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"If that is Dona Isabella," Vanessa said

Jay laughed, pretended a shiver and let out an "Oooooh! Well, of course, it has to be Dona Isabella And her evil is rising--that’s why you tere afraid of the chest"

"I wasn’t afraid of the chest," Vanessa said, her tone aggravated

"Right," Jay said with a shrug

Food ca on the island--Bill and Jake had taken roouesthouses on Duval, a couple blocks down fro

Everyone talked about different projects Barry admitted that he had looked up information on David and Sean and been i wore on, then Jaden and Ted called it a night, pro to call Sean and David thedown froist they had reached as fascinated by the find and delighted to coroup broke up, Sean said, "David and I are going to do so tomorrow We’ll call you e’re set with the decision on when to leave"

Bill and Zoe decided to roam Duval and Barry went back to his room Jay asked Vanessa if she wanted a walk down the street; he was tired and leaving To Sean’s surprise, she stood and agreed

David and Sean stood, as well Vanessa caave David a kiss on the cheek As she neared him, Sean saw that her eyes were sharp

He stopped her and asked, "What’s that look for?"

She shook her head and said softly, "You think that I set this up You still say that I brought Jay in all the time, and I sa suspicious you were earlier"

"Admit it, Vanessa They were all here already"

"Ad

"Admit that…it all looks suspicious"

"Whatever it looks like, it isn’t And I guess I want ht as if you were suddenly certain that I’d planned the entire thing, our old crew taking over your project"

"That’s not true," he said "Yes, it’s strange, but--"

"You’re a liar"

"We can talk," he said

She shook her head "No Not tonight I need soht I need to take a look at everything that’s gone on"

He was hurt, angry--and baffled, still feeling hi exactly what she wanted

But he wasn’t ready to throw it all over, and he wasn’t thinking about the project

Vanessa…

The ego in hi and tell her that it wouldn’t be necessary to talk about anything intis

But he realized, too, that she must certainly have her own pride

And he knew, too, that "talking toive her the space she needed

He was startled as she walked on by hiave David a cheery good-night and shook Sean’s hand "What a day, eh?"

"Yeah, what a day"

Jay hesitated "Honest to God, this wasn’t any kind of a setup"

"I never said that it was," Sean told hied "I saw the way that you looked at Vanessa"

Lord Were his suspicions--his thoughts--really that apparent? Even Jay had read his expression

"You’refor Jay on the sidewalk He joined her, and Sean watched as they started north on Duval together

"Well, that was interesting," David commented

"I’m sorry--doesn’t it feel a bit weird to you? First Vanessa shows up, pitching her slant to our project, then Jay Then we think that itpiece and put out a call to find the rest of the crew, and almost instantaneously they all show up?"

"Yes and no," David said He shrugged "Maybe they did all hear about it and contacted one another I don’t find it all that odd if they did Trust e your life and haunt you day after day"

David Beckett had once stood accused of murder--if not by law, in the minds of many people who had heard what had happened

Sean let out a long breath

Back then, he and David had been friends Close friends And he hadn’t knohat to believe All he had knoas that he had wanted to get away frothe truth about the past--even though he had not been directly involved, like David--had changed everything

And it was true, too, that he had returned home in all haste when he had heard that David Beckett was here And then he had been glad as hell, because he had found that David and his sister had become a duo

"Honestly, I don’t care one way or another," David said "Here’s what I care about--Lia out their work schedules--or with the young ones, their graduation status--whether they’ve really got the credentials they claih of thoseelse"