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“But, Guy, I am the only link there is and what good am I if I can’t tell you anything?”

“Stop beating yourself up, Tori. It doesn’t help. Besides, we’re almost there and Terese will ask questions if you scowl at her like you are now.”

“Do you have any idea how much I don’t want to do this?”

“Yes. Just keep reminding yourself of what Carla said. The first time is a little tough but once you get through it everything that follows is a piece of cake.”

“You know damn well that is nowhere near how Carla described it!”

“Yeah, but my version put some color back in your cheeks.” Guy grinned and squeezed her thigh. “Maybe instead of whispering sweet nothings in your ear all night I should say things to keep you pissed at me.”

“Maybe, if you’re so uncertain, you should turn around and take me home.”

“No can do, tiger. We’re already here.”

Tori stopped glaring at Guy and glanced at the house he indicated. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,” she whimpered.

“What’s up?” Guy started to park along the curb.

“No-o,” she wailed. “Don’t stop! Keep going! Oh my God!”

Guy turned to Tori and saw she was on the verge of panicking. She was as white as a ghost and shaking uncontrollably. Her hands were covering her mouth as if she was trying to hold something in. “Tori!” He had no idea what was causing her reaction.

“Go, Guy! Just go,” she cried, pointing for him to turn to the left.

The expression on Tori’s face made the hair on his neck stand on end and all his senses kick into overdrive. He followed her instructions, knowing he had to in order to get an explanation. Three blocks away, Tori indicated that he should pull into a church parking lot. She had her door open before he came to a complete stop and was out of the truck, falling to her knees by the time he switched off the engine.

Guy crouched next to Tori and held her shoulders as she retched. Her shaking was worse and she was keening without seeming to realize it. When she finished, she was practically hyperventilating.

Guy captured her head and forced her to look at him. “Talk to me, Tori,” he demanded firmly. “Tell me what’s going on. No, don’t fight me.” He moved his hands to grip her shoulders. “Tell me now!”

Tori hiccupped and sniffled. She used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. The panic was crushing her and the edges of her sight were going black. She was so cold. It would be so easy to let herself fade into nothingness. That would make it all go away. She was giving in to that temptation when she felt the pressure of Guy’s hands on her shoulders as he gave her a gentle shake. His voice began to penetrate the fog swirling in her head and her eyes focused enough to see him.

“Oh my God,” Tori moaned. “Oh my God. Guuuy!”

“Tell me!” he ordered harshly, squeezing her shoulders even harder. “Tell me!”

Tori took a deep breath. “Okay.” She took several more. “Okay.” Her head began to nod frantically. “Okay.”

“Now damn it!”

Another deep breath. “The house.” Her voice was as shaky as her body. “In the dreams.” She was almost panting. “Todd’s house.”

“The house you keep watching in your dreams is Todd’s?”

“Yes. Oh my God.” Tori clawed at his hands, trying to free herself because her stomach was heaving. Guy barely managed to turn her before she retched again. “Tonight. They’re coming tonight. Sarah,” she sobbed. “Nooo!”

“Tori.” Guy shook her again. “Stop it, Tori.” He was close to yelling to get through to her. “You have to get it together now. Do you hear me? Come on, Tori. Sarah needs you. You are the only one who can help her. You have to be strong now. Tori.”

Guy’s words registered and Tori fought back the terror and forced herself to concentrate. Her breathing was still fast and shallow but she had regained a miniscule amount of control. “We have to do something.”

“We will.” He was still watching her as if he expected her to snap.

“Please,” Tori begged. “I’m okay now. Please do something.”

“Okay, but you have to stay with me.” She nodded but couldn’t hide her shivers. “I mean it, Tori. You have to stay with me now. I know you’re scared out of your mind but you can’t fall apart until after we take care of this. I need you to be as brave as I know you are.” She nodded again. “Promise me that you will get through this.”

“I promise. I’m okay. Really I am. You don’t have to worry about me. Please do something.”

Guy stood, pulling Tori with him. He wrapped one arm securely around her and held his cell phone with the other. While they waited for help to arrive, he opened his coat and folded it around her, hoping to stop her shivers. When Tori slipped her hands under his sweater, he felt how ice cold she was and wondered if she was going into shock. Tori was holding on so tightly he suspected he’d have a ridge in his flesh. Instead of asking her to loosen up, Guy increased the pressure in his arms and squashed her against him.

