"Then take her. Get it over with." Jeanne crossed her arms over her chest. "This night has left a nasty taste in my mouth."

"Because you're such a delicate soul. But not too delicate to take the money and run." He looked at Cassie. "Come on, Cassie. We have places to go and people to see."

"Jeanne?" She backed away from him. "Jeanne, help me…"

"Go with him. He won't hurt you as long as you mind him like a good girl." Her voice was hard, not like Jeanne's at all.

This man had shot Pauley and left him lying on the rug of her bedroom with the blood pouring out of his chest. How could Jeanne say he wouldn't hurt her? How could she tell her to go with him? Why was she looking at Cassie that way? "Daddy," she whimpered. "Daddy."

The man's green eyes gleamed through the slits in the ski mask as he came toward her. "Daddy's not here. No one's here to take care of you, so don't cause me any trouble."

She kept on backing away. "Jeanne?"

"Stop it," Jeanne said harshly. "I can't help you. I don't want to help you. Go with him."

Cassie felt the cold marble of the Wind Dancer pedestal touch her back, and she suddenly felt a surge of hope. "No, I won't go. You can't make me go. He won't let you."

"He?"

"She's nuts about that crummy statue" Jeanne said. "She thinks the damn thing can do anything."

"Crummy?" He stared at the hologram. "That's almost sacrilege, Jeanne. It's magnificent. Have you no appreciation?"

"I appreciate the money the thing could bring us."

"But it's not real and Cassie is very real. Go get her."

"Get her yourself."

" If you want to be on that helicopter, you'll earn your passage."

"I've already earned it. You'd never have been able to do this if I hadn't given you the setup and opened-" She met his gaze. "Oh, very well." She strode across the room. "Come along, Cassie. You can't fight us. You'll only be hurt if you do."