her a moment, then walked over.
«Beautiful, aren't they?» Dana said.
The woman smiled. «They certainly are.»
The men outside were watching the two women in conversation. They looked at each other and shrugged. They had every exit covered.
Inside Dana was saying, «I like that coat you're wearing. It's exactly my color.»
«I'm afraid this old thing is about worn out. Yours is very pretty.»
The two men outside watched as the conversation continued.
«It's damned cold,» one of the men complained. «I wish she'd get the hell out here and let us get this over with.»
His companion nodded. «There's no way she can get—» He broke off as he saw the two women in the store start to exchange coats. He grinned. «Jesus, look what she's trying to get away with. They're swapping coats. What a dumb broad.»
The two women disappeared for a moment behind a clothes rack. One of the men spoke into the walkie- talkie. «The subject is switching from her red coat into a green coat…Hold it. She's heading for exit four. Pick her up there.»
At exit four, two men were waiting. A moment later one of them said into his cellular phone, «We've got her. Get the car.»
They watched as she came out the door into the cold air. She wrapped her green coat tightly around her and started down the street. They closed in on her. As she reached the corner and started hailing a cab, the men grabbed her arms. «You don't need a cab. We have a nice car for you.»
She looked at them in astonishment. «Who are you? What are you talking about?»
One of the men was staring at her. «You're not Dana Evans!»
«Well, of course I'm not.»
The men looked at each other, let go of her, and raced back to the store. One of the men clicked on his walkie-talkie. «Wrong target. Wrong target. Do you read me?»
By the time the others piled into the store, Dana had disappeared.
She was caught in a living nightmare, trapped in a hostile world with unknown enemies trying to kill her. She was enmeshed in a web of terror, almost paralyzed with fear. When Dana got out of the taxi, she started walking fast, trying not to run and call attention to herself, having no idea where she was going. She passed a store with a sign that saidFANTASY HEADQUARTERS :FANCY DRESS FOR ALL OCCASIONS . On an impulse, Dana went inside. It was filled with costumes, wigs, and makeup.
«Can I help you?»
Yes. Call the police. Tell them someone is trying to kill me.
«Miss?»
«Er—yes. I would like to try on a blond wig.»
«This way, please.»
A minute later Dana was looking at her blond image in the mirror.
«It's amazing how much it changes your appearance.»
I hope so.
Outside the store, Dana flagged down a taxi. «O'Hare airport.»I must get to Kemal.
When the telephone rang, Rachel picked it up. «Hello…Dr. Young?…The final results of the test?»
Jeff saw the sudden tension in her face.
«You can tell me over the phone. Just a minute.» Rachel looked at Jeff, took a deep breath, and took the phone into the bedroom.
He could hear her voice, faintly.
«Go ahead, Doctor.»
There was a silence that lasted a full three minutes, and as Jeff, concerned, was about to go into the bedroom, Rachel came out, and she had a glow on her face that he had never seen before.
«It worked!» She was almost breathless with excitement. «Jeff, I'm in remission. The new therapy worked!»
Jeff said, «Thank God! That's wonderful, Rachel.»
«He wants me to stay here for another few weeks, but the crisis is over.» Her voice was filled with elation.
«We'll go out and celebrate,» Jeff said. «I'll stay with you until—»
«No.»
«No, what?»
«I don't need you anymore, Jeff.»
«I know, and I'm glad we—»
«You don't understand. I want you to leave.»
He looked at Rachel, surprised. «Why?»
«Dear, sweet Jeff. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but now that I'm in remission, it means I can go back to work. It's my life. It's what I am. I'm going to call and see what jobs are available. I've felt trapped here with you. Thanks for helping me, Jeff. I really do appreciate it. But it's time to say good-bye. I'm sure Dana misses you. So please, why don't you just leave, darling?»
Jeff looked at her a moment and nodded. «Right.»
Rachel watched him go into the bedroom and start to pack. Twenty minutes later, when Jeff came out with his suitcase, Rachel was on the phone.
«…and I've come back to the real world, Betty. I'll be able to go back to work in a few weeks…I know. Isn't it wonderful?»
Jeff was standing there, waiting to say good-bye. Rachel waved to him and turned back to the telephone. «I'll tell you what I want…get me a shoot on a nice tropical…»
Rachel watched Jeff walk out the door. Slowly, she let the phone drop. She walked over to the window and stood there, watching the only man she had ever loved walk out of her life.
Dr. Young's words were still ringing in her ears. «Miss Stevens, I'm sorry, but I have bad news. The treatment didn't work…The cancer has metastasized…It has spread too far. I'm afraid that it's terminal…maybe another month or two…»
Rachel remembered the Hollywood director Roderick Marshall saying to her, «I'm glad you came. I'm going to make you a big star.» And as the excruciating red river of pain began to wrack Rachel's body again, she thought:Roderick Marshall would have been proud of me.
When Dana's plane landed, Washington's Dulles airport was crowded with passengers waiting for their luggage. Dana walked past the carousels out into the street and climbed into one of the waiting taxis. There were no suspicious-looking men around, but her nerves were screaming. Dana took out her purse and looked in the small mirror for reassurance. Her blond wig did give her a completely different look. It will have to do for now, Dana thought. I've got to get to Kemal.
Kemal opened his eyes slowly, awakened by the sounds of voices coming through the closed study door. He felt groggy.
«The boy's still asleep,» he heard Mrs. Daley say. «I drugged him.»
A man replied, «We'll have to wake him up.»
A second man's voice said, «Maybe it would be better if we carried him there while he's asleep.»
«You could do it to him here,» Mrs. Daley said. «And then get rid of his body.»
Kemal was suddenly wide awake.
«We have to keep him alive for a while. They're going to use him as bait to catch the Evans woman.»
Kemal sat up, listening, his heart pounding.
«Where is she?»
