Three months later…

Caine and Skalany's apartment.

Kwai Chang Caine had finished his meditation and martial arts practice. Mrs. Reed, a petite Chinese woman, sat next to him on the sofa and Caine listened as she poured her heart out. Her son had a very big problem. An eighteen year old high school senior, he was shorter and slimmer then the rest of the kids in his class. His American father had disappeared four years ago and his departure devastated the young man.

When Mrs. Reed had first approached Caine about her son, he hoped that she was wrong. Walking through Chinatown one morning he spotted the young man, which was odd, because he should have been in school. Realizing Caine noticed him, David quickly disappeared among the thickening crowd of shoppers and commuters, but Caine had enough time to feel the darkness and disharmony that crowded the life force of the troubled young man.

After the disturbing encounter, Caine asked Peter to quietly check for information about David, and the news was bad. David was a small-time dealer for another pusher with a bigger customer network. Narcotics division knew about them but were letting them dig themselves in deeper so they could go for the bigger fish. Unfortunately, this only pushed David deeper into his own drug addiction.

"Master Caine, my David is a good boy. He has fallen in with the wrong crowd and I'm afraid he may drop out of school!" Mrs. Reed had been scarred by her husband's desertion and minimized the extent of her current problem. Sadly, David's mother had no idea how much trouble her young son was really in. "Please, can you do anything, anything at all?"

"Mrs. Reed, I have not seen him for two years, and even then he did not stay in my class. The path he has chosen is a dangerous one, but it is his choice. He is not yet a man but not a young child to do as you tell him."

Placing a comforting arm gently around her, Caine hoped to soften the blow of what he was about to say. "You're son has crossed a treacherous line, a line that many cross and do not return. David is dealing drugs, and uses the drugs that he sells. I fear that it will not be easy for him to stop."

Mrs. Reed tried to stand up and pull away from the priest. "No, what you say cannot be true!" she said, but tears brimmed in her eyes. Her tone softened a bit. "Master Caine, there must be some mistake."

"There is no mistake," Caine pressed gently. "His life and the young lives he touches are in great danger. We must show him the difficulty of this journey. Because his need for the drug grows stronger, he is ignoring the fact that other lives are being irrevocably harmed."

The tired mom cried on Caine's shoulder, and he gently soothed her with his touch and words. "Mrs. Reed, all hope is not lost. You needed to face the truth about your son. Now that you have, we can take steps to help him." Placing a hand on her arm he gently tipped her face to look at his. "Let me find something for you."

Caine walked to a washed oak desk trimmed in green paint. Atop the furniture sat a state-of-the-art PC system with printer, fax and image scanner, and next to that, an old fashioned filing box. Caine opened the box, looked through it and removed the card he wanted. Tapping the card a few times with his finger, he walked over to Mrs. Reed. Bending over he took both her hands in his and pressed the card firmly into her hand.

"What is on this card?" Mrs. Reed asked before she would look at it.

"This card has the phone number and address of an organization that was created to help you and your son. The location is right here in Chinatown. "Tomorrow we will call them together and arrange to visit in the morning. I will go with you." Caine wanted her to be an active participant in her son's recovery. "The counselors at this organization will help you learn how to talk with your son, and learn how to help him. They can give you the ongoing support you need."

"Master Caine, why can you not talk to him and warn him, and set him straight?" She looked up into Caine's eyes, clearly distrustful of any organization, even one endorsed by Caine.

"I will also talk to David and help him in any way I can. The people at this center," he squeezed her hand, "are trained, and know exactly what to do and say to help us to help David. This is a serious problem, and we need all the assistance we can get. Is that not true?"

Mrs. Reed nodded her head. Caine continued, "Tomorrow at nine o'clock, we will go to the clinic and talk to the counselors, then we will confront David." As he spoke they walked to the front door.

"Master Caine, I will do as you say," she said quietly.

"Good. I will see you tomorrow."

Closing the door behind her, Kwai Chang Caine let out a deep breath and he leaned his forehead against the smooth paint on the door. For a moment he closed his eyes and stood still; he concentrated on how the cool wood panel felt on his skin. The rest of the afternoon would be filled with tasks that would allow him to ease his fears for David Reed.

