The next morning, Mac and Don got their flight to Knoxville. Of course, there were several stops before they got there and it was night again before they got there. Mac rubbed his forehead as they got their luggage. "I am so sick of flying," he said. "When this is over, I think I am going to sleep for a month."

"Me too," Don replied.

They left the airport and got a cab to Carry Hale's apartment. "I hope she's here," Mac said as he rang the doorbell.

Suddenly, the door opened slightly with the chain still holding. "Who's out there?" a female voice said. "I have a gun."

"Carry?" Mac said.

The woman gasped. "Detective Taylor?"

"Yes."

The door slammed shut and Mac thought she would run, but he heard the chain slide out and the door opened. "Get in here!" Carry said. She grabbed Mac by the arm and pulled him into the apartment and Don followed.

Carry slammed the door shut and locked it. The room was only lit by a lamp. "I think somebody's trying to kill me," she said as she grabbed Mac's hand and led him away from the door.

"What do you mean?" Mac asked.

"Somebody's been following me today," Carry said with a shaky voice. "I stayed in crowds of people all day as much as I could and I got home as quickly as I could."

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"And tell them what?"

Mac stared at her a moment. "I'm sure somebody is trying to kill you," he said. "They're after me too. You know what's happening to me! It's your fault because you helped them!"

Carry started to cry. "I'm sorry," she said. "I had to. Melinda is evil. She would have killed me if I had not helped her."

"How does she know you? She must have something on you to be able to get you to do something like this."

"I used to be one of her associates but I wanted out of that and I've tried to stay away from her."

Mac shook his head. "So she chose you to drug me."

Carry nodded. Mac glared at her. "Do you know what kind of trouble you've caused me?" he asked.

"If you'll help me, I will tell them everything. I don't care if I go to prison. I don't want to be killed by her."

Mac grabbed her by the arms. "You're going to tell it whether I help you or not! I'm not the one who got us into this mess!"

Carry stared into Mac's eyes and she nodded. She knew she had almost ruined his life. "I'll help you," she said.

Mac let go of her and paced a moment. He looked at Don. "What are we going to do?" Don asked.

"We might ought to wait until morning," Mac said. "At least then we will be able to see everything outside and it will be more likely that people will be awake."

"So we stay here all night and keep watch?"

"Maybe we should tell the police what is going on. They could help us get out of here."

Don considered that. "You might ought to let me do that," he said.

Mac had to admit he was right. "Go ahead," he said.

Don got the phone and called the police there in Knoxville. He told them who he was and what was going on. "We need someone to come and help us get this witness out of here," he said.

"We'll get on it," the detective replied. "I'll let you know when we're coming that way."

Don hung up the phone and looked at Mac. "He said they would let us know when they were coming," he said.

Mac had brought his duffle bag with him. He pulled out his .57 Magnum and checked the loading. Carry stared at the gun and then looked at Mac. "Are you going to shoot them?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "If they come up here trying to kill us, I sure am," he said.

Don took his weapon out as well. "How many were following you?" he asked.

"I don't know," Carry replied. "I only saw one man. It was Thomas, but he always has someone else with him."

Mac nodded. "Yeah." He looked at Don. "You go to the back door."

Don nodded and headed through the kitchen. Mac looked at Carry. "You sit down over there."

Carry moved over to the sofa and sat down. She stared at Mac. "I really am sorry," she said.

Mac looked at her. "We'll talk about that later if we get out of here alive. This is what happens when you deal with evil people."

Mac walked over to the front window. "Turn that lamp off," he said. When the lamp was off, he peeped out the front window. He wished he was outside so he could see better if there was anyone out there in that parking area. He had no way of knowing if there were vehicles out there that did not belong.

Suddenly, Don came to the kitchen door. "Mac, there's something going on out here," he said. "And the detective called and said they were on their way." He pointed toward the back door. "I saw two shadows out there. I think they're planning to come through that back door. You think they know we're here?"

"Oh, I'm sure they do," Mac said.

Mac walked over to the sofa and got Carry by the arm. "Come on," he said. He led her into the bedroom and put her in the closet. "Stay in there." He closed the door and went back into the other room.

Don looked at Mac. "I don't like this situation," he said.

"Neither do I," Mac replied.

"We don't even know what kind of weapon they have out there."

"Melinda likes to do things quietly. I'm sure they have silencers on whatever they have and they'll be very discreet when they make a move."

They went to the back door and looked out but they did not see anything outside now. "I'll be glad when those cops get here and get us out of here," Don declared.

Soon, the detective arrived along with four other officers. Mac opened the door for them. "We're glad to see you," he said.

