"Sure. His name is Warren but I always had to call him Dr. Hunt. Dad says he's a stuffed shirt."

"My dad seemed like he really wanted to talk to Dr. Hunt. You live right across the street. Isn't he home?"

"No. He's been gone all morning."

"How do you know?"

"The garage door is up. No car. And his morning paper is on the porch. He always gets it real early." There was a moment of silence. "Hey, I just remembered something! When we couldn't go to Ariel's last night because my sister Ivy got sick and everyone was up and I couldn't sneak out, I stayed awake and watched television. Ivy went to the emergency room."

"What's wrong with her?"

"Chest cold. She'll live. Anyway, I was looking out the window and I saw Dr. Hunt leave in his car. It was before midnight."

"When did he get back?"

"Mom and Dad brought Ivy home about one o'clock. I was watching Lethal Weapon 4 on HBO. Mom got mad. She thinks it's too violent. She made me go to bed, but I looked at the Hunts' house first. He hadn't come back."

Paige sat silent for a few seconds, thinking. Finally she said, "I think Dr. Hunt was gone all night. You have to tell my dad."

"He wouldn't believe me," Jimmy said glumly.

"He might not believe you about that creature at Ariel's house, but he'd believe you about this."

"Gosh, Paige, I don't know. My mom already gripes at me for spying. She calls me a little Peeping Tom. She'll be mad."

"You weren't spying. You just noticed. For Pete's sake, the guy lives right across the street."

"She's all upset over Ivy today and she'd blow up and call it spying and maybe ground me."

"Jimmy?"

"Yeah?"

"Eddie Salvatore would do it."

Silence. Then a voice full of determination. "You're right. I can't worry about getting grounded. I have a civic duty. I'll call your dad right now."

"Why aren't you at work today, Mama?"

Alison sat at the kitchen table tearing her wheat toast into tiny pieces.

Viveca poured a cup of tea and sat down. Her honey blond hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders and without makeup her skin was pale but unlined. "I'm taking a week off so I can arrange the funeral."

Alison began stacking the pieces of toast. "I don't like Lily."

"Really?" Viveca asked casually. "I thought you did after she sold us that brooch."

"It was Ariel's brooch. It belonged to us anyway and she should have just given it to me. But that's not why I don't like her. She looks at me like I'm crazy."

Viveca sipped her tea. "I'm sure that's just your imagination."

"Now you sound like you think I'm crazy," Alison huffed.

"Of course I don't. You're being too sensitive. Now eat your breakfast."

Alison threw her a mutinous look. "I hate wheat bread and I hate tea. Mrs. Krebbs, my keeper, knows that. Where is she?"

"Taking a few days for herself. Since I'm off this week, I thought we could spend some time together."

"Doing what?"

"Whatever you want. We could just relax and talk-"

" Warren had a girlfriend," Alison burst out.

Viveca's cup stopped halfway to her mouth. "What are you talking about?"

"He was having an affair. You know what an affair is."

Viveca set down her cup. "How do you know he was having an affair?"

"I have my ways."

"With whom?"

"I'm not going to tell you. You'll know soon enough. And you'll be surprised." Her malicious smile faded. "I was. I thought he was better than that. I thought he cared about me."

Viveca suddenly wanted nothing else to eat or drink. Her stomach had immediately twisted into a knot. "Dear, you've been listening to gossip."

"It is not gossip. I know."

Viveca's tongue touched her dry upper lip. "Do me a favor and don't repeat this. It's vicious."

Alison shrugged. "All right. Whatever you say. Your wish is my command. I live to please you. But everyone will know soon."

Alison pushed her plate away and glared out the window, twisting a lock of hair around an index finger.

Viveca made an effort to sound composed and offhand. "Dear, did you go out last night?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"No. I'm crazy. I'm not sure of anything."

"Darling, you are not crazy. Don't say such a thing. But you know it isn't safe for you to be out at night. After all, Tamara Hunt was murdered."

"So you think I might be murdered by the same person who killed her!"

"Yes."

Alison stared at her mother. Then she burst into shrill laughter.

"I need to talk to the sheriff."

Ted Hysell idly sketched a twelve-point buck. At least it was supposed to be a buck. It looked more like a Great Dane with antlers. "Look, son-"

"Jimmy. My name is Jimmy Jenkins. I already told you that."

Ted sighed. He'd have something to say to the new receptionist for putting this call through to him. She probably thought it was funny. She was a smart-alec and he didn't like her. She wouldn't have dared to show Meredith such a lack of respect.

"Okay, Jimmy. Sheriff Meredith is very busy. He only takes important calls, not calls from kids."

He could feel Jimmy bristling on the other end of the phone. "Just because I'm a kid doesn't mean I don't have anything important to say."

"I'm sure."

"Quit making fun of me. Look, I'm friends with Paige Meredith."

"Is this about Paige?"

"Is what about Paige?" Hysell looked up to see Meredith looming over his desk. "Who is it?"

"Some kid named Jimmy Jenkins. Says he has something important to say but he won't tell me. Insists on talking to you."

"Switch the call to my office," Meredith said.

He's going to bother with this kid, Hysell thought in annoyance. Maybe he thought the boy had information about

Paige. Or maybe the kid was just using Paige's name as an excuse to talk to the sheriff. Oh, well, he hadn't put through the call. Meredith couldn't get mad at him for wasting his time.

As soon as he hung up, the phone rang again. Great. His head hurt and he'd abandoned his lunch to take care of old Harvey Coombs, who this morning had sat out in his rowboat shouting that he had a bomb. Harvey got really ripped on bourbon and pulled this stunt at least three times every summer. He claimed the tourists got a big kick out of it. The Sheriff's Department didn't, even though former Sheriff Purdue had always let it slide. Not so Meredith, who had ordered Hysell to arrest Coombs. Harvey 's wife said a night in jail might do him some good and refused to bail him out until tomorrow, leaving the drunken old coot to sit weeping in a cell like a lost child.

Now it was three o'clock, Hysell's head pounded, his stomach rumbled, and he felt half bad for Harvey even though the guy was a pain in the ass. What a terrific day so far.

The phone rang again and he picked up the receiver. After hearing his name, the woman caller nearly burst into tears. "Oh, Ted, I'm so glad it's you. I don't know what… This kind of thing has never happened before… Max doesn't know yet…"

Hysell would recognize the tentative voice and unfinished sentences anywhere. "Mrs. Bishop, why don't you take a couple of deep breaths and tell me what's wrong?"

"It's Charlotte of course!" She sounded as if she thought Hysell was being dense. "She didn't come home last night!"

Wow, Charlotte Bishop had a one-night stand, Ted thought. Alert the media. "Mrs. Bishop, when did you last see her?"

"About ten-thirty last night. At dinner she was wearing her gray slacks with that cute little silk tunic I gave her last Christmas. Then I looked out the window and saw her in the driveway. Saw her clear as day… all those lights, you know. She had on tight white pants and a filmy blouse un buttoned far too low. I rapped sharply on the window. She ignored me. She got in that sports car of hers… Oh, something happened first. She was approached by a man."