No! It can't be that time already, thought Kay as the alarm commenced jangling on her night table. Kay had worked until almost midnight the night before preparing a job for one of her spoiled rich clients. She ran an interior design firm, whose specialty was "one of a kind" window treatments.

This client was especially trying. She was a pretty, spoiled rich kid, married to an equally wealthy man. He was a doctor whose family owned a jewelry store chain. Rosalynn and Alex were young, expecting their second child and they had just finished building a two million-dollar home in a neighborhood of million-dollar homes.

Climbing out of bed, Kay stretched and yawned, rubbing her eyes, while she blindly navigated the hall to wake her sixteen-year-old twins. First door to the right was Ryan's room.

Smiling, she peeked in at his handsome face, "Rise and shine, Ryan!"

Kay padded down the hall to her daughter's room. Jenny was lying on her side, hugging a pillow cradled in her arms.

"Breakfast in fifteen minutes," Kay called, as she hurried to get the bathroom first.

"Damn, I knew he'd be early this morning!" Kay muttered to herself as she parked in front of her shop. Her drapery installer, Oliver was waiting for her. An employee for years, he knew her well enough to grumble at her tardiness.

"Always-late-Kay…that's your new name!" he teased.

"Hush! Always-gets-the-job-done-Kay is more like it," she laughed.

Kay and Oliver quickly loaded the window treatments for the 6000 square foot contemporary home in his van and left for the client's residence. She had promised to be on the job by 9:30AM; it would be a miracle if they were on time.

When they arrived, large vans were being emptied and workers were streaming ant-like in and out of the house. Her client's were outside directing the movers, as each piece of furniture was unloaded. It was chaos, made worse by Oliver's grumbling.

After they unloaded, Kay began to sort treatments by room, along with the hardware for installation. Oliver began the tedious job of installing each treatment, then dressing them out while she worked ahead of him preparing each room's treatments. They worked well together, each performing quietly and efficiently.

While Kay and Oliver were dressing out the first treatment, Rosalynn came in to check on the progress. "Oh, Kay! It's just beautiful…perfect! It's just like I imagined!" she beamed.

"Thank you, Rosalynn. That's my job!"

"Well, I hope the rest of them are this wonderful. Let me go get Alex…he'll want to see this," she said, rushing from the room to get her husband.

"Damn, Kay, didja get a look at that diamond on her finger?" Oliver asked.

"How could I miss it? It's huge!"

"Boy, how the rich live," Oliver grumbled. Kay could hear him muttering for a while, but she was too busy to ask what was wrong.

They watched as Rosalynn drug Alex into the room, wanting him to share her excitement about the window dressings. Kay smiled in amusement as he tried to feign interest for his wife's sake.

After the couple left the room, Oliver said, "Kay, what's that guy's name? Is he a doctor?"

"Yes, he is…Alex Zimmerman."

"Thought so," Oliver said, turning back to his task, a dark look clouding his face. Kay could hear him muttering.

"Oliver, what's wrong today? You certainly aren't yourself…PMS?" she teased.

"Hell, no! Ya know what a charming fellow I am," he tried to pass it off.

"Talk to me, Oliver! Something's wrong."

"I've had some bad news about Hope. But, I'm not talkin' about it here…later, okay?"

"Alright, I'm going to hold you to it…I hope it's not bad, Oliver. I know she's your pet."

Hope was Oliver's 22-year-old daughter whom he had adopted along with a couple of other children a few years back. She had Cerebral Palsy and the often-accompanying mental retardation. There was also another adopted son with the same disease. Kay shook her head as she thought about how Oliver and his wife had given so much love to children with special needs.

An hour later Kay had finished layout and was following Oliver from room to room, performing final touchup. They had barely seen each other since the earlier encounter with Rosalynn and Alex. They were finishing the second floor; ready to head down to the chaos that was the first floor.

"Honk! Honk!" shouted Little Alex, the couple's two-year old son, as once again, he rode his red, toy truck through the doorway of the bedroom.

Kay looked down at him, smiling, as she recalled how Ryan used to love his ride-em toys when he was small. "That's a handsome truck you have there, Alex…wanna give me a ride?"

