Page 40 (2/2)

The ht, there would be another rite

Liam went in to sit quietly next to Kelsey for a few ry "You know, I’ve known Avery a long tiether ever since"

"Kelsey, I’ to be sorry for--you’ve tried to talkat the house"

"The house isn’t cursed, Kelsey"

"Oh, I know that My fa family, and the house itself was always filled ar It was a bit crazy, completely eclectic and fun And I’ to find out what’s going on"

"Maybe you shouldn’t stay there--"

"Oh, when I’m there from now on, I’ll make absolutely sure that I’m locked in safely until there are a nuuished but still tender "I have you with ht," she said softly

The world is right, he thought And he wondered if, when it was all over, she would still feel the sao back to California, that she had built a life there

"Kelsey, I’ll never stop I will find out what’s going on"

She nodded

He had his briefcase with him, and he reached into it He produced the book, and she was surprised, and then she slad"

He nodded "I knew you’d stay here with Avery, and I’ back to work toot!" Kelsey said excitedly "Liaot all about the notes I found in the book"

"The notes?"

"Yes! Thank you soabout it Cutter left little notes to himself in the book, or maybe he intended for me to find them Cutter definitely knew that there were two reliquaries, and he knew that someone was after the one with the diamond"

"I wonder why, after your mother died, he didn’t produce the real reliquary and sell the diaive it to someone," Liam said

"Because he believed thatcaused her to fall down the stairway He intended to spend the rest of his life waiting patiently to force whoever had killed his daughter to show his hand It finally happened That’s why he had the fake--he was probably going to try to convince whoever broke in that the reliquary in his hands was the only one--the book, because he thought the person believed in Satanic power and un, so he could shoot the son of a bitch"

"Well, it makes sense," Liam said softly

"He has a note about Peter Edwards and the Abel Crowley connection Edwards must have believed in the end, especially after he o to hell"

"I agree with that," Liam told her "But Aleister Croasn’t even born until 1875 Pete Edwards ave hi the Civil War"

She nodded "I’ll bet there’s reference to it in the book that disappeared fro a book search for et a copy"

She was sitting back, her attention all on hiers "I think that we have a an it all with one obsession--stealing the diamond He did what he felt he had to do in order to find the diamond But he also knew Cutter, and he seemed to know some island history He had to have a life in the Keys as well, because he spent so et the diamond from Cutter I have to ask you one question I believe that your en in her systes?"

"I told you she was on pills for pain," Kelsey said

He nodded

"There was an autopsy when my mother died, you know," she said

"But they didn’t test for everything so we can’t be sure," he told her

"Right"

He looked into her eyes "Kelsey, I have to ask you this Are you absolutely certain that Jonas was just ahead of you?"

"I saw hi by the ard the back That’s why I went out"

He nodded "All right Thanks I’ Keep in touch with me by the cell phone, please Let me know the minute that Avery wakes"