Nestled together on the couch in his apartment, Sam and Patwatched the news conference. “I wonder if Abigail is seeing this,”Pat said.“I imagine she is.”“She never needed Toby’s kind of help. She could have done it onher own.”“That’s true. And it’s the saddest part of it.”“What will happen to her?”“She’ll leave Washington. But don’t count her out.Abigail’s tough. She’ll fight her way back. And this time withoutthat goon in the background.”
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“She did so much good,” Pat said sadly. “In so many ways, she was the woman I believed her to be.”They listened to Claire Lawrence’s acceptance speech. Then Samhelped Pat to her feet. “With your eyebrows and lashes singed, youhave the most incredible surprised look.” He cupped her face in hishands. “Feel good to be out of the hospital?”“You know it!”He had come so close to losing her. Now she was looking up athim, her face trusting but troubled.“What will happen to Eleanor?” she asked. “You haven’t saidanything and I’ve been afraid to ask.”“I didn’t mean not to tell you. The revised statement from Abigailcoupled with everything else we have on Toby will exonerate her.How about you? Now that you know the truth, how do you feel aboutyour mother and father?”“Happy that it wasn’t my father who pulled the trigger. Sorry formy mother. Glad that neither one of them hurt me that night. Theywere absolutely wrong for each other, but so much that happenedwas nobody’s fault. Maybe I’m starting to understand people better.At least I hope so.”“Think about this. If your parents hadn’t gotten together, youwouldn’t be around, and I might be spending the rest of my life in aplace that’s decorated . . . how did you put it . . . like a motel lobby?”“Something like that.”“Have you decided about the job?”“I don’t know. Luther does seem sincere about wanting me to stay.I guess for what it’s worth the program was well received. He’s askedme to start planning one on Claire Lawrence and thinks we mighteven be able to get the First Lady. It’s mighty tempting. He swearsthis time I’ll have creative control of my projects. And with youaround, he certainly won’t try any more passes at me.”“He’d better not!” Sam put his arm around her and saw the faintbeginning of a smile. “Come on. You like a water view.” They walkedto the window and looked out. The night had clouded over but thePotomac gleamed in the lights of the Kennedy Center.“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything like seeing that houseon fire, knowing you were inside,” he said. His arm tightened around
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her. “I can’t lose you, Pat, not now, not ever.” He kissed her. “I’mdead serious about not wasting any more time. Would a honeymoonin Caneel Bay next week suit you?”“Save your money. I’d rather go back to the Cape.”“And the Ebb Tide?”“You guessed it. With just one change.” She looked up at him andher smile became radiant. “This time when we leave we’ll take thesame plane home.”
MARY HIGGINS CLARK is the author of twenty-onebestsellers. She lives with her husband, John ConHeeney, in SaddleRiver, New Jersey.