"You're too big," he said, bounding off, leaving Kay laughing at his abruptness.

Kay was in the master bathroom, putting the finishing touches on the valance. As she stepped back to admire her handiwork, Rosalynn rushed in, looking worried and frantically moving bottles and boxes around on the vanity. "

Kay, have you seen a ring lying on this counter?" Rosalynn asked, tears in her eyes.

"No, I haven't. What ring?"

"My wedding ring…I almost never wear it, but I did today. I used this bathroom earlier and took it off to wash my hands. I know I left it here!" she said, frantically.

"God, Rosalynn, I didn't see it when I came in…let me ask Oliver."

Kay returned from speaking with Oliver, "Rosalynn, Oliver was just in here, and he didn't see it either…are you sure you left it here?"

"Yes, I'm positive…have you seen anyone else in here?"

"Oh Rose, there have been so many people in here…the plumber, Oliver and me, and others…I have no idea how many." Kay told her, growing worried. "Why don't you call the plumber back up here and ask him to take the drain apart?"

Kay and Oliver worked their way through the remainder of the rooms on the first floor, but the enthusiasm Kay had felt as the day began had left partly due to Oliver's mood and her worries about him, and partly because of the disappearance of the ring. Rosalynn had told her that the plumber couldn't find the ring. The police were on their way.

The workmen were grumbling now. No one was allowed to leave until the police had a chance to talk to each of them. They all had deadlines on various jobs, so Kay was hearing it from all of them.

Finally, she and Oliver finished and after loading his tools back in his van, they sat down to wait their turn to talk with the policeman.

"Ollie, you do remember that I told you to bill this client directly for your work, right?" Kay asked Oliver. "This was too complicated for me to estimate, so I just told them you would bill it as a separate invoice."

"Yeah, I remember," he said quietly. "And I'm not giving 'em a break either…this doctor sure didn't give me a break. Awhile back, Hope broke her leg, and he had to meet us at the hospital to set it. You wouldn't believe what that SOB charged me. I always hoped that someday he'd be at my mercy and I'd get my chance to pay him back. Now's my chance. He's in my shop now!"

"Well, I have confidence you'll do the right thing…glad I'm out of it," Kay said, worried even more by Oliver's dark mood.

At last they saw the policemen heading their way. Kay was relieved to be getting it over with so she could leave. She noticed Oliver tense up as the policeman took him aside. I'll be glad when he can go home and get some rest…his stress level is too high today, she thought.

"Bye Rosalynn," Kay said as she hugged her goodbye. "Keep your chin up…maybe the ring will turn up, and all this will have been for nothing."

"I wish I could believe that, Kay. I know where I left it, and it's just not there. But, thank you for everything you've done."

"Rosalynn, do you mind if I ask…just how much is that ring worth? I'm sure it'll be in the papers anyway, so it won't be a secret long."

"I'm not sure, Kay, but it's over a hundred thousand. It's a perfect, five carat diamond, set in platinum."

"Jesus! I wish I hadn't asked," Kay said as she turned to leave, more worried than ever.

When she relayed this to Oliver, he just grumped, "Don'tcha worry that pretty head about those people…you can believe they had it insured…so they'll probably make out like the bandits they are!" With that said, he climbed up in his seat and left.

The next morning Rob, Oliver's oldest son, came to Kay's shop to pick up the jobs ready for installation. He had his own business, but on occasion, he would pinch hit for his dad.

"Where's your dad?" she asked.

"He's taking Hope to the doctor…he'll be here later," Rob explained. "Mom was going to take her, but Dad wanted to hear it all for himself."

"Rob, if you don't think your dad would mind your telling me, I sure would like to know what's wrong…he had me worried yesterday."

"I don't think he'd care. You already know that Hope has Cerebral Palsy…now they've discovered she has a rare condition called Neurofibromatosis…NF1. It causes tumors to appear inside the body. She has one on her auditory nerve and it has to be removed…then she'll be deaf."

"Oh, my God…when did he find this out?"

