aybe it's the weather, Paige thought wearily. It was cold and dreary outside, with a gray driving rain that depressed the spirits. Her day had begun at six o'clock in the morning, and it was filled with constant problems. The hospital seemed tc be full of gomers, all complaining at once. The nurses were surly and careless. They drew blood from the wrong patients, lost X-rays that were urgently needed, and snapped at the patients. In addition, there was a staff shortage because of a flu epidemic. It was that kind of day.

The only bright spot was the telephone call from Jason Curtis.

"Hello," he said cheerily. "Just thought I'd check in and see how all our patients are doing."

"They're surviving."

"Any chance of our having lunch?"

Paige laughed. "What's lunch? If I'm lucky, I'll be able to grab a stale sandwich about four o'clock this afternoon. It's pretty hectic around here."

"All right. I won't keep you. May I call you again?"

"All right." No harm in that.

"Bye."

Paige worked until midnight without a moment to rest, and when she was finally relieved, she was almost too tired to move. She briefly debated staying at the hospital and sleeping on the cot in the on-call room, but the thought of her warm, cozy bed at home was too tempting. She changed clothes and lurched her way to the elevator.

Dr. Peterson came up to her. "My God!" he said. "Where's the cat that dragged you in?"

Paige smiled wearily. "Do I look that bad?"

"Worse." Peterson grinned. "You're going home now?"

Paige nodded.

"You're lucky. I'm just starting."

The elevator arrived. Paige stood there half asleep.

Peterson said gently, "Paige?"

She shook herself awake. "Yes?"

"Are you going to be able to drive home?"

"Sure," Paige mumbled. "And when I get there, I'm going to sleep for twenty-four hours straight.''

She walked to the parking lot and got into her car. She sat there drained, too tired to turn on the ignition. I mustn't go to sleep here. I'll sleep at home.

Paige drove out of the parking lot and headed toward the apartment. She was unaware of how erratically she was driving until a driver yelled at her, "Hey, get off the road, you drunken broad!"

She forced herself to concentrate. I must not fall asleep... I must not fall asleep. She snapped the radio on and turned the volume up loud. When she reached her apartment building, she sat in the car for a long time before she was able to summon enough strength to go upstairs.

Kat and Honey were in their beds, asleep. Paige looked at the clock at her bedside. One o'clock in the morning. She stumbled into her bedroom and started to get undressed, but the effort was too much for her. She fell into bed with her clothes on, and in an instant was sound asleep.

She was awakened by the shrill ringing of a telephone that seemed to be coming from some far-off planet. Paige fought to stay asleep, but the ringing was like needles penetrating her brain. She sat up groggily and reached for the phone. "H'lo?"

"Dr. Taylor?"

"Yes." Her voice was a hoarse mumble.

"Dr. Barker wants you in OR Four to assist him, stat."

Paige cleared her throat. "There must be some mis¬take," she mumbled. "I just got off duty."

"OR Four. He's waiting." The line went dead.

Paige sat on the edge of the bed, numb, her mind clouded by sleep. She looked at the clock on the bedside table. Four-fifteen. Why was Dr. Barker asking for her in the middle of the night? There was only one answer. Something had happened to one of her patients.

Paige staggered into the bathroom and threw cold water on her face. She looked in the mirror and thought,

My Godl I look like my mother. No. My mother never looked this bad.

Ten minutes later, Paige was making her way back to the hospital. She was still half asleep when she took the elevator to the fourth floor to OR Four. She went into the dressing room and changed, then scrubbed up and stepped into the operating room.

There were three nurses and a resident assisting Dr. Barker.

He looked up as Paige entered and yelled, "For Christ's sake, you're wearing a hospital gown! Didn't anyone ever inform you that you're supposed to wear scrubs in an operating room?"

Paige stood there, stunned, jolted wide awake, her eyes blazing. "You listen to me," she said, furiously. "I'm supposed to be off duty. I came in as a favor to you. I don't—"

"Don't argue with me," Dr. Barker said curtly. "Get over here and hold this retractor."

Paige walked over to the operating table and looked down. It was not her patient on the table. It was a stranger. Barker had no reason to call me. He's trying to force me to quit the hospital. Well, I'll be damned if I willl She gave him a baleful look, picked up the retractor, and went to work.

The operation was an emergency coronary artery by¬pass graft. The skin incision had already been made down the center of the chest to the breastbone, which had been split with an electric saw. The heart and major blood vessels were exposed.

Paige inserted the metal retractor between the cut sides of the breastbone, forcing the edges apart. She watched as Dr. Barker skillfully opened the pericardial sac, exposing the heart.

He indicated the coronary arteries. "Here's the prob¬lem," Barkersaid. "We're going to do some grafting."

He had already removed a long strip of vein from one leg. He sewed a piece of it into the main artery coming out of the heart. The other end he attached to one of the coronary arteries, beyond the obstructed area, sending the blood through the vein graft, bypassing the obstruction.

