Kyle's coughed again. "A man I met Friday and this morning. I'll explain at your house. I'm five minutes away. But I have to talk to the police fast!" Another cough, then the connection crackled and died.

Reed stared at the phone. Why did Kyle need the police? He tried to remember the last time his brother had sounded this frightened and realized it was many years ago, the day of their parents' accident. He started thinking back to that horrific day, when he heard a car turn into his driveway.

He stood and watched Hallie Mara walk toward the house. Her thick, dark-brown hair, wind-tossed over her eyes, could not conceal her beautiful face any more than the bulky green sweater and slacks could conceal her stunning figure. He loved her creamy complexion, leggy stride and every other genetic gift her Irish mother and Japanese father bequeathed her. The fact that Hallie was an M.D. in molecular genetics, trilingual, and a fun person with no obvious psychological zits, were also nice touches. He'd never known anyone like her, and had felt that way about twenty seconds after he walked in her office two months ago.

Opening the front door, he was once again lured into her large, emerald eyes. He had to force himself to look down at a plastic container in her hand.

"Sorry Miss, I have enough Tupperware." He started to close the door.

"With warm chocolate chip cookies?"

He opened the door. "Mi casa es su casa."

Smiling, she stepped inside and looked around at the rooms and furniture. "Hummmm ... very nice. Great potential."

"I feel the same about you."

Another smile. "You mentioned a sick room?"

"Rooms." He led her to the den and gestured toward the two older leather chairs, one with a faint red wine spot, a coffee table, VCR and his brand-new large screen television that occupied most of a nine-foot section of wall.

"Wow - a drive-in theater!" she said. "Where do you park cars?"