"No. I don't know. I thought they might." Jenny relaxed her grip on the poker and took a shaky breath. Then she told Sally what had happened. She started to mention Brad, then changed her mind. If he hadn't been the one, then she didn't want Sally gossiping about his visit. "I should feel better now that it's morning," she said, "but I don't. Daylight doesn't seem to help. I've never been so scared in my life."

"Yeah, I can see why," Sally said. They'd moved into the living room, and she sat down on the couch. Peaches jumped up beside her and whined. "It sounds like one of those movies," she went on, scratching the dog between the ears. "You know, where the girl's all alone in the house and the next thing you know there's blood all over the place."

"Did you have to say that?" Jenny shivered. "That's all I thought about all night long. I'd like to forget it."

"Sorry." But Sally didn't look sorry at all. "Anyway, you should have called me. The vet didn't come until really late. If you'd called, at least you would have had an ear-witness for when the killer started coming for you." She held an imaginary phone to her ear. "Jenny?! Jenny, why are you screaming like that?! Answer me, Jenny!!"

Jeimy stared at her. Why did Sally insist on joking? Didn't she realize how scared Jenny had been? Hov^ scared she still was, for that matter? Obviously not. She suddenly wished Sally would leave. But she looked very comfortable on the couch, with Peaches next to her. Jenny tried to shake off her annoyance and pointed to the package Sally was still holding. The dog was whining and sniffing at it. 'What's that?"

"This?" Sally glanced down at the box. "Oh. It was on the porch when I got here. I don't know what it is. Why don't you open it and find out?" She lifted it away from Peaches's nose and held it out to Jenny. "Must have something tasty in it ... ah-ha!" She snapped her fingers triumphantly. "You did have a visitor last night! Somebody who's probably very sexy, but also extremely shy? So he makes phone calls and drops off little presents in the middle of the night?"

Her secret admirer. Not once during the long, horrible night had Jenny considered that it might be him out there. But it made sense, now that she thought about it. She traced her finger along the silky bow and felt her Hps curve in a smile. Well, he'd scared her half out of her mind, but maybe it was going to be worth it.

"So?" Sally got up and stood next to her. "Don't just look at it. Open it!"

Eager now, Jenny pulled off the ribbon. "I wonder what it is," she said, ripping off the red paper. "If I ever meet him, remind me to thank him. Re-

mind me to tell him, however, not to deliver presents in the middle of the night, not unless he likes his girls terrified."