Juliet stared at the ridiculous pink thing sitting in the chair of the front office of her apartment building.

“So you’re the one with the secret admirer,” said Anita, one of the women who worked there.

Juliet gave her a confused smile as she stared at the huge pink bear, wondering what the hell to do with it.

She had been in her office at Rice University all day, trying to organize her notes for her sabbatical.

“This thing has been getting all sorts of attention today.”

“I think it’s sweet,” said Chrissy, one of the other women in the office. “It’s such a nice change from boring old flowers and candy.”

“So who’s the guy?”

Juliet had a pretty good idea and just smiled without answering. Flowers or candy would have been far more practical, but who wanted practical? This pink bear was absurd and over the top and everything she had come to expect from Chance McCoy.

“Just someone who’s totally ridiculous,” she said, laughing as she swung her tote bag full of books and papers around to her back in order to pick the darn thing up. Good grief, what the hell was she going to do with this bear that was practically half her size?

“It came with this envelope,” Anita said, handing her a small white rectangle.

Juliet put the bear back down to open it. Inside was a small gift card that simply read:

In remembrance.

Odd, but Juliet supposed it worked even if Chance had only left Sunday.

It was a struggle trying to get her key in the door while holding the huge bear and keeping her purse and tote bag from falling down her arm. When she finally managed to make it into her apartment, she placed it firmly on her couch and pulled out her cell phone.

She knew Chance was on the rig and probably wouldn’t be able to answer, but she couldn’t let this little gift go without saying something to him about it right now.

“Juliet,” Chance answered to her surprise. He sounded a bit warn out and harried. She had no idea what life was like on the rig but obviously it was intense work.

“What in the world were you thinking?” she asked, laughing as she stared at her new pink friend.

“What are you talking about?” she heard the sudden alertness in his voice.

“This pink thing sitting on my living room couch,” she hinted.

“Juliet,” she felt the slight creep of uncertainty crawl up her spine at the tone in that voice, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

She blinked and the smile left her face. “The bear? Like the one you said your mom got up in Coney Island. I thought that was why—what’s going on here Chance?”

“Juliet, you’re in your apartment right now, right?”

“Yes.” Now the uncertainty was turning to fear. “Chance what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, Juliet.” She could hear the controlled worry laced with anger in his voice. “Just stay there and hold tight. I’ll be there as quickly as I can.”

“What? Why aren’t you on the oil rig? What’s going on, Chance?” She could hear the tremble in her voice.

“Just keep calm, Jule,” he said in a soothing voice. “I’ll be there quick as lightning, sweetheart.”

Juliet tried to keep from shaking as she stared at that bear. All of a sudden the pink, fuzzy stuffed animal that was so ridiculously adorable a moment ago felt like her worst enemy.

* * *

Juliet watched Chance’s face as he stared grimly at the pink bear on her couch trying to look for clues he didn’t seem to be finding. In fact, he seemed just as confounded and worried as she was.

He had the card in his hand and kept looking back and forth between what was written on it and the bear.

“It’s the exact damn bear,” he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. She saw his large biceps flex as the tension built up inside of him.

She just waited. As clueless as they both were about this situation, he certainly had more information to go on than she did. Maybe somewhere in that head of his was the answer to all of this.

“Did they say who delivered it?”

“I didn’t ask. It didn’t seem important at the time.”

Chance just nodded, staring at the floor as the gears in his head turned. “It probably wouldn’t matter anyway. I doubt whoever sent this would be dumb enough to deliver it themselves.”

“I’m getting kinda worried here Chance. You have to tell me something, anything.”

He brought his eyes up to her, and the dark gray anger that boiled in them made her heart stop. They cooled as soon as they met hers.

“I’ll tell you everything I know, Jule. You deserve that. Especially since someone has seen fit to involve you.”

That did nothing to quell her fears.

“Someone is sending a message, but hell if I can figure it out.”

“What message? And why would they send the bear to me?”

“Apparently something to do with my dad.”

“You said he died over twenty years ago. Why would someone be sending a message about him now, and why through me?” She could hear the hysteria growing in her voice.

Chance came over to wrap his arms around her and she fell into him trying to calm herself down.

“I don’t know sweetheart, but whoever they are, they’re going to pay for this.”

She didn’t much like the sound of that. The last thing she wanted was for him to put himself in danger.

“I just wish I knew where Chip was. That would clear things up.”

She pulled away and looked up at him with alarm. “Chip is missing?”

Chance grimaced, as though realizing he had just made things worse.

Juliet pulled away from him. “Tell me everything, Chance.”

He gave her a hard look then nodded. “Chip didn’t show up to the rig, yesterday. I went looking for him and based on what I found out,” he paused for a moment before continuing, “I think our new friend Leo Petrov, or at least one of his men may be involved. I just can’t figure out this damn bear thing,” he said, turning to look at it again.

“Did they kill him?” she asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

Chance flinched, as though her saying such a thing might cause it to be true. “I hope not. I’ve told the people he usually hangs out with to call me if he shows up. So far, nothing.”

That’s when his phone rang.