"A few days ago…this doctor is telling them there's an implant she can have…but it costs $25,000. Insurance doesn't cover it…Dad's worried he won't be able to do it for her," Rob explained further.

"No wonder he was in such a foul mood," Kay said. "I wish he had told me."

"Well, Hope, is his baby…she is so sweet and childlike, he thinks he has to take special care of her…he thinks he's lettin' her down."

"I'm so sorry, Rob. Maybe there's an agency that will help."

"Nope…they don't qualify…it's still experimental."

Kay hung up the phone, a little aggravated that the policemen were going to have to interview her again. Her schedule was so tight lately; she just didn't have time to spend on anything but work. But, she knew that she had to help all she could.

First thing that morning she had called the tearful Rosalynn, and got the news that the ring hadn't been found, so they were certain it had been a theft.

Kay certainly hoped she wasn't really a suspect in this case. It would ruin her business if her clients got any ideas that she couldn't be trusted in their homes. She certainly had enough financial problems with this business that a hundred grand would be tempting to her or anyone else in her position.

"Did you see anyone go into the bathroom while you were working?" the stocky black detective asked her.

"Yes…I saw several people go in and out. We were trying frantically to finish the job. The wallpaper was being hung, the draperies installed, the plumbing being finished, the flooring men had some last minute touches…countless people."

"Did you see anyone go in the room that wasn't a workmen, anyone that wasn't accounted for? A stranger?"

"I didn't watch the door the whole time…I had no reason to…and I didn't know everyone there…I can't tell you that." Kay was feeling guilty and pressured, and she didn't know why.

"Well, you need to think about it. We're investigating everyone and we need a complete list of anyone that had access to the property," the detective pushed. "I'll be in touch," he said, leaving abruptly, with Kay more worried than ever.

"Kay, you won't believe what's happened to me," a frantic voice on the phone blasted in Kay's ear.

"What? What happened? Who is this?"

"Oh…sorry Kay…it's Janice…the police were here…that Detective Sloan…they're blaming me for the missing ring…I don't know what to do…help me, Kay…You gotta tell them I wouldn't do that!" her wallpaper hanger wailed.

"Jan, why on earth would they blame you?"

"They got me to talking…found out I had been in trouble before…a long time ago. They think I would do it again…I wouldn't Kay…I learned my lesson."

"Calm down, Jan…start from the beginning…tell me what they said," Kay said, trying to understand.

"Kay…a long time ago, I got in some trouble, kited some checks, stole some money…I was on drugs…desperate…young and stupid. But, that was fifteen years ago, and I've never done anything since."

"Damn, Jan…I didn't know. Did they actually accuse you? I'll tell them you've worked for me for years, and nothing has ever been missed before," Kay reassured her.

"No…not yet! But they will, I just know it. I have kids, Kay, what'll I do?"

"Jan, they're questioning everyone…please don't panic."

"Everyone don't have a record."

"Let me check around, Jan. I'll see what's going on. Just keep calm…call me later, Okay?"

God, what a mess! I wish I had never seen that friggin' ring!

As Kay was placing the receiver on the phone, it rang again. This time it was an upbeat Rob.

"I got the jobs done, Kay! They looked great! Everybody's happy…Dad'll be there tomorrow."

"You sure sound happy, Rob. I'm glad things went okay. Thank you."

"Welcome, Kay…glad to do it!"

"How's your dad…how's Hope?"

"They had good news…doctor can do the transplant, and Dad's got the money…a bank loan…so everything's gonna work out!" Rob said, the relief apparent in his voice.

"Oh, Rob…I'm so glad. Hug them for me. Your folks are wonderful people to give so much love to all those children."

"Yes, they are…will do…bye Kay"

Within five minutes the phone rang again; it was Detective Sloan. "I need to talk to you…be there in ten minutes…" he said as he hung up too fast for Kay to protest.

Well great! I'm getting a lot done today! What now?

Ten minutes later he came in calmly, but his demeanor didn't fool Kay. "I need to ask you some questions about Janice Stephens…did you know she has a record?"

"No, I didn't. But, she's worked for me for years. She's a good person. I just found out today about the record. We've all made mistakes, Detective…she paid for hers."

