MY MESSAGE LIGHT was flashing.

It was after one in the morning when I finally got back to my apartment.

I threw my suit jacket over a chair and pulled off my sweater, hitting the PLAYBACK button of the answering machine.

5:28. Jamie, Martha's vet. She's ready to be picked up in the morning.

7:05. Jacobi, just checking in.

7:16. Jill. A quiver of nerves in her voice. "I need to talk to you, Lindsay. I tried your cell phone, but it didn't answer. Call me, whenever you get home."

11:15. Jill again. "Lindsay? Call me as soon as you get home. I'm up."

Something had happened. I punched in her number and she answered on the second ring. "It's me. I was in Portland. Is everything okay?"

"I don't know," she said. A pause. "I threw Steve out tonight."

I almost dropped the phone on the floor. "You really did it?"

"This time's for keeps. We're done, Lindsay."

"Oh, Jill..." I thought of her carrying this all night, wait-ing for me to come home. "What did he do?"

"I don't want to go into it right now," she said, "other than it won't be happening anymore. I threw him out, L............