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He was afraid

"Carlo! We will read this in thehis associate behind, he hurried along the trail to the cahts burned

Stephanie was baffled She had assumed that they would reach Grant’s car, realize that she wasn’t with them, and wait

Or come after her, one or the other She had even expected Grant to be angry, but she had intended to deal with that--it had seemed very important to her to speak with Dr Antinella

But they were nowhere to be seen, and Grant’s car was still in the parking lot

She hesitated, then remembered her cell phone, pulled it out, and dialed Grant’s nu up

The resort was a short drive, and noleft to do at the hospital, she decided that she ht as well head back She’d find Lena and Suzette

As she walked, she mused that Jade had told them that they should continue to refer to her and Lucien as Liz and Clay Now, Stephanie wasn’t sure that was such a good idea Tootoo quickly At least, aht that the truth should be out If it was truth…

There she went again! Did she really believe all this?

She quickened her pace, noticing that the afternoon was already waning She suddenly decided that it was iirls before dusk

The streets seemed to be oddly deserted She reht thatit

At last, she saw the resort ahead of her She exhaled a sigh of relief She hadn’t realized just how uneasy she had gotten, following the road back toward the beach and the resort

She walked through the reception area It was empty She exited the rear, and then paused

There was already a wind blowing Clouds were beginning to obscure as left of the sun

There was no one on the beach

She started along the path that would bring her to Lena’s cottage As she walked along, she was startled when Giovanni suddenly came around from one of the other little places

"Miss Cahill!" he said, pleased "I’ve been looking for you"

"Oh? Why? What’s up?"

"Reggie is here--she wants to see you," he told her

Instantly, she felt a guard rise around her She shook her head "Giovanni, I spoke with Reggie just a few hours ago She was in Belgium, and she said she still had some business to attend to"

"You have a cell phone?" he said "Call her She is here"

"If she’s here, why doesn’t she just cohed "I told her that you would not believe ot a plane out of Belgiurowing unease

But it was still dayti And they were out in the open--even if it seeie

"Call her, please" He sighed, then lifted his hands and grinned "I just work for Reggie," he said He gave her a rueful, char smile, and brushed a curl of dark hair fro "I will just tell her that you won’t coht She’ll have to come to you"

"Yes, she’ll have to," Stephanie said

With another shrug, he started to walk off

"Wait I’ll call her"

Stephanie pulled out her phone and dialed Reggie’s nuie, what’s going on here? Giovanni is telling ium"

"Oh, Stephanie, I lied I’ up, I knew I just couldn’t lie to you any said abouta low profile I feel I have to see you and explain I’m so sorry Will you come to me? I don’t want others to know I’et so!"

It was definitely Reggie And she sounded so upset

"Where are you?"

"Giovanni can bring you to ie said

Stephanie reie for years, that she hadn’t popped out of the ground at any dig Still, she intended to be careful

"Reggie, try to understand No one in the theater group is angry with you I was just going to stop in and see Lena and Suzette Why don’t you ie protested "Just--"

"That’s where I’ll be, Reggie," Stephanie said fired "I have donetoward the resort

Stephanie hurried to Lena’s cottage

When she got there and knocked on the door, she was startled as it opened when she rapped

Opened…

Creaked inward

Cautiously, she stuck her head in "Lena? Suzette?"