Thinking of Mary Margaret made him smile, and his internal clock told him she would be home soon. Sensing no troubling vibes from her indicating otherwise, he went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner. Cooking and cleaning were things he had always done for himself and it had not been a great stretch to do it for both of them. Working was a form of meditation for him and Mary Margaret had finally gotten used to the idea that he did not mind doing her laundry.

~~~

Warm breezes drifted through the clear and beautiful summer evening. Earlier it had been hot and humid, but a small cold front had cooled the heated air. It still felt muggy enough to have the air conditioner running, but Kwai Chang Caine did not enjoy air conditioning. His body seemed to have an internal thermostat that cooled him off and warmed him up when needed. Mary Margaret felt like an economy car with a temperature gauge that always ran into a strip of solid red.

Mary Margaret and Caine shared dinner in a companionable silence. She enjoyed quiet suppers; it gave her time to decompress from the insanity of the precinct and allowed Caine to adjust to the presence of another being. During their three months together, there had been both give and take. She'd stopped leaving the television on for background noise and he'd learned to 'tune out' while she watched the news. Caine enjoyed watching a rented movie and listening to music on her stereo, and Mary Margaret had started meditating and practicing Tai Chi.

And now Mary Margaret sat on the sofa reading the newspaper and thinking cool thoughts, feeling warm but comfortable in cut-off denim shorts and a white tank top. Gradually she became aware of soft, dull thumps around the apartment. Looking up from the paper, she watched Caine come into the room and shut the window. He closed the sliding glass door to the balcony and then walked to the thermostat.

"Caine, what on earth are you doing?" she asked as he fiddled with settings. As usual, he looked as cool as a marble slab in his white silks.

"This apartment is very warm," he answered.

"I'm okay, silly. I'm adjusting."

"I meant to do this earlier in the day," he replied, "then became involved with Mrs. Reed and her concern for her son. My mind stayed with the problem and never returned to the windows. The outside temperature has cooled nicely. The inside, however, could use a little nudge."

Mary Margaret giggled. Rising from the sofa, walking over to Caine, she repeated, "Nudge! Did you just say nudge?"

Scrunching his nose, he repeated, "Nudge, I believe, is what I said." Smiling, he continued, "I thought you would like that."

Mary Margaret had learned to love his sense of humor. Always present though not always spoken, sometimes dry and sometimes silly, it always made her laugh. Every time she laughed, she fell in love with him again. Caine's strong hands circled her waist and he pulled her close. Feeling his warm, firm touch through the cotton of her shirt, she welcomed the familiar tingling sensation of his chi beginning to flow through her. Rubbing his shoulders, she leaned forward and kissed him with all the love she carried in her heart. "You're right," she said after the kiss. "I did like it."

"I am pleased," he said softly, and kissed her in return. Stimulated by the touch of his lips and press of his body against hers, she opened her mind and let the strength of his love fill her. Giving herself completely, she kissed him again and they continued this way, languidly, until their embrace turned into one of passion.

An idle thought in her mind waved for attention while her fingers unfastened the last button on his shirt. Funny, this is the way it usually starts, he says something funny, and we laugh....

Pulling back a bit and feigning insult, she teased, "Wait a minute. I think there's a pattern to this." She pushed his shirt back and off his arms, letting it drop to the floor.

Caressing her arms, he eased his hands up and unfastened the clip in her hair. Letting it down, he lovingly spread her dark hair over her shoulders. Looking in her eyes, he asked her, "What pattern is that, lover?"

"Well, you say something kind of funny, and I start to laugh, and then I come over and kiss you, and," She paused as he tugged at the bottom of her tank top then lifted it up slowly, his fingers lightly stroking her sensitive skin. Pulling it over her head, he dropped it on the floor next to his shirt. He ran the hands lightly over her back and then bent his head to kiss her shoulder. She shivered as his attentive touch had its usual effect. Weakly, she continued, "Mm.... And then we just wind up--" And then he silenced her with another long kiss.

Pausing a moment, he whispered in her ear, "'Fear is the lock, and laughter the key to your heart...'"

Mary Margaret took his hand in hers and as they made their way to the bedroom she said, "That's really pretty. Who are you quoting, M. Scott Peck?"

"Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young-Suite Judy Blue Eyes." Closing the bedroom door, he finished the line to the song, "...and I love you."

Later that night, after the apartment had cooled, they lay together quietly. Each seemed lost in thought.

Mary Margaret spoke first. "Caine, we've been together three months now. Do you ever think about us, how we finally came together like this? I know that everyone wondered if it would work. I guess what I'm wondering is if you're happy about it."

Zeroing in on one sentence, he asked, "Who wondered if it would work?"

Mary Margaret examined him for a minute, hoping she hadn't gone down an avenue she would regret. "Didn't Peter ever have a son-to-father chat with you about us?"

"He did not," Caine answered. "May I infer that he had a 'son-to- father chat' with you?"

Mary Margaret laughed and said, "Aha! No kisses for you. I'm on to you now, Master Caine. You're going to have to come up with a new strategy."

Smiling, Caine said, "Three months is not bad." He gently tilted her head and she had to look at him, then he continued. "But you will not deflect my attention from the subject of Peter and the chat. Did he talk to you, my love?"

"Yes, he did, Caine. But I'm not telling you what happened. You are going to have to talk to him yourself."

"There was a time when I could not get you to be this quiet long enough to," bending his head to hers, he kissed her and gathered her close him, "kiss you. Mary Margaret?"

Reaching for his hand when he didn't go on, she asked, "What is it, Caine?"

"What you asked me earlier - I am very happy that we are together. I know I do not easily speak of my feelings for you, and I have been thinking...perhaps we should do something symbolic too," Caine sighed heavily. "I am sorry. Please, let me start again. Mary Margaret, I love you and wish to always be with you. I would be honored if you would be my wife. Will you marry me?"

*Will you marry me?* echoed through her mind, along with the different responses to this question she had often imagined being asked. Married--wasn't that what she wanted, all these years? There were still so many things she didn't understand; she was completely unprepared for a proposal at this time.

Deciding to give him a taste of his own style, she took his hand in hers and said, "Caine, do you not know the answer to this question?"

"I do not know," he replied dryly. "Or, perhaps just...I do?"

They both started laughing and tangled up together on the bed. When she wrapped her long legs around his body she could feel that he was aroused again. She stretched out both arms palms up in surrender, and said, "I can't fight it, I give up--as long as you know I'm on to your tricks."

She was in his arms and he was kissing her when she finally answered his question. "Yes, I will," She breathed, and she repeated her acceptance many times during the long night of sharing their love, hopes and dreams for the future.