"Yeah, she did. But, crack is a hard habit to kick…maybe it's back…have you noticed any changes in her behavior lately?"

"No, she's not on drugs…don't prosecute her now for her past."

After a several more questions about Janice and her work habits, the detective was gone again; but Kay, feeling queasy, knew he would be back. As she settled down to her tasks, the phone rang. Who could it be this time?

"Hi…it's me. Don't say anything to my Dad about what I told you. Let him tell you about Hope…Okay?" Rob said.

"Sure, Rob…will do. Mum's the word," she assured him.

If it rings one more time, I'm outta here for the day, she thought as she tried to settle back into her work after this latest interruption.

Kay sat and stared at the drawings she had begun, her concentration lost. Finally, in disgust, she slammed her books closed, packed them in her briefcase and went home. She needed a Jen and Ryan fix to get her out of this mood. An hour with them would make her feel better.

Rushing out the door the next morning, Kay knew Oliver would be impatiently waiting for her again. When she whipped into the parking space, he was pacing. He looked at his watch, tapped the face and pointed to it. "Late again!"

"Oh, hush! I'm trying," she whined. "I've been worried about you, tell me what's going on," she said, as Oliver followed her in the door.

Oliver reiterated the facts about Hope's illness pretty much as Rob told them. "I've been worried sick, though, because she needs an operation. It costs twenty-five thousand and I didn't have it. But, my brother's gonna loan it to me…so everything will be alright."

"Thank God, for that, Ollie," Kay said, as she gave him a big hug. "She'll be okay…wait and see. She's ahead of the game anyway…she has you for a father."

The phone rang, starting the day off right. "Kay, you have to help me…they're threatening to arrest me…what'll I do?" Janice wailed in her ear, crying.

"When did this happen? What's going on?"

"Just now…the detective…he said he has a witness that saw me hiding something in the back of my truck that day. I didn't Kay…honest. Help me."

"Calm down, Janice. They can't arrest you unless they have proof."

"Yes, they can…just watch 'em."

"Janice, just go to work, and don't worry about it. They're probably just trying to scare you," Kay said, with more certainty than she felt.

Hanging up the phone, Kay saw Oliver's angry look. He had overheard enough to know what was going on. "Fuck 'em, Kay. Jan'll be okay, and those people ain't lost anything they can't afford to lose!"

Later in the day, Detective Sloan returned to her shop with more questions about Janice. He asked several questions about her finances and sources of income. He questioned her again about noticing any behavior changes in Janice or anyone present that day. Kay tried to be honest with her answers, but she didn't tell him any more than he asked.

When she got home that night, she called Jan to check on her. Jan sounded more frightened than ever. "What's happened now, Jan?"

"Well, when that cop came today the furniture store was here unloading my new furniture I had ordered. I was inside opening the boxes and setting up my new stereo. You know I've been saving a long time to fix up my house, Kay. But, to them it looked like I just came into a windfall!" Jan whined.

"Did you tell them you started this project even before the ring was stolen, that you will be making payments for a long time?"

"Sure, I did…for all the good it did me."

Kay had a restless night and by morning, she was too exhausted to stay in bed. Rain pelted her window all night, and blasts of thunder and the crackle of lightening had destroyed any chance of sleep. When she arrived at her office exhausted, Rob was waiting for her again. "Why are you here, Rob? Where's your dad?"

"At home playing with his new computer…you know how long he's limped along with that old clunker and the 14.4 modem…well, he went out and bought a brand new one…big powerful sucker!" Rob grinned.

"Dang! It's about time! I've been tired of his stories about all the things he can do before a web page loads…now we'll have to listen to how fast it is…" Kay laughed.

"Well, he's certainly in a better mood than I thought he'd be since finding out how sick Hope is…he's taking it well. Sometimes I see a worried look, though," Rob told her.

"I guess knowing there's hope is enough to keep his spirits up, Rob. I pray he keeps 'em up, and doesn't let the worry get the best of him."

"Well, between the computer and the new van he just ordered, I think he'll be occupied for a while…too busy to worry," Rob said.