Within minutes, Ned joined them. He had been on his way to the open house when he got Guy’s call.

“You holding up, Tori?” he asked by way of a greeting.

“I’m fine,” she declared, somewhat steadier, partially freeing herself from the cocoon of Guy’s embrace.

“Good girl.” He seemed impressed. “How the fuck did we not recognize that? Makes me wonder.”

“Me too,” Guy agreed as more cars began to pull into the lot.

Ned made introductions to each agent as they arrived. They were the other members of the group which had been assigned to work with the information Tori provided. Lita had been summoned too, since after meeting Tori she asked to be involved if there were any way she could help. A quick debate soon decided the question of whether or not to alert Todd. Trusting Guy’s judgment, they opted to wait until everything was in place, fearing that his normally steadfast demeanor would desert him in this situation.

Next the state and local police were notified to ensure that all procedures were strictly followed. There was too much at stake to risk their chance to convict the pair due to an overlooked technicality.

Once everyone assembled, Ned gave the police a condensed summary of the two men involved. He added a brief overview of Tori’s connection and concluded with all he knew of their current situation. The only thing missing was a firm plan for how to proceed.

After Guy finished describing the layout of Todd’s house, the group discussed several possible scenarios. Each had both good and bad points and none were precise enough to satisfy any of them.

“I’m sorry,” Tori spoke up, her voice as shaky as she was, “but that’s not going to work.”

The police exchanged doubtful looks, clearly uninterested in her statement. The federal agents’ expressions showed slightly more tolerance. Only Guy, Ned and Lita had faith in her reasoning and wanted her to continue.

Before anyone could object, Ned silenced them with a hard glare. “Which isn’t going to work, Tori?”

“All of them.” She refused to look at anyone but Ned. “You can’t grab them on their way in since you really wouldn’t have any reason to other than they were about to trespass. You can’t keep Sarah out of the playroom or they won’t go in. You can’t send anyone else downstairs to hide because they’re already watching the house and that would chase them away.”

“We sure as hell aren’t leaving a seven-year-old alone with them,” one of the local officers said sarcastically.

“No duh,” Tori snorted. “I know you think I’m a fruitcake and I don’t blame you because most of the time I do too. There must be something wrong with me. I mean, really, how else can you explain any of this?” She could feel the tension radiating from Guy and paused to give him a weak smile. “None of this makes any sense but that doesn’t matter anymore. The only thing that matters is stopping them before they touch Sarah but not before they incriminate themselves.”

“As you just put it, no duh.” The same man scowled. “We all know you mean well, honey, but it’s time for you to stop wasting time and leave this to the professionals.”

In a flash, Lita had him facedown on the ground with his arm twisted painfully behind his back. “Stop interrupting, asshole, and let her talk.”

There were a few tense seconds when no one moved. Forcing herself into action, Tori stepped forward and put her hand on Lita’s shoulder. “Way cool move, Lita. Maybe you could teach me how to do that sometime. Now, though, it would probably be a bad idea to break his arm like it looks like you’re about to do. I mean, it’s really nice of you to stick up for me but you can’t be mad at him for saying what everyone else is thinking.”

Lita released the man’s arm and offered her hand to help him up. “No hard feelings?” she asked. “I shouldn’t have overreacted but you struck a nerve, dismissing the one link we have to all this without bothering to listen.”

Ned stepped between them before either could say more. “Save it for later, folks.” He waited for both to nod. “Go on, Tori. Tell us what you’re thinking.”

“I’m sorry.” Tori’s face lost most of its color again. “I do know you all are experts on this stuff and I’m a clueless nobody. I really don’t mean to interfere. It’s just that I know I can help. They won’t run if I’m with Sarah and I’m positive they’ll talk to me.”

“Tori, no,” Guy objected.

“Just listen, Guy. Please.” Her eyes pleaded with him to let her finish. “I can keep them from Sarah and get them to tell me about things they’ve done and later I can testify about what they said. I won’t let them hurt her. You know I won’t, Guy. Tell them.”

“I believe you, Tori,” Ned assured her. “I don’t doubt that you could get them to open up but I won’t put you in that position.”

“But, Ned,” she protested.