~~~

Late that same evening, after Mrs. Reed had earned her meager wages for the day, she wearily walked home. Her thoughts were heavy with worry for her son. After the initial shock, accepting that Master Caine had spoken the truth to her today was a relief. Eyes opened at last, she knew she had to fight for possession of her son. She was secure in the knowledge that Master Caine would help her.

But as she approached her apartment her apprehension grew. Remembering the latest confrontation with her son, she feared facing him alone again. His anger terrified her as much as his unexplained absences worried her. Opening the front door to their apartment she heard the sickening, loud crack of a fist connecting with skin, followed by a cry of pain. Horror filled her when she recognized the yell came from her son, David. Quelling her fear, she rushed to the kitchen. The decision was tragic because her entrance surprised the man beating her son. He spun around and fired twice; one shot hit her in the stomach.

~~~

David screamed, "Mother!" and with strength born of rage he ripped the gun from his tormentor's hand and shot him in the head, instantly killing him. Heart thudding in his chest, he rushed to his mother and sank to the floor, cradling her head. His grief threatened to overcome him and tears streamed down his face as he cried, "Mama, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"

Footsteps thudded down the hallway. Clarence Choi and Jack Wong exploded into the apartment. Only at that moment did the terrified boy realize his mother was still alive. "Hurry!" yelled Jack. "We need to get her to a doctor. Now!"

"Let's get him out of here," Jack added, referring to the dead man, his onetime accomplice. "And then call Robert. He'll meet us at the hospital and keep the doctors off our back. We'll say the kid accidentally shot his mom."

"Who's Robert?" asked Clarence.

"He's a cop in our pocket. He'll handle reporting the gunshot wound."

"No," screamed David, "I'll never say that!"

"You'll say what I tell you to say!" snapped Clarence. "If you don't, we'll tell the cops we saw you murder poor Eric here in cold blood. Try to help your mama from a jail cell."

David was too scared to call his bluff. He glared at Clarence but no longer objected.

~~~

On the way to the hospital Clarence ordered Jack to sit next to David. The depth of the fury in David's eyes startled him. He had personally selected the young man for a special job he had in mind. He'd ordered David to be watched for the past two weeks and had figured him for a meek follower. David's reactions, however, during both the killing and now, had surprised him.

They had sent their muscle man to scare David and force him to co- operate in their plan to trap Caine. Their accomplice had arrived at the apartment later than planned and paid for the mistake with his life.