While they were talking, Kay and Rob were loading his job into his van. She hadn't planned to accompany Oliver today, so after being assured by Rob that he could handle it alone, she sent him on his way, hoping to use the time to work on some other pressing jobs.

At the end of the day, she locked the door as her last employee left and just fell back against it, glad just to have a moment of peace. But, the phone's ringing broke the spell.

"Kay…I toldja…they did it. I'm in jail. Please help me!" sobbed Jan.

"They did what, Jan?"

"Arrested me! Under suspicion! What's gonna happen to me…to my children?"

After getting more information from Jan, Kay assured her that she and her parents would take care of the children and do what they could to help get Jan released from custody.

It was nearly 1AM when Kay finally dropped into bed that night. She had gotten help with the children from Ryan and Jen; she enlisted Janice's parents to find a lawyer. Exhausted, she fell immediately into a restless sleep.

Jerking awake, in a cold sweat, Kay looked at the clock. It was only 3AM, but something had woken her. Gradually it came back to her…the realization that Oliver's stories weren't adding up. She remembered Rob telling her that Oliver was getting a bank loan, but Oliver said his brother was loaning him the money. Just the week before she had pressed Oliver about buying himself a new computer and he had said there was no way he could, now suddenly he had bought one.

She hadn't even thought about it at the time, but now she remembered Rob telling her about his dad ordering a new van. Jeez, where's he getting all this money? She thought. Oliver was the most frugal person she knew.

Then Kay remembered all of Oliver's comments about Alex and Rosalynn. The more she tried to block out the thoughts, the more they haunted her sleep-deprived mind. Kay knew what she had to do. She couldn't let Janice stay in jail under suspicion when it looked more and more like Oliver was the guilty one. But, she couldn't betray Oliver either. What a dilemma!

Finally Kay fell asleep, but was awakened at 9AM by the detective. Since it was Saturday, she was not going in to the office, so he told her he was coming to her home. Something in his tone frightened her. She reluctantly got up and dressed a feeling of dread in her stomach.

Detective Sloan arrived with a grim look on his face. Kay knew that her fear was not unwarranted. After a few questions about Jan, he abruptly changed the subject to Oliver.

"What do you know about Oliver King?

"He installs my draperies for me. He's a good man. What else do you want to know?

"I want to know why you've been covering remarks he made on the site about the Zimmerman's…and why you've covered his need for a great deal of money."

"I haven't covered anything. What are you talking about?" Kay asked, her voice rising in anger.

"Don't get that attitude with me. I can book your ass for Aiding and Abetting. You know you been holding back on me…and I don't like it!"

"Aiding and Abetting? Are you nuts?"

"Hell no, and to prove it, let's take a ride now. I don't like it when folks cover crimes and let us arrest innocent folks. You have the right to remain silent….", he started as he held out his handcuffs and motioned for Kay to turn around with her hands behind her back.

Not believing it had happened; Kay sat in the holding cell, waiting her turn to use the phone. The detective had made good on his threat. She had just learned that Jan had been released and Oliver arrested for the crime.

Finally they brought the phone to her, telling her she could make more than one call, but she better make them fast. She called home and assured Jen and Ryan that she was all right.

Next she called an old friend of hers, a long-time client that had become her buddy. He was a retired Air Force Officer, who owned an up-scale restaurant on the beach. He had, on occasion in the past, performed 'discreet inquiries' for some of his customers and friends that had legal problems they didn't want aired in public.

She tried to force her voice to sound calm. "Hi Trace…this is Kay. How are ya?"

"Kay? It's great to hear from you, Hon. I'm good; how's my favorite designer?"

"Not so great, Trace…I need your help!"

Sensing her tone, he dispensed with the usual teasing and banter and asked her what was wrong. After Kay explained what had happened she asked, "Trace, can you find a private investigator to help me? I need someone to find out just who took this damn ring. The police aren't getting anywhere…they're just crashing around like the proverbial bull in the china shop. I don't know what else to do!" "

Kay, I just met this beautiful woman a few days ago. She just moved to Wilmington from Charlotte. She's a PI. I bet she'd help…let me call her?"

