After debating the matter I decided to call an alarm company to wire my doors and windows. I got their machine with instructions to call back Monday morning. I hate living in the middle of a fortress. It’s bad enough to seal the place up every night—although an alarm system might let me cut back on the hardware—but I just couldn’t afford to have people climbing in through the windows after me.

I spent the rest of the afternoon nailing boards across the broken window and installing crude braces on the others. After that I felt restless, and to my dismay, forlorn. Solitude usually brings me a sense of peace, but right now I felt under siege. I didn’t think I could stand to spend a night in here with the boarded-over windows.

I could call Conrad, but it would be a mistake to start a relationship in a state of dependency. After a few minutes hesitation I tracked Lotty down at Max’s.

“I think I’ve found the people who attacked you,” I greeted her abruptly. “Or they found me.”

“Oh?” Her tone was cautious.

I explained what had happened last night, stressing that I’d given Finchley and Rawlings everything I knew about Mitch Kruger and Diamond Head. “But I don’t think they’re taking it very seriously. They think being chased into the San was my just deserts for breaking into the plant.”

I took a deep breath. “Lotty, I know you’ve been upset with me because you were attacked in my stead. I don’t blame you. But … I just can’t be by myself tonight. There’s been too much—there are too many people trying …” To my dismay I found tears were choking me; I couldn’t go on.

“Vic, don’t!” I flinched from the sharpness in her voice. “I just can’t help you right now. I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry you had a rough night last night. I wish I could help you put your pieces back together—but I’m in too many pieces myself to be able to help you.”

“I … Lotty …” but she had handed the phone back to Max.

When he came on the line he was unexpectedly gentle, even apologizing for his harshness the night Lotty had been attacked. “You each expect the other to be invincible; when you aren’t you both suffer,” he added. “Lotty … well, she’s not in good shape right now. She’s not angry with you, but she needs to feel angry to keep herself in a semblance of functioning. Can you understand that? Give her some distance, some time?”

“I guess I have to,” I said bitterly.