“Hold up,” one of Ned’s fellow agents interrupted. “We could put a wire on her. Record it all and hear exactly what’s going on. We could take them down as soon as things start to heat up.”

They all considered the suggestion. “Please let me do this,” Tori coaxed. “They’re here and I can help you catch them. If they get away tonight, they might kill someone else. You have to stop them.”

“I don’t like it,” Ned stated. “And I’m not agreeing to anything but if, and that’s a big if, Tori, if we do things your way how could you get to the playroom with just Sarah? You haven’t met yet so it’s not likely she’ll want you there.”

Guy’s frown deepened. “She’d invite Tori to color with her if I asked her to. Sarah’s a sweet, sensitive kid. If I explained that Tori was nervous about meeting her aunts and told her that coloring would make her feel better, Sarah would have her downstairs within the minute.”

“Okay. What about Todd and your sister?” Ned seemed to be warming to the idea. “No offense, Tori, but Todd’s going to take one look at you and know something’s going on. I doubt he’ll let you wander off with Sarah and if he starts asking questions Terese’s bound to notice.”

“We’ll use the same excuse.” Guy clearly hated that they were about to decide that using Tori was their best option. ““Well we’re already planning to introduce Tori as a friend. We’re saying that she wasn’t sure she wanted to come with me tonight because she’s uncomfortable in groups where she doesn’t know anyone so I had you join us when we bumped into you two at lunch one day. We can play that aspect up with both of them. Forgive me, tiger, but Ned’s right. You look like a scared rabbit. Todd will buy it if we say you’re so nervous you’re making yourself sick. I can tell Terese you’re painfully shy but let me talk you into coming with me because you know how important my family is to me and like me enough to want to meet them in spite of your shyness. She’ll ask how she can make you more comfortable. I’ll say that you’ll be fine once your nerves settle down and mention how much you love chatting with the kids in the library. If I say I’m sure a little time with Sarah would put you at ease and stress how important it is to me that they get to know you, she’ll send me right to Sarah. She’ll also take it on herself to ensure you have privacy until you feel ready to join the rest of us.”

Everyone waited for Ned to comment. “Any other suggestions?” he finally asked. When no one responded, he gestured for Tori to join him as he stepped away from the group. He walked until they were standing in the church archway.

Leaning against the wall, Ned sighed and met her eyes. “Everything in me wants you to change your mind and refuse to do this. I’m not usually the one who makes decisions like this. That’s Todd’s job and I’ve always respected him for it but I never understood how difficult it must be for him. I asked myself what he would do in this situation. The odds are extremely high that we will grab a pair of serial killers who have gotten away with a whole slew of murders, spread all across the country, all seeming unrelated and none with even the remotest leads. Killers who will no doubt continue as they have been. We have a decent setup to lure them in and get information that will ensure a conviction.

“The only snag is that we don’t have enough time to pull in professionals to act as bait. Instead we have an innocent child who we know personally and, although we value the safety of all children and would do anything to protect each and every one of them, knowing this one makes her that much more important to us. We also have a woman who is equally special to us. She’s willing to put herself between the ruthless killers and the child in spite of her own potential danger. There is always a danger factor, Tori. We can plan everything down to the last microsecond and do everything exactly right and still have it blow up in our faces with the most horrible outcome imaginable. And we don’t have that kind of time here,” he paused to study her.

“So what do I do? Is the chance to keep two men from killing again worth the possibility of losing two people dear to my heart?”

“Yes,” Tori replied instantly. “Yes, because if you don’t stop them now you have no way of knowing how many others they’ll kill before you have another opportunity. Even if you lose me, it’ll be more than worth it to save someone else. I heard what you said about things going wrong but no matter what happens or how screwed up this gets, there is absolutely no way you’ll lose Sarah. I know you’re thinking that I don’t know what I’m talking about but I do. Even if they wind up killing me you’re going to be close enough for me to keep them from her long enough for you to get to her before they do. Guy would be pissed if he heard me say this but I would rather help you stop them and die than worry about my own safety and do nothing so they go kill anyone else. I know I’m not disposable but, in comparison with a child or a parent or someone who might one day find the cure for cancer, well, let’s face it. Much better for me to die than one of them.” She waited for Ned’s decision. “Well?”