"Oh God! Thank you, Bud! Please do call her…and one more thing…"

"What's that, Hon?"

"Come get me out of jail!" Kay cried. "And Bud…?"

"Yes?"

"This is just like you, telling me she's beautiful. I don't give a crap what she looks like…is she any good?"

"Why, Kay, I don't know yet…but you'll be the first to know!" he teased.

"Trace, when I get out of here, I'm gonna kill you! Now, please just get me out of jail!"

Sitting back down on the bench, Kay began to worry about Oliver. What was going to become of him? What would happen to his family? His wife had never worked. How would she take care of them if Oliver was taken away for good?

Kay worried about her kids, and then payroll received a few minutes of her attention. How could she make payroll if she was in jail? What if Trace can't get me out? Surely, they won't keep me all night, she thought.

A matron unlocked the cell door. She motioned for Kay to come with her. "Good, I was beginning to think Trace was never coming. I guess I made bail, right?" she smiled timidly at the scowling matron.

"I don't know anything about bail, normally you have to have a bail hearing before that happens," the beefy matron growled.

"Then where am I going now?" Kay asked, almost in tears.

"You sure ask a lot of questions, look straight ahead and follow the yellow line," the matron snapped.

Kay walked through the cellblocks, up a flight of stairs, then wound through more cellblocks. When she saw the Central Booking sign painted in huge letters on the wall ahead, it suddenly dawned on her where she was going.

"You're not going to put me in real jail are you?" she asked the matron with tears falling now.

"If you keep stopping and turning around, you're gonna wind up kissing the floor!"

"Please, talk to me! I've never been in jail before!" Kay pled with the large woman.

"Sure, and I can fly if I really want too," the woman grimaced, which on second look, could have been a smile.

"I've never been in jail…please believe me. Why can't my friend bail me out?"

"No bail…until it's been set. You have to be charged and have a bail hearing, understand?"

"How do I get charged?" Kay asked, bewildered.

"First you get booked, then you get a hearing…okay?"

"Okay, I guess…thanks for talking to me," Kay tried to smile.

"You really never been in jail before?" the woman asked in disbelief.

"No, never!"

"Okay, listen carefully, you get your picture taken. You get printed and they take some information from you and enter it into the computer. Follow me so far?"

"Yes."

"You have to get undressed and be searched. Then you have to be deloused and take a shower. After that you'll be issued some underwear and a pair of coveralls. They will give you a pair of sneakers…watch them carefully. They disappear really easy and there is hell to pay if you lose your shoes!"

"I have to get undressed in front of everyone?" Kay asked, incredulous.

"Yes, and when I do the cavity search…don't cry and make a fuss. You'll catch hell if you do. Just do what I tell you, and it'll go quickly!"

Kay sat on the lower bunk by the bleached blonde woman and cried in humiliation. They had actually fought over her! The black woman and the tattooed blonde had traded blows; hard ones, that sounded meaty and frightening.

The bail hearing hadn't gone well, Trace and his attorney were there and tried to post bond but the Prosecuting Attorney had screamed that Kay was a flight risk and cited her passport and extensive client base in the Caribbean as justification. The judge finally set bail at a hundred thousand and Trace was scrambling to come up with ten thousand in cash for the bail bondsman.

The blonde woman had a proprietary arm around Kay and was whispering in sordid detail just what great fun they would have when the lights were turned out. Kay sat rigidly trying not to recoil in revulsion as the woman's whispering mouth occasionally brushed her ear and on two occasions her cheek.

Suddenly, keys rattled in the cell door. The young black matron looked at Kay and crooked a finger, "Lets go Shepherd, you just made bail. You want to hustle, they stop today's processing in just a few minutes…"

With the exception of the disappointed blonde, the other women in the cell laughed as Kay practically ran out the door.

"Thank you, Jesus!" Kay whispered, as she and the matron almost jogged down the long hall. She didn't know who this woman PI of Trace's was, but she did know one thing…she was going to find out who stole that damn ring…no matter who it hurt…nor how much it cost!