"What do you mean, Damned By Desire isn't in the Cory Publishing database?"

said Matthew,"It's got to be there!"

"Come to think of it, " said Felicia, "I wrote that book before I signed with Cory.

It was published by a company called - uh - "

The Corys danced with impatience while Felicia racked her brains.

" Ridgeway Romances!" she said at last, "But I think they went out of business."

"So, there's no way to get hold of a copy of the book?" said Paulina.

" I"ve got an idea." said Felicia, "There's a woman named Annie Wilkes, out in

Colorado. She calls herself my Number One Fan. She claims to have everything I've

ever written."

"Do you know her address?"

"No."

The Corys groaned.

"But I bet the president of my fan club does!" said Felicia, taking the address book

out of her purse and heading for the telephone. Matthew looked around the room.

"Zack - where did he go?" he said.

(Zack had slipped away, first to the hospital, to get his broken nose taped, and then

to the airport, to take the first plane out of Bay City.)

"Hello, Margery? Felicia Gallant here. - I'm fine - Yes, I am working on a new

novel - Thank you. Listen Margery, do you have Annie Wilkes' phone number? You

do? Wonderful!"

****

Rachel looked down at the letter. She had done her best; now she had to

hope first, that Jordan Stark would keep his promise to send it, and second, that her

family would find the hidden message.

Now she tried to keep her statement neutral, as Jordan Stark read the letter over.

"Very well," he said, passing it back to her, "Seal the envelope, and I shall send it

immediately."

"You promise?"

"I can deny you nothing."

"Then, take off the mask."

"Almost nothing." said Stark. "Remember your promise - in return for my letting

you write to your family, you said you would call me by name."

"I haven't forgotten, - Jordan."

"Say it again! Please."

"Jordan."

"Oh my love, it has been so long!" he said, "How I have longed to hear you say

that word."

****

"Hello, Annie Wilkes? This is Felicia Gallant. - No, this isn't a joke. I really am

Felicia Gallant - Thank you - yes - yes - Listen, Ms Wilkes - very well, Annie - the

reason I called is, I've heard that you have a copy of every book I ever wrote. Do

you have Damned By Desire? It's one of my early novels - You do? Oh, thank

goodness! I need to borrow it. It's urgent! Could you send it to me, as quick as you

can? - yes, FedEx would be fine. I'd pay you, of course - yes, I will send it back

when I'm through with it. - Yes, of course I'll autograph it for you! - Thank you!

You have no idea what this means to me! Send it to me at the Cory Estate, 10

Underhill Terrace, Bay City Illinois - got that? Yes. Thank you again, Annie!"

****

When she got home from school, Allie checked her e-mails. As usual, they were

jammed. Ever since she had posted a reward for Rachel's whereabouts on the

internet, she had been receiving hundreds of messages a day. She read them over,

deleted the ones that were obviously from cranks ( Rachel had been abducted by

Aliens, and was being held on their mothership etc) and kept the rest, to be passed on

to the FBI. Maybe one of the messages would really lead to something.

"Oh Grandma, where are you?" she said, looking at Rachel's photograph.

****

The doorbell rang. "Federal Express."

"The package!"

The Corys practically stampeded the unfortunate delivery man in their haste to get

what he held.

"Sign here." he said, looking like a sheep that had strayed into a wolfpack.

Matthew signed his name, grabbed the package, and tore it open.

Inside was, not the expected book, but an envelope.

"It's another letter from Mom!" Disregarding all the warnings about fingerprints (

they had been so careful last time, and it had gotten them nowhere) he opened the

envelope.

"My Darlings," he read, "I feel like Alice, after she went through the looking-glass.

Jam yesterday, jam tomorrow, but never jam today. Make a special supper, with

plenty of jam, when I come home. Don't worry, I haven't lost my mind" - I was

beginning to wonder! - "Stop worrying, I'm fine. Looking for me is a waste of time,

though. Love, Rachel."

"I-j-m-d-s-l." said Paulina. "That doesn't make any sense! Are you sure the letter

is from Rachel?"

"It looks like her handwriting." said Matthew, "See for yourself."

Just then, the doorbell rang again. This time, it was the package from Annie

Wilkes, in Colorado.

"Okay, who's the fastest reader?"

"Let me have it!" said Felicia, "Once I start reading it, the plot will probably come

back to me."

They handed her the book.

Felicia looked around. "I don't think I can concentrate ,with all of you watching

me like this. I need privacy."

"Go into the library." said Paulina, "I won't let anyone disturb you ."

To be continued.