Page 10 (1/2)

He stepped outside, the door closed and he was gone

"Well," Bartholo"

"Don’t be-a jerk," Katie said

"Excusea jerk II think I do like this fellow after all"

Katie was thoughtful "If he is able to find out the truth…"

"Stop right there," Bartholomew said

"What do you mean?"

"Did you hear him? He doesn’t want you involved And, hey-it’s never been proved that he was guilty, but it’s never been proved that he was innocent"

Katie looked solidly at Bartholo to hope for the best for hie his et the museuht, the situation is dangerous Oh, yes, there’s so muchthe shoreline DNA, RNA, whichever is which and what Skin cells, even fingerprints, footprints…genetic ht David Beckett thinks that it wasn’t a rando to discover the truth and it was someone fro to want anyone knowing the truth"

"What ant isn’t ale get-it’s tiht Great sentireed "But this person killed once, very cleverly, so it seeain Katie, look atwoman, you stay the hell out of it You wouldn’t want to wind up being a tableau in the museum yourself noould you, Miss Katherine O’Hara?"

4

Danny Zigler seeht place to start He knew Key West like the back of his hand He had been here then-and he’d re with other bits and pieces of Key Westof a friend He was a legend in his own peculiar way

At the host-tour companies and part-time for an ice-creaoing personality-and not a bit of a, David didn’t know Sometimes Danny was unemployed, and that would be fine with Danny until he was dead broke, then he’d ain He was a fixture in Key West

It was still early, and not much on or just off Duval Street opened early, except for the chain drugstore, coffee shops and an Internet café But David knew that the ice-creaht be the best time to talk to Danny

When he reached the shop, David could see Danny inside, wiping down one of the lass Danny looked up and over at him, and a broad smile lit up his face He hurried to the door David heard the locks being sprung, and then the door opened

"David Beckett! I heard you were headed back into town Man, how are you! It’s so damned cool to see you!" Danny declared His enthusias and stepped back "Daood!"

Danny was eternally thin His brown hair, long and worn in a queue at his nape, was now beginning to show threads of gray His face was pockmarked from a now preventable childhood illness and his features were lean His eyes, however, were a war stories, and he’d been a wonderful guide years ago, when he had worked at the museum David wondered if Danny’s life hadn’t been altered by the events at the museum, as well

"Thanks, Danny," David said "So how are you doing?"

Danny shrugged, wiping his hands on the white apron he wore over his jeans and a Metallica tee "I can’t co host host’ I am for the weekend tours and, hey-I can have all the free ice creaht, and saltwater and sand between my toes" He frowned "Hey, there’s a ru to sell the museum to Katie O’Hara Is that true?"

David nodded "I’m sorry, Danny"

"Your museum, your call"

"It’s not actually randfather left Liaree on everything, and I just don’t agree with reopening that place"

"I understand, uide known to man"

"No skin off et by, and that’s what ood job, though She’s a great little go-getter, good businesswoht?"

"She was a kid when I left"

"Hey, ere all kids when you left So, where have you been? They said you becarapher A photojournalist"

"I’," David told hi’s funeral," Danny said

"I saw him when he was alive He was always the rave site?"

"Not yet"

Danny obviously disapproved of that fact, but he didn’t say so He asked, "So how long do you plan on staying around?"

"I’m not sure yet I haven’t made any commitments for the near future We’ll see Tell me how you’ve been, Danny"