we’ll go."
    He didn’t want to wait until morning. There had to be something he could say to change her mind, but he had barely finished the thought when a flash of lightning was followed by a rumble of thunder that ran through the house like a freight train. She was right. The storm was upon them. It was a good three-hour trip down the coast to LA, and despite what he’d said, it would be a brutal drive in the pouring rain. Sarah had almost lost her life making such a trip during the last storm. Perhaps they should wait. Still, he itched to get on with it, to make the final connection.
    â€œYou’re impatient,” Catherine said.
    â€œWell, you don’t have to be psychic to see that,” he said dryly, realizing he was tapping his foot. “I don’t like to wait. I’ve spent way too much time waiting for people to...” He didn’t finish his sentence, not sure why he’d even started it. He never spoke about his past.
    Catherine gave him a speculative look, as if she were reading his mind. He didn’t like it. “Fine, we’ll go tomorrow,” he said quickly. “First thing in the morning. In the meantime you can tell me everything you know about Jessica."
    â€œI’d be happy to.” Catherine sat on the couch, pulling down the afghan and wrapping it around her shoulders. “But first I have some questions for you."
    â€œLike what?” He took a seat on the chair across from her.
    â€œTell me about your friend Sarah’s baby. What does she look like?"
    â€œLike the most beautiful baby you’ve ever seen, blond curls, blue eyes, little pug nose. Caitlyn smiled all the time. I told Jake she was going to be a man-killer when she grew up. He’d have to watch her every minute once she hit high school. He was crazy about that kid. When Sarah took her away, he just about went over the edge. I’m sure he feels even worse now, knowing that Caitlyn is in danger from whoever is after Sarah."
    â€œI can’t imagine my friend putting her child in danger on purpose,” Catherine said. “Jessica loved babies. She couldn’t wait to grow up and