"What if I'm a mass murderer, or on the run?" Perverse of her to push her luck, she knew, but she couldn't help it.

"Are you?" he asked, his thumbs hooked through his belt loops. He didn't look overly concerned.

"No. Not a mass murderer, that is." She gave an involuntary shudder as the bloody image of her team flashed through her mind. God, would she ever be able to forget? Or sleep again? At that moment, she doubted it, but the first and foremost thing had become survival. Even a couple of hours ago, she'd been ready to give up, to let them catch her. But no longer.

She wanted to live.

She wanted to catch them.

Cameron looked at her, and though he could have no idea what was going on in her head, she saw a rush of compassion in his eyes.

"As long as you're not wanted by the law," he said easily, "I don't have a problem. Nellie doesn't, either."

Well, she was wanted, but evasion of that statement came shamefully easy. Anything would have, to protect her neck. Literally. "You trust your wife's judgment, then."

He nearly choked with laughter and her eyes narrowed as she took a step backward. With a small giggle, Nellie hurried to explain. "No, Haley, this isn't the husband I told you about. Cam's my brother-in-law. Jason couldn't come. He… well, he fell off a roof," she finished lamely, watching as Haley took another step away. "It's really not as crazy as you think."

"No, it's not," Cameron said, that insufferable grin in place. "Besides, everyone knows Zach is the crazy one, not me or Jason."

"Cam!" Nellie sighed and shook her head as she took Haley's hand, pulling her forward. "Please, don't misunderstand. We all live together on the ranch, and we need a housekeeper, just like I told you. Desperately."

What were her choices? She couldn't call the police, not while she was the main suspect in the EVS bombing. They'd send her back and she'd face trial- The thought made her stomach flop. She needed a place to hide, a place where she'd be safe until she could figure out what to do without getting herself killed. "Why me?"

"Because I like you," Nellie said, lightly squeezing her hand.

Just that easy gesture nearly undid Haley. When was the last time she'd been offered unconditional friendship? Affection? Been accepted for a reason other than her brain?

Nellie, still holding her hand, added, "And because I'm living in a houseful of men who don't know squat about what it's like to be female. Something between us clicked from that first moment, Haley. I felt it, and I know you did, too, or you wouldn't even be considering this. It you don't come, I'll worry about you. You don't want that."

"You don't even know me." How in the world could these people be so trusting? Didn't they know what kind of world they lived in? Of course not, they lived in Colorado. On some little ranch where nothing penetrated. It sounded… lovely, irresistible. Safe. And when it came right down to it, what other choices did she have? None. "Okay," she breathed.

"Okay?" Nellie repeated, rubbing her belly, looking tired. "You'll come, then?"

"I'll come."

Nellie laughed once, then hugged her tightly. Feeling awkward, uncertain, Haley patted her back, meeting Cam's eyes over Nellie's shoulder. They were warm, easy and friendly. Relieved. Haley didn't want to think about that-how a complete stranger could care so much. She pulled away from the unaccustomed contact and shoved her hands into her pockets. It was easy to be nice to Nellie because she liked her. It wouldn't be so easy, however, to be nice to Cameron Reeves. She most definitely didn't want to like him. She couldn't afford to.

It didn't matter; she wouldn't be staying long.

"I'm so glad you'll come," Nellie whispered, grabbing her hand. They walked then, in companionable silence, weeding their way through the hordes of people, and Haley was thankful for the few moments of quiet.

No one could have followed her. Maybe whoever was terrorizing her would assume she'd been killed in the explosion. Relief at that thought made her giddy. Until she remembered her messages.

They stopped at the exit. Cold air blasted through the opening. She glanced up in surprise as Cam stripped off his denim jacket. He held it out, going still when she backed from him. She'd accept his job offer because she didn't have a choice but she wouldn't accept his charity.

"Take the jacket," he said easily. "It's not going to bite."

No, but he might.

"It's cold out," Nellie added, belting her own sweater high over the bulge of baby.

It had been hot in South America. Haley hadn't thought of this. "I'll be all right." She felt the flood of heat fill her face as they both looked at her. Cam's features were purposely inscrutable, but she felt sure he hid pity-and she hated that.

Nellie didn't manage to hide a thing and she looked at her, worry and concern evident.

