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"Yep You can be et bored with the job, which probably won't take long"

"I won't get bored"

"Sure you will," Nick said "Heck, I already know that I'et bored"

"Look, if you don't think that you can keep your attention focused on this problean

"I'm a Harte, I can focus Even when I'm bored" Nick turned on his heel and headed for the door "Let's go, kid We'll start at Rumor Central"

"Where's that?" Octavia called after hilanced back over his shoulder "The post office, naturally"

"I heard the Upsall disappeared soed back in his desk chair, cocked one tasseled loafer-shod foot on his knee, and tapped the tip of a pen against the armrest "True?"

"I'm afraid so," Octavia said

She sank down into the only other chair in the sh theThe toith its marina and pier, was spread out before her in a picture-perfect landscape that would have looked good hanging in her gallery

The tide was out again Eclipse Arch, thesweep of beach fraht sparkled on the water The air had been scrubbed so clean by last night's storm that she could make out Hidden Cove and Sundown Point, the two rocky outcroppings that marked the southern and northern boundaries of the bay She could even see the elegant old mansion that Rafe and Hannah had transfor a sandwich in to ith her, but she had neglected to bring one today Feeling badly in need of a short break, she did so she almost never did: she closed up for the noon hour She drove up the hillside above toith so a salad at Snow's Cafe Instead she'd steered straight on past to the institute Luckily Jeremy had been in his office and had invited her to eat with hiether

"I assume our noble chief of police is on the case?" Jere into matters" She decided not to

She was almost certain that Nick hadn't been serious when he had named Jeremy as a likely suspect, but there was so much bad blood between the two asoline on the fire

"Got any theories?" Jereht be one of the Heralds"

"A real possibility No one knows randmother still thinks they're so her favorite leood le of doing what you have to do, I think I've worked my nerve up at last Can I persuade you to co this week?"

"Any tiht about how she had hoped that she would not be free tonight But things had changed

"As it happens, I a," she said