Paige was watching a master at work. If only he weren't such a bastardl

The operation took three hours. By the time it was over, Paige was only half conscious. When the incision had been closed, Dr. Barker turned to the staff and said, "I want to thank all of you." He was not looking at Paige.

Paige stumbled out of the room without a word and went upstairs to the office of Dr. Benjamin Wallace.

Wallace was just arriving. "You look exhausted," he said. "You should get some rest."

Paige took a deep breath to control her anger. "I want to be transferred to another surgical team."

Wallace studied her a moment. "You're assigned to Dr. Barker, right?"

"Right."

"What's the problem?"

"Ask him. He hates me. He'll be glad to get rid of me. I'll go with anyone else. Anyone."

"I'll talk to him," Wallace said.

"Thank you."

Paige turned and walked out of the office. They'd better take me away from him. If I see him again, I'll kill him.

Paige went home and slept for twelve hours. She woke up with a feeling that something wonderful had happened, and then she remembered. I don't have to see the Beast anymore! She drove to the hospital, whistling.

As Paige was walking down the corridor, an orderly came up to her. "Dr. Taylor..."

"Yes?"

"Dr. Wallace would like to see you in his office."

"Thank you," Paige said. She wondered who the new senior surgeon would be. Anybody will be an im¬provement, Paige thought. She walked into Benjamin Wallace's office.

"Well, you look much better today, Paige."

"Thanks. I feel much better." And she did. She felt great, filled with an enormous sense of relief.

"I talked to Dr. Barker."

Paige smiled. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"He won't let you go."

Paige's smile faded. What?

"He said you're assigned to his team and you'll stay there."

She could not believe what she was hearing. "But why?" She knew why. The sadistic bastard needed a whipping girl, someone to humiliate. "I'm not going to stand for it."

Dr. Wallace said ruefully, "I'm afraid you have no choice. Unless you want to leave the hospital. Would you like to think about it?"

Paige did not have to think about it. "No." She was not going to let Barker force her to quit. That was his plan. "No," she repeated slowly. "I'll stay."

"Good. Then that's settled."

Not by a long shot, Paige thought. I'm going to find some way to pay him back.

In the doctors' dressing room, Ken Mallory was get¬ting ready to make his rounds. Dr. Grundy and three other doctors walked in.

"There's our man!" Grundy said. "How are you doing, Ken?"

"Fine," Mallory said.

Grundy turned to the others. "He doesn't look like he just got laid, does he?" He turned back to Mallory. "I hope you have our money ready. I plan to make a down payment on a little car."

Another doctor joined in. "I'm buying a whole new wardrobe."

Mallory shook his head pityingly. "I wouldn't count on it, suckers. Get ready to pay me off!"

Grundy was studying him. "What do you mean?"

"If she's a lesbian, I'm a eunuch. She's the horniest broad I ever met. I practically had to hold her off the other night!"

The men were looking at one another, worried.

"But you didn't get her into the sack?"

"The only reason I didn't, my friends, is because we were interrupted on the way to the bedroom. I have a date with her Saturday night, and it will all be over but the shouting." Mallory finished dressing. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me..."

An hour later, Grundy stopped Kat in the corridor.

"I've been looking for you," he said. He looked angry.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's that bastard Mallory. He's so sure of himself that he's telling everyone he's going to get you into bed by Saturday night."

"Don't worry," Kat said grimly. "He's going to lose."

When Ken Mallory picked Kat up Saturday night, she had on a low-cut dress that accentuated her voluptuous figure.

"You look gorgeous," he said admiringly.

She put her arms around him. "I want to look good for you." She was clinging to him.

God, she really wants it. When Mallory spoke, his voice was husky. "Look, I have an idea, Kat. Before we go out to dinner, why don't we slip into the bedroom and..."

She was stroking his face. "Oh, darling, I wish we could. Paige is home." Paige was actually at the hospi¬tal, working.

"Oh."

"But after dinner..." She let the suggestion hang in the air.

"Yes?"

"We could go to your place."

Mallory put his arms around her and kissed her. "That's a wonderful idea!"

He took her to the Iron Horse, and they had a delicious dinner. In spite of herself, Kat was having a wonderful time. He was charming and amusing, and incredibly attractive. He seemed genuinely interested in knowing everything about her. She knew he was flattering her, but he really seemed to mean the compliments he paid her.

If I didn't know better...

Mallory had hardly tasted his food. All he could think was, In two hours I will be making ten thousand dollars.... In one hour, I will be making ten thousand dol¬lars.... In thirty minutes...

They finished their coffee.

"Are you ready?" Mallory asked.

Kat put her hand over his. "You have no idea how ready, darling. Let's go."

They took a taxi to Mallory's apartment. "I'm abso¬lutely crazy about you," Mallory murmured. "I've never known anyone like you."

And she could hear Grundy's voice: He's so sure of himself that he says he's going to get you into bed by Saturday night.

