"Oh, God, I'm sorry, Joe." She was silent a moment. "Was it my fault?"

"How could it be your fault?"

"You were my friend, you helped me. For God's sake, I got you shot. You were almost killed. I know she was angry with me."

He didn't deny it. "It would have happened anyway. We should never have gotten married. It was a mistake." He changed the subject. "What kind of work have you been doing since you've been here?"

She looked at him in frustration. The divorce must have hurt him, and she wanted to help. But he had always edged away from talking about his marriage. Maybe she could get something out of him later. "I haven't had much work. Principally superimpositions and age progressions. A few reconstruction cases the LAPD sent me." She made a face. "I soon discovered that most agencies prefer a forensic sculptor on the same continent. I'm pretty inaccessible here. I've actually done some regular sculpting to keep myself busy."

"Satisfying?"

"In a way."

"Not a good way?"

"It feels . . . strange."

"Most people would say that working on skulls is a little strange. What does Logan say?"

"Logan thinks regular sculpting is healthy for me. He's probably right."

"Does it feel healthy?"

"No, there's something . . . missing."

"Purpose."

She was not surprised Joe understood. He understood everything about her. "It's the lost ones. I could be doing more to help the lost ones come home. Logan says I need to distance myself. He thinks I should walk away, that it's the worst possible career for me to have."

"And what do you say to him?"

"To mind his own business." She grimaced. "Just like I tell you. I wish you'd both realize I'm going to do what I want to do regardless of what either of you think."

Joe laughed. "I never had any doubt about that. I don't think Logan does either. Are you going to let me see your work? I've never seen you sculpt anything but skulls."

"Later maybe." She gave him a hard stare. "If you're decent to Logan." She turned into the driveway leading up to the large white plantation house. "He's been terrific to me. I won't have you abusing his hospitality."

"Nice house. Where do you work?"

"Logan had a lab built for me on the beach beside the house. Stop trying to change the subject. Are you going to be nice to Logan?"

"You're very defensive. As I remember, Logan can take care of himself."

"I always defend my friends."

"Just friends?" His gaze narrowed on her face. "Not lovers?"

She looked away from him. "Lovers can be friends. Stop probing, Joe."

"Does it make you uneasy? Or are you already uneasy? Is he pushing too hard?"

"No, you're pushing too hard." She parked in front of the house and jumped out. "Back off."

"No problem. I think I've got my answer." He took his suitcase out of the backseat. "I'll be much less abrasive once I have a shower. Do you want me to face Logan now, or do you want to show me where to lay my weary head?"

Less abrasive was definitely better. "You can join us later for dinner."

"If I'm supposed to dress for dinner, you'll have to send me to the kitchen. I brought only this one suitcase."

"Are you nuts? You know I don't live like that. I change a couple of times a day only because it's so hot here."

"You never know. You're running in fast company these days."

"Logan isn't fast company. Well, not here on the island. We live as casually as I did in Atlanta."

"Very smart of Logan."

"He works hard too. He does as much here as he did when he was in the States. He likes to relax when he gets the chance." She stopped at the front door. "Why have you come, Joe? Are you on vacation?"

"No, not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the department does owe me a few weeks. I've worked a lot of overtime while you've been here basking in tropical bliss."

"Then why do you say you're not 'exactly' here on vacation? Why did you come, Joe?"

"To see you."

"No, why now?"

He smiled. "To bring you home, Eve."

LOGAN TURNED AWAY from the window as she came into the study. "Where is he?"

"I showed him to his room. You'll see him at dinner." She wrinkled her nose. "I know you can hardly wait."

"Bastard."

She sighed. Having to strike a balance between these two men she cared about was irritating. "I could have met him in Tahiti. You promised you'd be nice to him."

"As nice as he is to me." Logan held out his hand to her. "Come here, I need to touch you."

She moved across the room and took his hand. "Why?"

He didn't answer. "We both know why he's here. Has he talked to you yet?"

"He said only that he came to bring me home."