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For a moment, he didn’t think that Richter would answer truthfully Then the ood working relationship I can’t say ere really good friends I found hiet him to be more specific about his will--he wouldn’t have it And, in all honesty, I wanted the property"

"The property?" Liaold , build it up as an exclusive resort, or even a bed-and-breakfast It’s perfect land There’s a dock, a little beachfront and a pack ofit all that could be filled in to add acres to the place I went out a few tiure out if I could swing buying it, if I could convince Kelsey Donovan to sell I mean, the kid spent the last decade in California She htail it back there fast as she can when the dust settles"

Liah to try to scare her out of it, did you?" he asked

Richter stared at hirily "I’m a respectable businessman And I’m an attorney You better have evidence if you want to cast any accusations against me," he said

Liaainst you, attorney or no, you’d be down at the station" He set his card on the desk "If you think of anything, call me"

He watched as Joe Richter stared at him and picked up his card "Sure"

He knew that the minute he left, Joe Richter threw the card in his trash basket

The possibilities ran through his mind Jonas had been at the library, he lived across the water from the Merlin property and he seemed to be around when he shouldn’t be at times Jaden and Ted knew the truth about the reliquary--and were always at the library Joe Richter had been the one to have access to the house, and he’d just adas, petty cri; as evidence, it would all be laughed out of a court of law The reliquary had to be the key; the real one was far ainst evil

It had been the receptacle in which a led

Who did he really trust?

His cousin, David, and Katie Sean and Vanessa They’d been through enough together But Ted and Jaden and Clarinda and Jonas had been around for a hell of a lot of bad stuff, too They’d proven theirinto his car, he swore softly into the air

He had nothing There could be soot in the car, he got a call fro computers and research for the week

"Hey, boss," Ricky said

"What did you get?" Liainia City, Nevada He went hoo I spoke to him, and he told me that yes, he’d been in the library, in the rare-book roo shipwrecks, and he said he didn’t know anything about the book that wasI checked with local police, as well He was born and bred in Virginia City--it was his first trip to Key West," Ricky told hie Penner," Liam said "What about the other na, but I haven’t found a reference to him--or her I swear, I called o--you kno many inns, bed-and-breakfast places, private homes, hotels, condos and time-shares there are in Key West?" Ricky asked hiht?" Liam asked

"Sure You’re the boss This is about the Merlin place, isn’t it?" Ricky asked "Yep"

"That’s one screwy place But I don’t understand what the book has to do with anything"

"I don’t know, either That’s what I need to find out"

"You know, it’s probably a fake nan in--they don’t ask for ID A librarian has to open the door to let folks in, and they try to keep an eye on letting folks out," Liaet over to the library See if I can find out which librarian let the ?" Ricky asked

"No, keep trying"

"Will do," Ricky said "Anything--just so long as I don’t have to go back in that house!"

Lianition and headed back north toward Old Town