Page 103 (1/2)

"Fainted? You're sure you-" Pitt broke off his question and asked another instead "What was the very last thing you re before you blacked out?"

She thought aas if at some distant vision in tiainst her pale and strained face

Sandecker patted her hand paternally "Just take your time"

Finally her lips formed a word "Boots"

"Say again," Pitt ordered

"A pair of boots," she answered as if seeing a revelation "Yes, I remember now, a pair of sharp-toed cowboy boots"

"Cowboy boots?" Gunn asked, his expression blank

Dana nodded "You see, I was down onto extricate my make-up kit, and thenI don't knowthey just seemed to be there" She paused

"What color were they?" Pitt prodded her

"Kind of a yellow, cream color"

"Did you see the man's face?"

She started to shake her head and caught herself at the first stab of pain "No, everything went dark thenthat's all there is" Her voice trailed off

Pitt could see that there was nothing to be gained by further interrogation He looked down at Dana and smiled She looked up and smiled back with an anxious-to-please smile

"We dirty old men had best leave you alone to rest for a while," he said "If you need anything, one of us will always be close by"

Sandecker followed Pitt over to the entrance to the grand staircase "What do you make of it?" Sandecker asked "Why would anyone want to harm Dana?"