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"Of course I’d want to ith you again I came at Sean O’Hara full blast, but then Jay showed up, and I had no idea Jay was co, but it looked as if I had planned a way to wheedle everyone in," Vanessa said "I’m thrilled now that they’re fascinated by the whole project and want all of us to be crew--and to be interviewed"

"Oh, so cool So great," Zoe said

"Do they know that you’re here yet?" Vanessa asked

"Don’t think so," Barry said

"We wanted to do so up and all We’ve been on separate projects," Zoe said "We’ve all been on separate projects, I guess"

"Yeah Why don’t you do soht now But Sean will be glad to hear that you’re here in Key West and that you’re gung-ho with their plan Look, there’s a bar called O’Hara’s down on the other end of Duval Show up down there around ten o’clock and I’ll introduce you"

"All right, sounds great," Zoe said

"Okay, later," Vanessa said

Zoe slipped her ar Vanessa wandered back across the street to the patio restaurant

She felt acutely uncomfortable, and she wasn’t sure why After all, Sean had said just last night that he’d ask Liaet hold of the others

She ordered another drink

There were the key words Just last night

And they were already here

Well, it made sense, really She had desperately wanted to reach Sean and David when she had heard about their project and that they were hiring crew So…

To her surprise, she had to call out to Sean to stop hi to the stairs to the upper stories He had showered and changed into jeans and a short-sleeved cotton shirt, so he had evidently been ho for him at the bar

"Did you open the trunk?" she asked anxiously

"Not yet Jaden and Ted wanted to call a locksrand opening David and I are partners and Katie is his…well, those tind up married, and she’s my sister You discovered the chest And Jay--well, as I said, you discovered the chest, and you brought Jay in"

"I didn’t bring Jay in," Vanessa protested She winced inwardly She was aggravated Sean kept speaking casually, but it was apparent that he believed that she had brought Jay in on the project Jay was her friend, but she hadn’t brought him in on the project "I didn’t mean that in a bad way," she said "I’ve known hi him in"

"Well, it would hardly seem fair to exclude one person as on the Conch Fritter today, would it?" Sean asked her

Vanessa smiled The ood, of course The sexual attraction was so strong, but really liking someone was…important

Did he really like her? Would he do so if he knew that she saw strange things in the water? He knew about the nighth an enormous trauma Any psychiatrist would say so

"So let’s head on over to the shop!" he said

"All right," she said, but she pulled back a minute, her hand on his arm "Wait Zoe Cally and Barry are here"

His eyebrows shot up with surprise "Wow I just asked Lia here to ask you for work," she explained

"So where are they now?" he asked His eyes were narrowed, and he was staring at her strangely Maybe he was just staring at her, and she felt guilty She shouldn’t feel guilty She hadn’t done anything

"I told theht That was definitely fast Let’s go see about the trunk"

He slipped an arm around her shoulders He frowned, and she turned, certain there was someone behind her

But there was no one

As they walked, the sun sank completely, and the majestic colors that had filled the western sky faded away Aquickly

She had never been afraid of the dark

She was glad of Sean’s ar would that be? she wondered He didn’t see as afraid of the dark, afraid of her own shadow, afraid of being alone in broad daylight

She was uncertain about her feelings regarding the trunk She knew that Sean was excited, and she wanted to feel the sa more confused than ever At first, she had felt that the object was…

Evil

Now, she wasn’t sure

Object Inorganic Not good or evil!

They came around the corner and headed to the front door of the shop Sean knocked, since it was closed for actual business, and Jaden came around to let them in She didn’t seem disturbed at all, but excited

"They haven’t opened the chest!" she said "Ricky--he’s our locks it David and Ted are breaking the seal Oh, lordy, lordy, this is exciting! I’ve never, never seen anything like it! Oh, and Ted called afiled It’s a!"

Vanessa set in," Sean said He looked at Vanessa "Hey, I don’t know your dousing secret, but it’s unbelievable The trunk, and its contents, are yours"

She shook her head "Hey, I’ this I remain in your debt"