"Take the jacket, Haley," Cam said. "She'll hound you about it, otherwise. It's easier this way." Then, without waiting for a response, he wrapped it around her shoulders, holding it while she slid her arms into the sleeves. She felt surrounded by warmth, softness and an unfamiliar-yet-heavenly scent.

Cam pushed her gently out the swinging glass doors. The sky loomed dark, and Haley realized she had absolutely no sense of time.

They headed across the street to the parking structure, Cam attentively holding on to Nellie, who seemed tired. "Not too much farther, Nel," he murmured, craning his neck to check for cars.

Nearly across the street, all three of them stopped in surprised shock when, with a loud squealing of tires, a taxi gunned its way directly toward them.

Haley froze, capable of only one thought: They found me and now they're going to kill two innocent people to get me!

Cam muttered a ripe oath as the taxi swerved recklessly away, spraying them with gravel. Immediately he pushed back Nellie's hair to see her face. "You okay, Nel?"

"Fine. Idiot!" Nellie shook her head. "He's going to kill someone, or at least give them heart failure."

Haley stood still, shaking, as both Nellie and Cameron shrugged it off.

"Haley?"

She blinked, realizing that Cam had taken her shoulders. Her heart slammed in her chest. "It was just a taxi," she said dazedly.

"Yes," he said, concern deepening his voice.

One warm hand slid up to cup the back of her neck and she knew by the tightening of his jaw that he could feel her trembling like a frightened rabbit. She struggled for control, but found herself babbling helplessly. "Just a stupid taxi driver in a hurry."

"That's right," he said in a low, soothing voice. "Just a guy trying to make a buck. And he's gone. He can't hurt you."

Because his kind voice threatened to release the emotions she held so tight and deep inside, Haley shoved his hand away. "I'm okay."

His lips curved, as if he was undisturbed by her abruptness, approved of her toughness.

"Come on," Nellie said, still shaking her head. "Let's get out of the middle of the street."

Haley let them pull her along, but she wasn't so far gone that she missed the single, worried look exchanged between brother and sister-in-law.

At Cam's truck, a brown-and-white puppy with ears bigger than his body jumped up in the window, wiggling and barking happily.

"This is Max," Cam told her, gently pushing the animal aside, after letting it lick his face. "Hey, Max, calm down, would ya?" He bent low to the puppy and whispered conspiratorially, "I've told you before, never let a female see how eager you are." Fondly, he rubbed the dog's ears.

Nellie petted the puppy, too, enduring more of the happy, ecstatic kisses, then crawled into the back seat, claiming exhaustion. "I'm going to take a little nap," she said, yawning and rubbing her stomach. "Cam, just carry me in when we get there."

"But Nel, I'll break my back."

"Oh, shut up," she muttered good-naturedly.

Haley hesitated, her gaze frozen on the bouncing dog.

"He won't bite," Cam assured her.

"What kind is he?"

"A purebred mutt." He grinned. "Just stick out your hand so he can sniff it."

At the moment, her fear of what she'd just left behind overruled her fear of Max. There'd definitely not been much time in her life for dogs-if any. She cautiously held out a hand. The little guy wriggled hopefully, then nailed her with his large, puppy-dog eyes. They were the warmest, biggest eyes she'd ever seen. Something inside her softened. "Hi there," she said, reaching for him. She jumped when his warm, wet tongue licked her fingers. "Max seems an ostentatious name for such a little thing."

"It's a nickname for Maximum-Amount-of-Money-Ever-Spent-on-a-Dog," Cameron said wryly. "Vet bills. Lots of them. Don't ask." He held open the door for her and she climbed into the front. Max settled in the back, on top of the already groggy Nellie.

"Find your own spot, buddy," she mumbled. But she let the puppy stretch out on her.

Cameron started the truck, maneuvering out of the lot while Haley waited tensely for him to bombard her with questions.

They left the city and the lights far behind as they headed down a narrow highway toward the black mountains in the distance. In the back seat Nellie's breathing evened out. So did Max's. Cam adjusted the heater to nice and low, aimed at Haley's feet, which were icy cold in her meager flats. With a flick of his wrist, the interior of the truck was filled with soft, country blues.

She was in a strange place, in a stranger's truck, heading toward some unknown ranch house in the middle of nowhere. Panic filled her for a moment as the realization hit her. She must be insane!