When they arrived at the apartment, Mallory paid the taxi driver and led Kat into the elevator. It seemed to Mallory to take forever to get up to his apartment. He opened the door and said eagerly, "Here it is."

Kat stepped inside.

It was an ordinary little bachelor's apartment that desperately needed a woman's touch.

"Oh, it's lovely," Kat breathed. She turned to Mal¬lory. "It's you.'"

He grinned. "Let me show you our room. I'll put some music on."

As he went over to the tape deck, Kat glanced at her watch. The voice of Barbra Streisand filled the room.

Mallory took her hand. "Let's go, honey."

"Wait a minute," Kat said softly.

He was looking at her, puzzled. "What for?"

"I just want to enjoy this moment with you. You know, before we..."

"Why don't we enjoy it in the bedroom?"

"I'd love a drink."

"A drink?" He tried to hide his impatience. "Fine. What would you like?"

"A vodka and tonic, please."

He smiled. "I think we can handle that." He went over to the little bar and hurriedly mixed two drinks.

Kat looked at her watch again.

Mallory returned with the drinks and handed one to Kat. "Here you are, baby." He raised his glass. "To togetherness."

"To togetherness," Kat said. She took a sip of the drink. "Oh, my God!"

He looked at her, startled. "What's the matter?"

"This is vodka!"

"That's what you asked for."

"Did I? I'm sorry. I hate vodka!" She stroked his face. "May I have a scotch and soda?"

"Sure." He swallowed his impatience and went back to the bar to mix another drink.

Kat glanced at her watch again.

Ken Mallory returned. "Here you are."

"Thank you, darling."

She took two sips of her drink. Mallory took the glass from her and set it on a table. He put his arms around Kat and held her close, and she could feel that he was aroused.

"Now," Ken said softly, "let's make history."

"Oh, yes!" Kat said. "Yes!"

She let him lead her into the bedroom.

I've done it! Mallory exulted. I've done it. Here go the walls of Jericho! He turned to Kat. "Get undressed, baby."

"You first, darling. I want to watch you get un dressed. It excites me."

"Oh? Well, sure."

As Kat stood there watching, Mallory slowly took his clothes off. First his jacket, then his shirt and tie, then his shoes and stockings, and then his trousers. He had the firm figure of an athlete.

"Does this excite you, baby?"

"Oh, yes. Now take off your shorts."

Slowly Mallory let his shorts fall to the floor. He had a turgid erection.

"That's beautiful," Kat said.

"Now it's your turn."

"Right."

And at that moment, Kat's beeper went off.

Mallory was startled. "What the hell...?"

"They're calling me," Kat said. "May I use your telephone?"

"Now?"

"Yes. It must be an emergency."

'Wow? Can't it wait?"

"Darling, you know the rules."

"But..."

As Mallory watched, Kat walked over to the telephone and dialed a number. "Dr. Hunter." She lis¬tened. "Really? Of course. I'll be right there."

Mallory was staring at her, stupefied. "What's going on?"

"I have to get back to the hospital, angel."

"Now?"

"Yes. One of my patients is dying."

"Can't he wait until...?"

"I'm sorry. We'll do this another night."

Ken Mallory stood there, buck naked, watching Kat walk out of his apartment, and as the door closed behind her, he picked up her drink and slammed it into the wall. Bitch... bitch... bitch...

When Kat got back to the apartment, Paige and Honey were eagerly waiting for her.

"How did it go?" Paige asked. "Was I on time?"

Kat laughed. "Your timing was perfect."

She began to describe the evening. When she came to the part about Mallory standing in the bedroom naked, with an erection, they laughed until tears came to their eyes.

Kat was tempted to tell them how enjoyable she really found Ken Mallory, but she felt foolish. After all, he was seeing her only so he could win a bet.

Somehow, Paige seemed to sense how Kat felt. "Be careful of him, Kat."

Kat smiled. "Don't worry. But I will admit that if I didn't know about that bet... He's a snake, but he gives good snake oil."

"When are you going to see him again?" Honey asked.

"I'm going to give him a week to cool off." Paige was studying her. "Him or you?"

Dinetto's black limousine was waiting outside the hospital for Kat. This time, the Shadow was alone. Kat wished that Rhino were there. There was something about the Shadow that petrified her. He never smiled and seldom spoke, but he exuded menace.

"Get in," he said as Kat approached the car.

"Look," Kat said indignantly, "you tell Mr. Dinetto that he can't order me around. I don't work for him. Just because I did him a favor once..."

"Get in. You can tell him yourself."

Kat hesitated. It would be easy to walk away and not get involved any further, but how would it affect Mike? Kat got into the car.

The victim this time had been badly beaten, whipped with a chain. Lou Dinetto was there with him.

Kat took one look at the patient and said, "You've got to get him to a hospital right away."

"Kat," Dinetto said, "you have to treat him here."

"Why?" Kat demanded. But she knew the answer, and it terrified her.