"That old priest turned you into the cops," Jack said, feeding David the lies he and Clarence had worked out. "You know, his son Peter used to be a cop. Your mom turned to Caine for help, but he despised her for driving away your old man." David faced him, rage burning in his eyes. Jack held up both hands and said, "Hey, man, I don't think that, but you know how the old timers think. Instead of helping you himself, he had his son send a dude to scare you out of the business. Now look what happened, look what Caine's man did."

"That bastard. I'll kill him, too." David scrubbed the tears from his eyes.

"Slow down, boy, he's Shaolin. You won't get near him. But we have ways, and you can help us get Caine and his son."

"What do I do?"

"For now, you'll stay with us. It's too dangerous for you to stay at the hospital. The cops will question you. Maybe even bring you in. We'll take care of everything, and tomorrow night, you'll have your chance to get back at Caine."

~~~

The next morning, Caine arrived at Mrs. Reed's apartment just before nine, giving them time to walk to the drug rehab center. Caine took off his hat and lifted his hand to ring the doorbell. When he touched the button, he shuddered as the cold feeling of death invaded his being. Concentrating, he felt no one within the apartment, but decided to look inside for clues as to what might have happened. Briskly rubbing his hands together, he was about to open the locked door, when a neighbor opened their door. Caine recognized a young woman whom he had helped stop using drugs two years ago.

"Lisa?" he called. The young woman shut her door. Caine said firmly, "Lisa, I have seen you, now open the door."

Lisa finally opened the door and stood there. When Caine had helped her with the addiction she was only sixteen. Caine had monitored her progress; she had graduated high school, was working in a dentist's office and attending college at night. It had been a few months since he had last checked on her. Lisa's eyes looked dark and cloudy.

Staring down at her shuffling feet, Lisa said nothing. Caine tenderly placed both his hands on her gaunt face, gently bringing her eyes up to meet his. With a heavy heart, he sensed she had relapsed and was in trouble. Touching her, he felt her pain, and something more.

"Lisa, let us go inside so we may talk." Lisa sighed and let him in. She still lived with her mother, who worked two jobs to support them. The apartment was neat and clean; the tidiness contrasted with the strong smell of pot in the air.

Caine led her to a chair and made her sit down, then knelt beside her. Holding both her hands in his, he asked her, "Does your mother know?"

"Know about what?"

Caine watched her face as understanding settled in. Pulling one of her hands from his, she moved it to her belly. It was still early in her pregnancy and she wasn't showing. Her mother knew nothing of the life inside her.

"How did you know?" she whispered.

Caine shrugged, and covered her hand with his. "My child, what you are doing harms yourself, and your baby. Let me help you to do what is right."

"Master Caine, I don't want the baby, I don't care what happens!" She wept and her thin body shook with her sobs. Caine's arm's wrapped around her and she leaned into him, clinging to him as he helped her release her anguish.

After a long stretch, when her cries abated, he pulled back slightly and asked her, "The father, is it David Reed?"

Lisa nodded her head.

"We will face that issue later." Caine knew she had not told David yet. "The first thing we must do is get you to a doctor." Caine paused and considered the odor of marijuana and the frail appearance of her body.

"The clinic is a few blocks away, but you should not walk. Is there anyone home who can give us a ride?"

Lisa seemed to panic. "No, there's not, but I can walk," she said. "I feel better now that you know. Please, don't try to get anyone, let's just walk."

"Very well."

Gathering her things, they set off for the clinic. Walking slowly, Caine supported her but realized she was having an increasingly difficult time. Finally, she stumbled and then stopped, with only Caine's arms keeping her from dropping to the ground.

"Master Caine, I don't feel good, I...."

Using great care, Caine lifted her up and carried her the last block to the clinic.

The nurse at the clinic sat writing a report when she looked up to see Caine holding Lisa.

"Oh, dear! What happened?" she asked. She motioned Caine to follow her to a partitioned cubicle with a cot. He carefully lowered Lisa onto the mattress.

"She is carrying a baby, and has lost consciousness. I fear she has not taken proper care of herself."

Caine stepped back and watched the nurse check Lisa's vital signs. Using a small lancet, the nurse obtained a sample of Lisa's blood on a test strip. Lisa started to regain consciousness.

"Hi, honey, my name is Diane. You're here at the clinic." The nurse's voice was cheerful and matter-the-fact. Lisa lifted her head slightly, and relaxed when she saw Caine. "Sweetheart, when was the last time you had anything to eat?"

Lisa's voice trembled, "Yesterday afternoon, at lunch."

Caine and Diane exchanged a troubled glance. Diane's voice, however, stayed sunny. "Oh, sweetie, you don't need to be on a diet!" Diane checked the test strip. "You wait here, I'm going to get you a glass of milk. Your grandfather and I will take a little walk, and be right back."

Lisa giggled, but before she could correct Diane, Caine winked at her, and said, "Yes, Lisa, we will be right back." Still giggling, she nodded her head.

Caine walked with Diane to a small room with a refrigerator. Facing Caine, she said, "Lisa's blood sugar level is very low, and her blood pressure is a little elevated. I suspect she's dehydrated, too. I need to know, is she using drugs."