"I'm Detective Sherman," the detective said and shook Mac's hand.

"Detective Taylor and this is Detective Flack."

"Where is the woman?"

"I hid her in the closet." Mac went into the bedroom and got Carry out. "Come on."

Detective Sherman put a bulletproof vest on Carry and gave one to Mac and Don. Mac was glad to have it. "We have to get her down to your station so she can give her statement," Mac said.

"We'll get her there," Detective Sherman replied.

They all went to the door with Carry surrounded as they went out to the police cars. They got her into the back of one of the cars and then they all headed for the police station. Mac was glad that went off without any trouble but he knew trouble was coming. It was a long way to New York and he knew Melinda would not let this go without a fight. He was sure he would meet up with her again.

Melinda was angry as Thomas was telling her that Mac and Don had gotten to Carry before they did. "We couldn't get a flight before theirs," Thomas said.

"You're supposed to find a way!" Melinda declared. "If they get that woman back to New York, she will ruin all my plans!"

"Well, why didn't you kill her before!"

"I didn't think Mac would remember her or her name! And I thought you could do your job!"

"Don't blame this on me! You're the one who can't let this go and leave Mac Taylor alone! You should know if you keep messing with that detective, you're going to wind up in prison! You were lucky the first time, but now it's murder!"

"Oh, now you're not turning against me, are you?"

"Of course not, but I know when to quit!"

"I'll take care of this when he gets to New York. I will wait for my opportunity. If I can't get him this way, I'll just kill him!"

"You should have done that already."

"I'll talk to you when you get back."

Melinda slammed down the phone. She was angry. They could not even kill one woman and they let Mac get to her and now she would spill her guts at that police station and ruin the whole plan. Well, she might as well forget that plan because it was down the toilet now. Carry knew everything. She knew they planned to do all this to Mac because she had told her the plan. She had never dreamed that Carry would be a witness like this. She would just kill Mac and get it over with. He had to pay for betraying her.

Carry told the whole story at the police station. She wrote a confession and told everything that she had done for Melinda and what Melinda had said she had planned for Mac, although she had not known they would kill Regina. She had seen Regina at the hotel and had drugged Mac for them and got him there. She was glad this situation was over and she did not care if she had to go to prison. She just wanted away from Melinda for good.

"Well, that should be enough to put Melinda Holmes away," Don said.

"If we can find her," Mac replied. "I'm sure she's hid out somewhere and knows everything that's going on."

"What do you think she will do next?"

"I don't know but I know she's not going to just give up."

"Man, when you get involved with women, you really pick some witches."

Mac scowled at him. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"Nothin'." Don smiled as he walked away from Mac to see if Carry was done with her confession.

Mac rolled his eyes. He had not been involved with any other women like this. He supposed he had not had much luck with women but it had not been his choice to be with Melinda. She had drugged him…twice. He could not believe it but he had not suspected anything when Carry came over to his table. He thought she was just wanting to meet someone and he had told her that he was taken and she had chosen to stay. He had to be more careful.

Detective Sherman came over to Mac. "I just found out that there's a warrant for your arrest in New York," he said.

Mac looked at him. "They thought I killed that woman," he said. "It's ridiculous."

"Well, you're not wanted here so I don't have to act on it since you're going back."

"Yes, I am. I have to get her up there to clear myself."

"You will have to face flight charges."

Mac nodded. "I know." He almost sighed out loud as he thought of what he would have to go through but it would be worth it to get out of this mess. He was sure he would have some suspension time even if he did not have to face charges for flight. He was sure Charlotte would be eager to charge him with everything she could.

Don came over to Mac. "You're in my custody, Mac," he said. "I have to make sure you go back to New York. It's my duty."

Mac looked at him. "I have every intention of going back," he said.

"You'll have to face charges for fleeing to avoid arrest and prosecution."

"I know that. I've been in this a lot longer than you have."

"I was just saying."

"Who have you been in touch with?"

"The chief. He knows where you are now and he told me to bring you back to New York as soon as possible. I told him the situation but you left without authorization so…"

"You don't have to tell me all that."

When they were done there, they learned that their flight would be the next morning so Mac would have to stay in the jail until then and a U.S. Marshall would be there to escort them back along with Carry Hale, and she would have to stay in jail too. Mac sat down on the cot in the cell and listened to the closing of the door. Don was outside the cell. He hated seeing Mac in there but there was nothing he could do about it. "If you need anything, just let me know," he said.

Mac looked at him. "How?" he asked. "Just don't worry about me. It's only overnight." He lay down on the cot. "Why don't you get some rest?"

Don frowned and walked out of the cell block. He was sure he would not be resting…