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"Oh, some old-timers mentioned it Apparently, there was a connection to Crowley and his interest in dark arts"

"Aleister Croas in Key West?" Jaden asked, still confused

"No A supposed relative I was just asking because your names were on the list of people who had been in the rare-book room It wasn’t an accusation," Liam said

They both still appeared to be confused "Well, you had best ask the rest of the people on the list," Jaden said "I didn’t take it And if Ted has slipped it out for any reason--which he wouldn’t have!--he’d tell you straight away"

"Hey! I didn’t take the book," Ted protested

"Of course not, dear," Jaden said, squeezing his hand

"Who else was on the list?" Kelsey asked hih-school teacher," Jaden said, dised "Barney Thibault"

"He’d die before he’d steal a piece of gue Penner--I don’t know the name, and neither did the librarian Jonas--"

"Our Jonas?" Jaden demanded

"Let him talk, please," Ted said

Liam nodded "Yes, our Jonas Oh, and Joe Richter"

"Richter!" Kelsey said

Liam studied her "What?"

"I--I’m not sure" She shook her head and hiked her shoulders "Richter can’t be guilty of anything He had free access to Cutter’s place He was the attorney He had the only access, really, for a while Iht, but he’d ask her later

"Then there was someone named Bel Arcowley Do you know him--or her?" he asked

Ted and Jaden looked at hi their heads

"Why is the book so important?" Kelsey asked

"I don’t know," Liam said "I’d just like to find it"

"You know, I can do a rare-book search for you tomorrow There has to be a copy somewhere else," Jaden said

"I can do a search," Liam said

Jaden sniffed "Bet I can do a better search than you!"

He sht, then Thanks Do a search for me, will you?"

She nodded

Their food arrived The tension that had gone around the table eased so and close friendship

He had no choice

Kelsey toyed with the blackened grouper on her plate She stared at hi on?"

He wasn’t sure Maybe it was best to just state his suspicions

He shrugged

He realized that they were all silent, staring at hi Avery, ide-eyed

"Oh," he said, and set down his fork "I have a theory The thief--or ht be--wanted the reliquary Cutter knew that it was a fake, and that hy he had the shotgun, though, of course, he never used it When Cutter was dead, the thief did try to take the reliquary, but discovered it was a fake"

"Still worth money!" Kelsey reminded him

"But not compared to the real prize," Liam said "I’m not sure who did know about it, but I think that Cutter had the fake--and the original The thief didn’t take the fake because he was deterinal While Cutter sat there, dead but undiscovered, he had a chance to search the house But then I came when Cutter didn’t pick up the mail The thief was probably there when the kids broke into the house--and scared them half to death He was probably there when Gary White and Chris Vargas broke in as well, and went back to work once I had shooed the for a needle in a haystack He was neat as he searched about, knowing that he was after the real prize If he gave hiet back in to search? Noever, we have everybolted and new locks on the doors And, of course, Kelsey has a cop sleeping with her, as well"