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"And what can you really tell us?" Sean asked

"That she’s not Dona Isabella!" Jaden burst out

"What?" Vanessa said

"Come, come, I’ll show you," Dr Aislinn said "Dr Latham, if you’ll assist me?"

They walked over to the chest and Lathaloves fro them on, she reached in and touched the woman’s bodice "This is cotton, and if you’ll notice--it’s difficult to see with the staining If you’ll hold the flashlight up, Dr Latha Dr Latham, the hands if you will? I can’t draw them out--we’d break up the mummy--but you’ll note the nails They’re chipped and broken, and not the nails of a lady Whoever this worow up in the lap of luxury From what I’ve learned about this story, your Dona Isabella was supposedly killed on Haunt Island--or she went doith the ship in the storm I don’t knoho this is, but it’s not a lady of the tie?" Sean asked

"Not without a more coed "My guess? Between twenty and thirty I’ to need X-rays of the teeth and skull, the hips--all those things help establish age However, I think you’ve found a pirate’s wench, perhaps a poor girl traveling as a reat deal more," Dr Latham said

"I’old doubloons, but this is just an a scientific find!" Dr Aislinn said She looked at Vanessa "It’s extraordinary I heard you also discovered the pendant--the exquisite mermaid pendant--that Ted showed ht have e diver or treasure seeker!"

To Sean’s surprise, Vanessa’s smile seemed forced and her face seemed pale

"Oh, I rather like what I do," she said

"How did you find these relics?" Dr Latha "And I wasn’t looking? I don’t know"

"Well," Dr Aislinn said "You havediscovery here The mermaid pendant, of course, is beautiful But the body! We can’t thank you enough We’re delighted to be doing the research!"

"Wait!" Ted said "You didn’t tell theruesome part yet" He looked at Sean and Vanessa and shook his head "I mean, we know that the pirates could be violent And ith the story of Haunt Island, it shouldn’t be surprising"

Jaden said, "Horrible, just horrible But--of course, long over now"

"What?" Sean deht that so woman deeply Most of the time, those who died at sea rapped in shrouds--if that!--and sent overboard This young woht that we’d discover that the cause of death had been consues of some other disease But look at the neck--that’s not just decayed fabric there, or a shawl or scarf or any other such object She was strangled That’s the fabric hich she was strangled I’m not sure what it is yet We’ll knoe take a sample"

"She was murdered," Vanessa murmured

"As you said," Sean noted, "violence was common, I’m afraid"

"Yes, but it’s curious," Dr Latham commented

"Pirates blew one another to bits with cannons They slashed with swords and cutlasses, and they shot one another with their pistols It’s unusual that they would have strangled a wory," Jaden said

"It’s going to be just fascinating to try to discover just who she was!" Dr Aislinn said "Of course, I understand all of you are heading out soon to start fil documentary, I must say! But I’ll be in touch constantly by cell phone, and you can reach me anytime you like"

"Thank you," Sean told her

"So," Ted said, "we’re packing her up--the chest and theTara and Dr Latha then But Jaden and I are about to take theht on the town, Key West–style Can you join us?"

Sean didn’t have a chance to reply

Vanessa spoke quickly "Oh, thank you, and I hope you’ll forgive et a lot of sleep last night, I’uys--take thereat ti and looking at Sean

"It’s reat time," Sean said

"Sean, I’m sorry, I’m really exhausted, but you, of course, are more than welcome to join them," Vanessa said quickly