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"They’re just seeking truth," Bartholomew said

Sean started to speak, but he could have sworn that he heard Bartholomew mutter, "Dumb ass!" just beneath his breath

"What was that?" he demanded

"Pardon?" Bartholomew said innocently

"You just called me a dumb ass!"

"Did I? I didn’t mean to speak aloud, which, sadly, in most cases, with most people, I actually don’t," Bartholomew said

Sean rose and approached Bartholoo haunt so I can do about the fact that you--behave like a dumb ass"

Sean let out a groan of aggravation "Because?"

"That young wo the fact that two people were heinously killed?"

Bartholomew looked away "Yes, there is that But you know that she had nothing to do with that"

"And how do I know that? Maybe she was the murderer, maybe Jay is a maniacal killer--maybe one of the others," Sean said

"They were there," David agreed

"But do you really believe that bringing them all in was some kind of a setup?" Bartholo as--a duan

"Yes, yes, fine! Reo haunt soh, posture proud, he strode through the rooh the front door

"They check out," David said to Sean, when Bartholoone "So what do you want to do?"

"Two boats," Sean said "Which is e’ve always planned, Conch Fritter and Jah Jamie can captain his own boat, and he’s a hell of a dive master Katie and you with Ja, as long as he’s still interested, and, of course, Liam Four of us on each boat We’ll split up the six froinal trip"

"You think that they were involved in a conspiracy--all of theeously staged in the sand?"

"No But two people died Somebody killed them"

David shook his head "There have been a lot of disappearances and bad things happening out in that area--we’ve just dug up reports of several that occurred in the last couple of years And it’s not like there’s one bad guy out there There are probably a lot of less than honest people plying a pirating trade in the straits Drug runners, people who set them into the United States Whoever co people in the streets of Venezuela for all we know"

"Those teren’t just ued "They were displayed They were displayed in a way that played into themade" He hesitated "As if someone didn’t want the movie made? God knows--but whatever did or didn’t happen, I think we need to keep the original six split up"

"Agreed," David said "So when do you want to head out?"

"Day after to schedule and make sure that we have both boats stocked And--" he hesitated and shrugged "--I want to spend so ti other than a camera"

"You really think we’ll come across trouble?" David asked

"I really want to be prepared--hell, in the last few years, from e’ve seen, too many charters and pleasure boats have been lost Even without what happened with the filht have been a nice wake-up call to be ready--for anything," Sean said

His cell started ringing He picked it up Liam was on the line

"Is David with you?" Liam asked

"Yes"

"Anyone else?"

"No," Sean said

"Put the phone on speaker, will you, please?"