A PERFECT RENDEZVOUS

Stockholm Syndrome

Harry glanced out the kitchen window at the setting sun, put down his paring knife, and went into the living room to turn on the television set. A satellite dish somewhere on the mountain enabled them to bring in CNN, and he hadn't heard the news since this morning.

Zayn had spent the day clearing the drive all the way down to the bridge, using the huge tractor in the garage that spewed snow in a seventy-foot arc from a blower attached to it, and now he was taking a shower. This morning, when he first told Harry what he planned to do, Harry had thought he intended for them to leave today or tomorrow, and Harry had been seized with a panic that nearly strangled him. As if he read Harry's thoughts, he said, "I'll tell you the day before it's time to leave." When Harry tried to get him to say if he already knew what day that was going to be, he replied vaguely that he wasn't certain, which gave Harry the impression he was waiting for something to happen ... or for someone to contact him.

He was right, of course, that the less Harry knew, the better off they both were. He was equally right to insist they simply enjoy each moment of the time they had together and not think beyond that moment. He was right about everything, but it was impossible not to wonder and worry what was going to happen to him next. Harry couldn't imagine how he could hope to find out who killed his wife when his face was so well known that he'd be recognized immediately wherever he went.

Still, he'd been an actor, so makeup and disguises would be easy for him. Harry was counting on that to keep him safe. And he was terrified it wouldn't.

The television screen lit up, and Harry listened absently to some psychologist who was evidently the guest on CNN as he headed back to the kitchen. Harry was nearly there when he realized the psychologist was talking about him, and he whirled around. Eyes wide with disbelief, he walked toward the television set, staring at the subtitle on the screen that identified the speaker as William Everhardt, PhD. With absolute confidence, Dr. Everhardt was expounding on what Harry Mathison was going through emotionally as a result of being taken hostage:

"A great deal of research has been done with hostages like Mr. Mathison," he was saying. "I myself co-authored a book on this subject, and I can tell you with all certainty, that the young man is living through a highly stressful, but very predictable sequence of emotions."

Harry tipped his head to the side, fascinated to learn what was going on in his mind from this unknown expert on the subject.

"During the first and second day, fear is the primary emotion—and a very paralyzing one, I might add. The hostage feels helpless, too terrified to think or act, but they hold out hope that they'll be rescued. Later, usually on the third day, rage sets in. Rage at the injustice being done them and at the victim role they're forced to endure."

With amused derision, Harry held up his fingers and counted off the days, comparing his reality with the doctor's "expert knowledge." On the first day, Harry had gone from fear to fury within hours and tried to slip a note to the clerk in the fast-food restaurant. On the second day, he had tried to escape from Zayn at the rest stop—and nearly succeeded. On the third day, he'd succeeded in escaping. He'd been a little afraid and extremely nervous, but certainly not paralyzed. Shaking his head in disgust, he concentrated on Dr. Everhardt's next remarks:

"By now, Mr. Mathison has reached the stage that I like to call the gratitude-dependent syndrome. He sees his captor as his protector, almost an ally, because the kidnapper hasn't killed him yet. Er—we're assuming that Malik has no reason to do that to him. In any case, he is now furious with the legal authorities for not being able to rescue him. He is beginning to think of them as impotent, while his captor, who is clearly outwitting them, becomes an object of reluctant admiration. Added to that admiration is a profound feeling of gratitude that he hasn't harmed Mr. Mathison. Malik is an intelligent man with some degree of questionable charm, I understand, which means that he is very much at his mercy, both physically and emotionally."