“I didn’t lose everything,” Vivian said. “I’ve got one of my cameras and my handbag. Thankfully I was also able to save my art negatives and my portfolio. I went shopping as soon as the stores opened here in Burning Cove this morning. I picked up some clothes and other essentials. Trust me, I’ve got everything I need.”
Including a very luxurious hideout, she thought. She was currently standing in the living room of one of the small guest villas scattered across the grounds of the Burning Cove Hotel. The French doors were open to the private patio and walled garden. Through the wrought iron gate at the far end of the patio she could see the sun-splashed Pacific.
Nick was lounging in the shade, reading a newspaper. Rex was stretched out beside him. It all looked serene and luxurious. You’d never know there’s a killer after me.
Nick had been right about the impeccable discretion of the hotel staff. No one at the front desk had so much as blinked when the bedraggled, disreputable-looking honeymoon couple had checked in without luggage or wedding rings.
“You shouldn’t be alone, not after what you went through last night,” Lyra said. “I’ll drive down to Burning Cove and keep you company.”
Vivian tightened her grip on the receiver. The last thing she wanted to do was put Lyra in danger.
“We’ve already been over this,” she said. “I’m fine, really. You have a big engagement party to plan, remember?”
Lyra was silent for a long moment. “All right, I can certainly see why you might need some time to recover. But you’re okay, right? You weren’t injured?”
“I’m fine.”
“Thank goodness you were not asleep last night when the fire started,” Lyra said.
“Mm.”
“The press is reporting that the authorities think your chemicals and film may have been the cause of the fire,” Lyra said.
“Yes, I know. But that was not the source, believe me.”
“Maybe an electrical problem? It was an old house, after all.”
“The authorities are conducting a thorough investigation,” Vivian said. “I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”
That was a bit of a stretch. The police and the fire department in Adelina Beach were no doubt doing their best but their resources were limited.
“Doesn’t it seem very strange that not long after you were attacked by the Dagger Killer your cottage is destroyed?” Lyra asked. “Talk about odd coincidences.”
Vivian winced. Lyra was smart. She might be preoccupied with engagement party plans at the moment but that didn’t mean she wasn’t paying attention.
“It is weird,” Vivian said.
“I don’t like this. I still think I should be there with you.”
“Trust me, if I were in danger, I couldn’t be anyplace safer than the Burning Cove Hotel. There is a lot of security here. I promise I’ll let you know if anything changes, Lyra. Meanwhile, don’t worry about me. And whatever you do, don’t wire Mother and Father. They would both be frantic.”
Lyra sighed. “Sooner or later you’re going to have to tell them everything.”
“I know. I’m choosing later. I just don’t want to deal with Father telling me he warned me that I wouldn’t like living on my own.”
“I understand, believe me.”
“Your turn. How is the planning going for the engagement party?”
“Fine.”
The sudden cool note in Lyra’s voice aroused all of Vivian’s sisterly intuition.
“What’s wrong, Lyra?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t give me that. This is Vivian you’re talking to. Your sister.”
“I’m fine, Viv, really. It’s just that I’m feeling a little overwhelmed by all the details. Speaking of which, I’d better get off the phone. Got a meeting with the dressmaker today. Call me tomorrow even if you don’t have any news, all right?”
“Lyra, do you want to talk?”
“Not just now. Bye, Viv. I love you.”
“Love you, too. You know if you need to tell me something, anything—”
There was a click. Lyra was gone.
Vivian set the receiver down in the cradle. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of iced tea. Nick looked up when she walked outside and sat down in a wicker chair.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You mean aside from the fact that my house was burned down last night and my name popped up in the private journal of a paid assassin?”
He raised his brows. “Aside from those issues, yes.”
“It’s my sister. I can’t be certain because she’s a pretty good actress, but I think she’s upset and hiding something from me.”
Nick folded the paper and set it aside. He picked up his tea. “Why would she hide anything from you?”
“For the same reason that I’m hiding things from her. Because she doesn’t want me to worry. Her tone of voice changed when we talked about the engagement party coming up next month.”
“So, something to do with the party?”
Vivian considered that. “More likely something to do with the fact that she’s going to be married to the man of her dreams.”
“Bridal jitters?”
“Maybe. Yes, I think so.”
“She wouldn’t be the first person to have second thoughts,” Nick said.
Vivian raised her brows. “You sound like you’ve had personal experience.”
Nick reached out and rested his hand on Rex’s back. The dog immediately raised his head in response. Alert but not alarmed, not yet at any rate.
“Unfortunately,” Nick said, “the bride did not pay attention to what her intuition was trying to tell her until it was too late.”
“Too late?”
“Patricia had a nervous breakdown on what was supposed to be our wedding night. The marriage was never consummated.”
The atmosphere on the patio suddenly became very still. Vivian held her breath, waiting for secrets to be revealed. She watched Nick with the same kind of focus that she used when she took photos. The energy around him was as strong and vital as ever but the shadows that she had sensed just beneath the surface grew more intense.
“What happened?” she asked, mesmerized.
“I told you, the marriage was annulled.” Nick smiled a bleak smile. “According to the law it never existed.”