It was a list of characters in the play and who was to be whom.
“I’m to be Diana,” Kate said. “Horsey girl. Like I know about horses. Let’s see, the head has the eyes, right?”
“Who do you want to be?”
“Nadine, of course. Glamorous, rich, beautiful.”
“And you have the most dramatic scene of finding that the love of your life is gone.”
“Well... I did do a bit of drama in school.”
He picked up a handful of pebbles, got up and went to the house to toss them at a window. Puck opened it.
“Tell Sara that Kate is going to play Nadine. Kate wants to be in love with me.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Kate said. “I want the drama and the dress Nadine wore and—” Jack was smiling at her so smugly she stopped. “Maybe I’ll get to bash you over the head with a big rock.”
“For you, Kate, it would be worth it.”
She groaned and looked up at Puck, who was still waiting. “Tell Aunt Sara I’ll be Nadine. Teddy can be Diana. She knows how to ride a horse.”
With a nod, Puck put the window down.
Kate turned to Jack. “So what do we do now?”
“Don’t you need to get dressed for tonight?”
“Are you saying I’m so ugly that I need an entire day to put on makeup and a dress?”
“No. I didn’t mean that. I thought you’d like—” He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m not laughing.” He tossed the orange peels onto Puck’s compost pile, then started walking in the direction of the big house. “I bet there is some research you need to do. You’d help Bella if you straightened up the mess in the attic. Sara would appreciate that. Hey! You could help find clothes for the play and—”
“I’m going with you.”
“I thought I’d take a swim. And hit the weights. If I’m to play Sean, I better get in shape.”
“I’m going with you,” Kate repeated.
Jack stopped walking. “I need some alone time.”
“What are you up to?”
With a sigh, Jack admitted defeat. “It was Diana’s mention of a gun. I’m going to go back and look for a cause of death.”
“To the skeleton, you mean?”
He nodded.
Kate held out her arms. “I’m ready. Lead the way.”
In the end, Jack felt like he half won as he persuaded Kate not to go down in the hole with him. To be fair, he hadn’t had to say much. She didn’t want to see the bones again.
“It’s just that now I feel like I know him,” Kate said. “He was in love and about to become a father.”
“Am I hearing sympathy for his child, for Teddy?”
“After that dress she wore?” Kate sighed. “Okay, so maybe I am feeling bad for her.”
“You grew up without a father, so—”
“So what?” she said loudly. “You’re going to pity me?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He took a step back. “You want to go down or not?”
“The more people who disturb the scene, the more...” She trailed off.
“Got it. You better stay here and make sure no murderer comes by and cuts the ropes and leaves me down there forever. You think my bones will look like Thorpe’s?”
“You are so not funny. Are you going to rummage around in there a lot?”
“Not at all.” He had Sara’s camera bag and he withdrew four little black plastic cubes.
“What are they?”
“Lights. I’m going to use them and a stick to see what I can find.” He was standing at the head of the chain ladder they’d taken from the storage bin, and looking at the grass that had been eaten by the sheep. “Part of me wishes I hadn’t done that. I’d like to see who’s been here besides us.”
“You think someone has?” Her eyes widened. “What if someone took him away?”
“My thoughts exactly. I wonder if everyone stayed in their rooms last night or if someone went out and down the hole.”
“Jack, that’s scary.”
He grinned in a roguish way. “Guess I’ll have to take my chances. Watch the knot on the tree.” He climbed down the ladder.
Kate stretched out on her stomach. English grass was so soft and fragrant. Florida saw grass wasn’t named that for no reason. It had to be strong enough to withstand the sun and a hurricane now and then. “Anything?” she called down to him.
“Not yet.”
She saw a light come on.
“It’s here. Just as we left it.”
Kate let out her breath.
“I’m going to set up,” he said. “It’ll take a while.”
Kate rolled over, did a sit-up, then let out a gasp of shock. There was a man sitting not three feet from her.
“Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m Christopher Isles, Diana’s son. So this is where it is?” He nodded toward the place where Jack had pushed the vines aside. The light from below was brighter now.
Kate was staring at him, not sure what to say. He was Jack’s height, a little over six feet, with dark blond hair and blue eyes. He had on all khaki clothes, like he’d been on a safari. His accent was nice. “You’re Australian?”
“Mom says I’m English. I was just born and raised Down Under. And please don’t ask me to say anything about shrimp on a barbie.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Kate said. She tried to stop herself, but her eyelashes fluttered. He was quite good-looking!
“Mom told me about you and a famous writer and some guy who looks like Sean—whoever he is. She said his skeleton was found in a cave. Or in a hole. I’m not sure which.”
“Sort of both. He’s down there.” She pointed.
“You’re bringing him—it—up?”
“No. Jack’s looking for—” She hesitated in telling too much.
He smiled in understanding, then stood and offered his hand to help her up. “One thing for sure is that I’m not the murderer. I wasn’t born at the time this guy disappeared.”
“Me neither,” Kate said, and smiled back. “I don’t mean to be so personal, but, well... Who is your father?”