I pushed her away, and she slammed back against the wall. "One more thing," I said. "Have you ever heard of the SBI fooling around making deals with a guy that's killed one of their men? Not on your life! They're a tough crew, and a smart one. If they thought I had anything to do with that fracas last night, I'd be on my way to a Federal gas chamber right now, if I was lucky enough to live through the working-over they'd give me! Use your brains!" She stood against the wall, staring at me, making sounds in her throat. One of her cheeks was starting to puff. I started for her again. Her eyes got even wider. "Ash!" Her voice was high and frightened. Somehow, it cut through the deadly anger in my chest, and made me stop. "Ash! Please--Ash--I...." She put her hands up to her face and stood there, sobbing into them. My nails were digging into my palms. I opened my hands, and saw blood running over my knuckles where the tape had torn away. There was some of my blood on her dress, where I'd grabbed her shoulder. "Ash! Please--I'm sorry--It--it's just that I didn't know what to think." I don't know how I got over to her, but then I had my arms around her, and she was digging her teeth into the cloth of my shoulder, and sobbing. "Pat, why do you have to be this way? Why can't you--" I was saying, and stroking that red-brown hair. She wasn't a tough, self-assured woman who could gun a man down without blinking. She was a soft, hurt, crying girl, mumbling through tears, her body shaking. I wasn't a guy who'd fought his way through a war and countless battles since, either. She pulled her face away from me, and looked up. Her eyes were wet, but she wasn't scared any more. I looked down at her. I started to say something, but she stopped me. "I had it coming, Ash," she said softly. "I didn't trust you. I should have known better." She half-smiled. "I haven't met too many people who could get worked up over not being trusted." I couldn't look at her. I was going to have to turn her over to the SBI some day, and I couldn't look at her. "Ash, remember the night you spanked me? Remember what you did first?" I felt her hand on my face, turning it. Then she was kissing me, her lips soft and fresh, her wet face under my glance, her long lashes down over closed eyes. Her arms moved on my back, and her body was as light as a dream in my arms. My own eyes closed. IV