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must love or love to suffer or suffer from too much happiness. I hope you're getting this
down. . . ."
"Love and Death?" She wasn't sure, but she knew there was only one way to escape Peter.
She slept.
Chapter Sixteen
There were dreams, and then there were dreams. And they didn't get much better than last
night's.
Kathy lay with eyes closed, listening to Neil's voice as he gave Coco today's new and
updated rundown of the "wondrous" things he would do to her when they met. Fat chance.
She frowned, trying to remember. No, wait. There hadn't been any dream, it had all been
real. The last thing she recalled was her hand on Ian's . .. She opened her eyes and smiled.
That memory was almost enough to keep her hot and bothered for the rest of her life.
Neil's voice stopped, and Kathy realized he must be finished with his call. She sat up.
"Bring the phone over here, Neil. I have to talk to Coco."
As he handed her the phone, Ian emerged from the tunnel, his hair still damp. She was a
slug. He was up and had already bathed even after what he'd gone through yesterday. He
had only a cloth wrapped around his waist, and she was able to see the angry red welt left
by Fiona's lash. She wasn't into physical violence, but Fiona had better hope they never
met in a dark alley or any other space large enough for Kathy to get in a good swing.
She put the phone to her ear without taking her gaze from Ian. "Coco?" Something flip-
flopped inside her at the thought of what she was going to ask her friend. She didn't want
to examine the feeling too closely.
"Hey, girlfriend. What's happening in Never Never Land?" The words were Coco's usual
irreverence, but the tone held something different. Guilt?
"Have you done something you need to tell me about, Coco?"
There was a long silence.
"Okay." Coco's admission was a resigned sigh. "This thing is just too strange, so I called
the cops in. They've been listening in to the last few calls Neil made. They're listening to
this one. Are you going to hang up?"
Kathy thought about it, then quickly dismissed the thought. "I know you're doing what
you think will keep me safe, but I'm really fine." She thought about yesterday. Okay,
maybe not so fine. "Besides, it won't do any good."
"Tell me about it. Their trace came up with nothing, and I think they're all taking personal
notes on Neil's insights into a fulfilled sexual relationship. Talk about embarrassing."
A horrific idea occurred to Kathy. "They haven't contacted Mom and Dad have they?"
Coco's voice was low, calming. "Yeah, they had to, Kathy. I called your parents and tried
to do some damage control, but you might want to call them yourself." There was a long
pause. "I told the police the truth about your going to Scotland to spend time with your
man, but that it wasn't like you to just up and leave all your responsibilities."
Great. Just great. At least Coco hadn't told them the part about her traveling back to 1542,
but Coco wouldn't want them to think she was a wacko. "I haven't been kidnapped, and
what I'm doing is my own business." That was for the cops; now for Coco. "Hey, would
you look through as many movie quotes on the Net as you can? I'd like you to give me any
that have to do with going home."
"And the point is?"
"Um, we're just playing a game." She tried to laugh lightly. "Find me the one and maybe
I'll come home."
"Right." Coco's voice indicated she'd gotten the message.
Kathy knew she shouldn't ask this with the police listening, but she had to know. "What's
the date, Coco?"
Coco laughed and almost made it sound convincing. "February eighth. You need to come
up for air once in a while and pay attention to what's happening. You don't want to miss
February fourteenth. If you don't show up, the police might even suspect your ex of foul
play."
Tempting. "I'll be there." Her gaze found Peter, and she offered him her where's-my-
compactor glare.
She hit End and looked around to see who was paying attention. Ian and Neil were across
the room deep in argument over something. Good. Quickly, she punched in her parents'
number. Nothing. Just dead air. She wasn't really surprised. She'd always believed
someone or something was controlling the phone.
Maybe it was for the best. What could she possibly say to Mom and Dad that would calm
their fears? Now she had a new reason to get back by the fourteenth. Every day she was
away would increase her parents' worry, and Dad's heart wasn't the strongest. Depressed,
she turned to put the phone away and gave a small start to find Peter beside her.
"I don't know why you're doing this, but it isn't funny anymore. If I don't go home, people
will think I was kidnapped. Mom and Dad are too old for this." Could you appeal to the
conscience of a metal hourglass?
Peter's lights flashed. "I once asked this literary agent what writing paid the best, and he
said, 'ransom notes.' "
She sighed. "Not funny, Peter." She was too frustrated to even try to remember what movie
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