LITMIR.BIZ

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The two of them were making love, and she could hear the noises right through the closet door. That would be funny if it were really happening, but it wasn't funny in the dream. Carla's stifled gasps and moans made it sound like she was being hurt, like she was being choked to death behind the door. And then the moans turned into screams ...

      "Wake up, beautiful. Wake up!"

      "Is this the place?" Crystal May blinked her eyes, astonished at the sheer size of the Carson City Medical Center. When Pa died in the mine cave-in she'd gone to the county hospital, but that little old place was a mud puddle compared to an ocean. The Carson City hospital was a city all by itself. The shining, silver buildings rose up almost as high as the mountains behind them.

      "This is the place." Matt Gold had been here plenty of times before. After pulling his car into the hospital lot, he killed the engine and turned to face his young companion. His dark brown eyes studied her closely. Crystal May was ghostly pale. "You need a few minutes to pull yourself together?"

      "No, I'm fine. Let's go!" After a dream like that, where she felt like crying out for help, Crystal May was anxious to prove she wasn't afraid. And she was mad at herself for falling asleep. Matt wasn't dragging his tail. The FBI agent had been up late last night just like her. But he didn't show it, not when he came to pick her up first thing in the morning. He was wide awake, bright-eyed and cheerful, while she could not stop yawning after a sleepless night worrying about Carla. Listening to country music in the morning usually woke her up, but in the car Matt switched to another station. It was a talk station, and the murmur of important-sounding male voices soon put her to sleep. The one thing she couldn't figure out was why her dream had gone from Carla making love and moaning with pleasure to Carla screaming for help. Was that what was in store for her too?

      "You know those lilies cost a fortune, darling," Matt said, in a loud and hearty voice, as they rode up on the crowded elevator together. Stopping for flowers at a fancy florist had been his idea. So was pretending to be man and wife just in case the drug cartel had spies watching the hospital.

      "Yes, well heaven knows you can afford it ... darling!" Crystal May was waking up now, and it felt mighty good to give Matt Gold a taste of his own medicine. He certainly was good at putting on an act, wrapping his arm around her good and tight when they stepped off the elevator. Crystal May felt annoyed with herself for responding to the warmth and even returning his embrace.

      It was all just make believe, she reminded herself, burying her nose in the expensive bouquet. Even in the car, Matt had been acting a part, turning off her favorite song about a cowgirl in love and putting on the all-talk financial channel instead. He was acting as if he really was a rich young businessman with tons of money to invest. Crystal May got even by acting the part of the bored wife. Of course she was only pretending to doze at first. But Matt didn't seem to notice. And so she fell asleep. That was a mistake, because dreams of Carla in terrible danger filled her with icy fear. Nothing in dreams was real, not really, but the fear felt real. And it stuck to her when she awoke.

      "Here we go," Matt said, opening the door to the private hospital bedroom.

      Steven Tallarico was sitting up in bed, looking like a heavyweight boxer at the end of a fifteen-round bout. Even under all the bruises and bandages, with one eye swollen shut, Crystal May could see his mind was sharp. He took one look at her companion and he knew what was going on.

      "Matt Gold! Looking for a snitch by any chance?" There was a male challenge in the air. Crystal May sensed that these two men had gone head to head plenty of times in the past.

      "Looking for a girl," Matt grunted. He pulled a chair up next to the bed like the two of them were old friends, even though it was obvious they were anything but.

      "Looks like you've already got one." Steve's good eye lit up when he looked at Crystal May. "You're the hillbilly girl, aren't you? Carla was crazy about you. She wanted us to break you out of Madame Madeline's as soon as we were married!"

      "What happened to Carla?" Crystal May cut right in front of Matt, claiming the chair he had just grabbed for himself. Maybe it was rude behavior, though Madame always said the gentleman was supposed to pull out the lady's chair. But that didn't matter to Crystal May. She had to show Steve she was for real. She got a little sizzle of satisfaction from making Matt look silly, too.

      "You're not a cop too, are you honey?" Steve's battered face was wearing a smile.

      Crystal May shook her head, straightening out her skirt as she sat down. "I'm Carla's friend, that's why I'm here. Anything you tell me stays between you and me."

      "Hey!" Matt's meaty paw gripped Crystal May's slim shoulder. Her cheeks colored as she felt the heat of his touch and heard the mocking tenderness in his words. "We're in this together, darling, remember? We're just a couple of rich newlyweds exploring adventurous lifestyles."

      "That's your cover?" Steve Tallarico gave a snort of laughter, and then a wince of pain. "Maybe that'll work for you, down there in the Valley of the Sun. But then again, maybe it'll get you both killed."

      "Killed?" The color fled from Crystal May's cheeks. Her slim white hand flew to her throat. "You don't think Carla's been killed, do you Steve?"

      Steve's face looked grim. "My baby's tough," he said. "She'll survive this. We already know where she is. And my family and I will take whatever steps are necessary to get her back."

      "Like hell you will," Matt growled. "Kidnapping is a matter for the FBI."

      "The dirty agents?" Steve asked innocently. "Or the ones who aren't crooks?"

      "That's good, coming from you. How many guys did your father whack this year, Steve?"

      "Darling, why don't you go down to the hospital cafeteria and get yourself a cup of coffee?" Crystal May knew she had to take hold of the situation, before the men folk did something stupid. She leaned back in her chair, and put on the voice of the bored, sexy wife just like she had in the elevator. "Go read the sports page, or the financial page, or something. Steve and I need to talk."

      "You just saved that guy a real beating," growled the tough mobster's son, as soon as Matt was out of the room.

      "I wish I could have saved you one," Crystal May said softly. "Steve, anyone can see how much you love Carla. You got beaten half to death trying to protect her. But if she's been captured by the drug cartel, we have to get her back. And we can't wait until you're healed up."

      "Honey, Matt Gold doesn't care what happens to Carla. Or to you. All he wants is a high profile collar. Once he's got the bad guys he'll turn you and Carla right back over to Madeline."

      Crystal May bit her lip. Steven Tallarico had just nailed the worry that nagged her. "Lawmen can be good or bad, just like ordinary folks," she said, her brow furrowed in thought. "Back home we had a sheriff who was just plain mean. But I think deep down Matt is different. I think the reason he hangs around Madame Madeline's is because he wants to make sure the girls get treated right."

      "Yeah? Well, I think he gets a cut of the profits from Madame Madeline's private shows." The battered man in the hospital bed turned his bruised face away from the slim, lovely blonde. "Maybe a girl like you doesn't mind being disciplined by a stern schoolmistress or a cop. With your prom-queen looks and that soft country voice, you're a natural at playing the fairy-tale princess. Guys love to spank your ass so they can be nice to you afterwards. It's like rescuing the damsel in distress. But Carla's different. Deep down those games don't make her happy. Believe me, I know."

      "I am not a damsel in distress!" Crystal May nearly lost her temper, but Steve's sad face made her check herself. "Honey, I may not look like Carla on the outside, but on the inside we're the same. And you best believe I have just as much guts as she does. Tell me where she is, Steve. Tell me what we're up against. If we can get her back, I promise I won't let Matt take her away from you."

      "I believe you." Steve looked her over. Sized her up. And all of a sudden he began to laugh.

      Crystal May joined right in.

      "So

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