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But he was staring at her hat seey and complete honesty

"I see," she said se"

"I swear to you, it’s the truth We can go to church and I’ll swear to you right before the altar, I didn’t do it"

Was she an idiot to even consider believing hi there with a head in his hands?

"Okay, okay I thought it would be funny to put a mannequin on your porch But not to hurt you You’re like ht it ht smack you back into reality, that’s all But I didn’t do it Honest"

"Then who did?" she asked softly "And how did it wind up back in your cottage?"

He shook his head He’d either gotten pretty da the truth "I don’t know"

"Why are you holding the head?"

He flushed, looking away for a ain, eyes steady, cheeks flushed "I didn’t want to be caught with it I was dis it so I could take it to some Dumpster piece by piece"

"I see"

"Genevieve, you can ask at every store on the street I never went to anyone trying to borrow or buy a mannequin"

"I will check on it, you know," she told hi down the beach, Genevieve saw that Alex was out, walking toward the tiki bar She hadn’t noticed them arrive, but Liz and Zach were seated there, as well

"Maybe you’d better hide the evidence then," she said softly

He sed, following her glance toward the tiki bar, and nodded "Gen, I swear…"

"All right, I believe you But if I ever find out you’re lying to me…well, friends don’t do stuff like this to friends A joke is one thing--even if it wouldn’t have been funny tothe truth"

"Then hide that head Especially under the circu to nonchalantly tuck the head under his ar?" he asked hesitantly

"Yeah," she told hiely bloodless s were strewn on the floor The torso had been tossed on the futon The white gown lay crumpled and ruined beside it

"My God," Genevieve breathed

"Hey, it was a mannequin Not real," he rearbage bags by the coffeeed an ar to help?" he de rid of it We need to find out who did this," she said

"Why?" he asked

"Why? So that we know!"

He shook his head "If I showed this to anyone, I’d be blamed You know that"

"I’m the one the trick was played on If I’m not mad, what does it matter?"

"You believe me, but who else will? Not your new Ro to help or not?"

"No You’re my friend, Victor, and I believe you So it’s iain, he stubbornly shook his head "It was a prank It was put in here afterward just so I’d be blamed We need to et nervous and want to knohat happened He--or she--will start asking questions"

Genevieve folded her arms across her chest "She? What woman could have done this? Not Bethany, I can assure you"

"I put that in for political correctness," he said indignantly "But what do we really know about Lizzie or her husband?"

"Oh, please!"