"My name is Caine and I am a friend of the family. I have not seen her use drugs, but it is possible."

"I'll take that as a yes." Caine said nothing. Diane asked, "Has she been to a doctor for the pregnancy yet?"

Caine shook his head. "I do not think so. What do you have planned next? I need to talk to Lisa's mother."

"All right, Mr. Caine. While I get her some milk and crackers, you call her Mother. Lisa needs to be checked out at the hospital's pre- natal unit. Tell her mother to meet us there."

The doctor at the pre-natal unit decided Lisa needed to be admitted to the hospital, and Caine stayed with her until her mother arrived. Lisa's mother, a warm and compassionate person, while not overjoyed, would support her daughter through her ordeal. Satisfied Lisa and the baby were out of immediate danger, Caine moved on.

Acting on a hunch, Caine walked to the visitor's desk. A young woman seated at the desk looked up and smiled.

"May I help you?" asked the petite, red haired volunteer. Her nametag read Bonnie.

"Yes, I'd like to visit a patient here. Her name is Delores Reed.

Bonnie searched through one card file and found nothing. She looked in a second smaller one and then peered up at Caine.

"Are you a member of her immediate family?"

"I am a priest." Caine looked at her intently.

"A priest, huh?" Bonnie eyed Caine up and down. "I don't suppose you have any identification, or a badge with you?"

"I do not," Caine answered, "but I assure you, Bonnie, I am a Shaolin Priest, and it is urgent I see Mrs. Reed."

"What's your name, Mr. Priest?" Bonnie sounded suspicious.

"My name is Caine."

"Like Cain and Abel? That's not encouraging. Is that your first name or your last name? Or do you just have one name, like Sting, or Roseanne?"

Caine sighed, feeling not only annoyed but confused, too. Finally, he said, "I do not know Roseanne or...Sting. Bonnie, I promise you, I am what I say." Reaching out his hand, he squeezed her shoulder. "I will do her no harm. Please, trust me."

Bonnie pursed her lips, and said, "Delores Reed is in intensive care. It says here on this card," she showed him a small index card, "No visitors. Period. Not even family." She locked eyes with Caine for a moment. "I guess a priest is not exactly a visitor. A priest is almost like staff, right?"

Looking back at Caine, she smiled and said. "I don't know why, but I trust you, Caine." Bonnie scribbled something on a blank sticker. Peeling the backing off, she leaned over and slapped it on Caine's shirt. Caine looked down, and saw the word 'priest'. She called to the security guard, "Bob, let the priest go on up."

Caine nodded, and headed for the elevator.

Caine arrived at the intensive care unit and finally found David's mother recovering from surgery to remove a bullet from her stomach. David Reed was nowhere to be found. Mrs. Reed was still heavily sedated, and could not tell Caine what had happened. The priest stood next to the bed for a moment, and checked the woman himself. After a moment, he felt confident she would survive. Caine touched her softly on her forehead then quietly left the room.

Standing outside the door for a moment, Caine tried to think what to do next. Knowing she had been shot, he decided to find more details, such as who had shot her and what precinct it had been reported to. With any luck, it would be Mary Margaret's. He steeled himself to deal with yet another questioning person and walked to the nurses' station.

"Excuse me," said Caine.

The nurse at the station looked up at him. She read the tag on Caine's shirt, paused a moment, then said, "What can I do for you, Father?"

Inwardly, he groaned. "My name is Caine," he replied. "I need to find out who brought Delores Reed to the hospital last night, and the name of the police officer involved."

The nurse, a young woman about Peter's age, regarded Caine a moment. She said, "Of course, Father Caine. Let me see what I can find out."

She rose and walked to an older woman seated next to a filing cabinet. They talked a moment, and then both looked at Caine. He smiled at them; they smiled back and talked a bit more. The older women looked in the cabinet and retrieved a folder. She handed it to the priest. "This should have the information you need, Father Caine."

He held her gaze a moment. "Thank you," he said.

Borrowing a pen, Caine wrote down the name and badge number of the officer on duty. The folder did not tell the priest who brought her in.

Caine looked up and saw the older woman watching him with an amused expression on her face. "Is there any record of who brought her in?" he asked. Her nametag read Jessie.

That's all there is, Father. " Jessie answered.

"Please, call me Caine." He watched as both her eyebrows rose, and quickly assured her, "I am a priest, a Shaolin priest."

"Okay, Caine. During shift turnover, I found out that two young men brought her in, and wouldn't leave their name. The cop arrived immediately after. Almost too quick, if you catch my drift."

Both said nothing for a moment, and then Jessie asked, "Would you like me to call the precinct, Caine?"

"Yes, please Jessie. This is very important, and that would be a big help."

Jessie gave him a wry look, then picked up the phone and dialed. She talked for a moment, waited a few minutes, talked some more and then hung up. "Well now we know. There is no cop named Roger Moore at the 97th precinct, or any precinct."

"Thank you," said Caine. When Jessie smiled, he added, "Jessie, if you doubted I was a priest, then why did you help me?"

"I have a gift, Caine. I can always tell when things aren't what they seem to be. But I could tell you're a good spirit." Jessie picked up the folder, and said, "I knew things weren't right with this patient and I've been waiting for someone to come check it out. Good luck." She smiled, and he nodded and walked away.

