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"Aye, aye, captain!" Katie said

"David, the bar, if you will Sean-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know Bus tables," Sean said, rolling his eyes "I’ work, and where is he now?" Jaust

Dead, Katie wanted to say, but she didn’t She hurried back to the kitchen

The breakfast rush lasted into lunch, but by then, Jaather all his part-tiain At two o’clock, the regular eing from the kitchen, saw that her uncle, her brother and David were seated at one of the tables near the bar and the band stage where her karaoke equip

Like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a very long time

She saw that Clarinda had stepped outside and went to join her on the sidewalk "The air! Ah, the air, the air!" Clarinda said

"So, as going on with Mike Sanderson and Saether?"

"No Saot into town Strange, huh? He’s been living up in Key Largo all this time, never came here, as far as I know, and now, this week, here he is"

"And, , really go figure! Mike Sanderson, dressing up like Robert the Doll," Katie said

Clarinda shuddered and gri creepy- Oh, look!"

Katie looked down the street She didn’t see anything unusual-not for Key West in thea vaood He had an eye patch, a real peg leg and looked as if he es of Treasure Island

The va black skirt with stripes of blood that continued fro corset She earing the typical long black wig and white ood," Katie said

"Look harder!" Clarinda said, laughing

Katie did She gasped "That corset is body paint! Oh, !"

"Yes, it is!" Sean announced, stepping up behind them

"You’re a lech!" Clarinda accused

"I areat paint job," Sean assured her He yawned "Ladies, it’s been a thrill Such a thrill I’ood, be careful I’ll be at the house if you need ht, well, I’ll be at the house whether you need me or not, but I’ll have my cell And don’t worry, I’ll be here for the Katie-oke, even if Jaave her and Clarinda a kiss on the cheek and started walking

"Hey, the car’s in back!" Katie called

"Leave it there-by the tiht is over, we may be too tired to walk!"

Sean left, and David replaced hi around here for a while?" he asked Katie

"Maybe an hour," Katie said "I’ll just stay long enough to see that Jas under control"

"I’ll be back then"

He gave both girls a kiss on the cheek, and was gone

"It’s a, isn’t it?" Clarinda said "Think about it-all our lives! Except for college, of course All of our lives, and this place is still just crazy"

"Yes, but that’s why I love it," Katie said "Black, white, gay, straight, Hispanic, Russian, Israeli, you na the line, someone made a rule that we’d all accept one another, and it seems to have stuck I do I love it here"

"And I’ve never even seen you in body paint!" Clarinda teased "Hey-Jaht Want to walk down to Front Street and the pirate-costume-slash-sex shop with "

"You need one, too, you know"

"Me?"

"Hey, he wants to help celebrate the Fantasy Fest pirate party," Clarinda said "He’s open to vampires, too"

"Great," Katie said She hurried back in to tell Ja, then joined Clarinda on the street

"That thing is just creepy," Clarinda coiant Robert the Doll