Josh Bartlett had changed his name, holed up as a small-town features writer in the Blue Ridge. Only a few weeks more and he'd begin anew, return to the hills of Connecticut and Molly and, at long last, live a normal life.

After all, it was a matter of record that Zharko had been deported well over a year ago. The shadowy form Josh had glimpsed at the lake was only that --- a hazy shadow. It stood to reason his old nemesis was still ensconced overseas well out of the way.

Surely he wouldn't travel thousands of miles to track Josh down. Not now, not after all this.