~~~

Mary Margaret stood next to Detective Kermit Griffin's desk. Kermit looked up briefly and said, "I'm working on it, my dear. I'll have your information in a minute."

She picked up a pile of papers from a chair, balanced them on his desk, and then sat down. "Mind if I set a spell, Kermit?"

Kermit detected a tired note to her voice, and decided to cut her a break. "Sure, just don't touch anything." He quickly glanced at her again, "What's wrong, sweetheart, having a bad day, are we?"

"In spades. I'm not getting anywhere on any of my cases."

"Not to change the subject, but we never see Caine here much anymore. How's he doing?"

"He's doing fine, thanks." Her face brightened a bit.

Kermit noticed her mood change, and decided to tease her. "So are you two going to continue to live in sin, or is he going to make an honest women out of you?"

Suddenly, Mary Margaret turned toward the door and then they both heard the knock. The door opened to reveal a smiling Kwai Chang Caine. "May I come in?" he asked softly.

"Caine!" she said, obviously happy to see him. He grasped both her hands, and she kissed him on the cheek. "Kermit was just asking about you! He has a question he wants to ask you. Kermit?"

Caine looked expectantly at Kermit, but Kermit refused to be flustered and replied smoothly, "Now, now, Skalany, Caine obviously has an important purpose for coming here! What can we do for you, Caine?"

Caine looked from Mary Margaret to Kermit, and then replied, "Yes, in fact, there is. I have just been at the hospital. A woman, Delores Reed, was shot last night. The name and badge number of the attending police officer is fake." Caine handed Kermit the piece of paper with the information.

While Kermit searched for further information on his computer, Caine said, "Mary Margaret, did you ever determine if there was an internal leak in one of the neighboring precincts?"

"You mean in connection with that waterfront bust a few months ago?" Kermit glanced up in time to watch Caine quickly touch her face and nod his head yes. The couple smiled, as if sharing a secret.

"No, we never were able to find anything. Caine, do you have reason to suspect a connection?"

Caine shrugged, and said, "There is the possibility--"

Kermit interrupted them. "There is definitely something wrong. I've verified that there is no Roger Moore in the state, not that I thought there would be! And no gunshot wound was reported last night for Delores Reed. We have to find out if we have a bad cop here, or a man impersonating a police officer. I'll send a unit to interview the staff at the hospital. We have to obtain the handwritten signature of Roger Moore. Didn't anyone pick up on that name?"

"What about the name?" Caine looked puzzled.

Kermit and Mary Margaret exchanged glances. Mary Margaret said, "I'll explain later, Caine."

"How about her family?" asked Kermit.

"She has only a son. His whereabouts are unknown," answered Caine.

"We'll have to look for him, too, and interview the neighbors." Kermit looked at his watch. "Skalany, it's getting late. I know you were here before the crack of dawn this morning. Being the devoted friend that I am, why don't I let the two of you skip out, while I work on this some more. I planned to stay late tonight, anyway." Caine and Mary Margaret thanked Kermit and made their way home.

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