yellow crime-scene tape everywhere, and the police struggling to keep curious
tourists and locals at bay, there was too much confusion going on and no point trying to
work.
Hours passed. None of them left the tiki bar unless they were asked to talk to Jay or one
of his officers.
Jack—who had actually been the first one to see the body—had spoken with Jay
Gonzalez the longest, while the others had provided what they could, which was pretty
much nothing.
The woman had been in the water several days, at least, before she had washed up on the
beach. Where she had gone in, no one knew. In the next few days, forensic techs and
medical examiners would analyze clues on and in the body, as well as currents and tidal
patterns, trying to discern just where she might have gone in to arrive on the beach where
she had.
A computer image was already being created from a photograph of her face. It would be
shown on the evening’s news, not just locally but all over Florida, and ultimately, around
the country if necessary, and with luck they would soon know her identity.
Though the police hadn’t made any announcements as yet, Thor was pretty sure he knew part of her story. Ragged marks at her ankles indicated that she’d been tied to some kind
of weight—alive or dead, he didn’t know. A medical examiner would be able to answer
that question, however.
“Boy, and we all thought you were seeing things,” Jack said suddenly, looking at
Genevieve.
She had been deep in thought and started when he spoke to her.
“Pardon?”
“Well, you saw a woman in the water. And there was a woman in the water,” Jack said.
Thor thought at first she would nod—not pleased, because who could be pleased by such
a circumstance?—but at least glad she hadn’t been crazy.
But she just stared back at Jack.
“Though God knows, we all searched exactly where you had been, and we couldn’t find
her,” Jack said.
“Maybe she lodged in the coral somewhere,” Victor said. “But I don’t see how.” He
looked glum and quiet.
Genevieve hadn’t offered an opinion. She had turned toward the beach where police and
bystanders were still milling. Only the little patch of sand where the body had actually
lain was still cordoned off.
“Amazing,” Lizzie murmured.
Genevieve turned her attention back toward the group. “I wonder what happened to the
mannequin,” she said, staring at Victor.
He flushed, then frowned. “Who told you what we were planning?” he asked, staring
accusingly at Jack.
“Hey! I didn’t say a word,” Jack protested, adjusting his big skull-and-crossbones
earring. “I thought we all decided not to do it.”
“We did,” Alex said.
“So how did you know what we were up to?” Victor asked. Thor was surprised to feel a
sense of growing unease. So that was what she’d been talking about, spouting about a
dummy when there was a pathetically dead woman lying on the beach.
Genevieve stared at him, shaking her head. “You asshole, Victor! When I woke up, there
was a mannequin on my porch, right in front of the door, waiting to greet me. I threw it in
the water.” She looked decidedly uncomfortable.
“She became real,” Bethany whispered.
“Oh, good God,” Marshall groaned. “What the hell is the matter with all of you? Victor, did you put a mannequin on Genevieve’s porch?”
“I swear to God, I didn’t,” Victor protested.
“Oh, yeah? Well she was there,” Genevieve said flatly.
“I didn’t do it,” Victor protested, staring at her. “Alex said it would be cruel. I just
thought it would give you a jolt, make you laugh, get you over the whole thing.”
“Yeah, right. Get her over it,” Zach said, fingers curling around his wife’s as he gave her
a grim smile. “It’s bizarre, though, isn’t it? Somehow, Genevieve saw a woman in the
water, and now…”
“Damn,” Victor said, shaking his head. “I was diving with her and didn’t see her.”
“We all
tourists and locals at bay, there was too much confusion going on and no point trying to
work.
Hours passed. None of them left the tiki bar unless they were asked to talk to Jay or one
of his officers.
Jack—who had actually been the first one to see the body—had spoken with Jay
Gonzalez the longest, while the others had provided what they could, which was pretty
much nothing.
The woman had been in the water several days, at least, before she had washed up on the
beach. Where she had gone in, no one knew. In the next few days, forensic techs and
medical examiners would analyze clues on and in the body, as well as currents and tidal
patterns, trying to discern just where she might have gone in to arrive on the beach where
she had.
A computer image was already being created from a photograph of her face. It would be
shown on the evening’s news, not just locally but all over Florida, and ultimately, around
the country if necessary, and with luck they would soon know her identity.
Though the police hadn’t made any announcements as yet, Thor was pretty sure he knew part of her story. Ragged marks at her ankles indicated that she’d been tied to some kind
of weight—alive or dead, he didn’t know. A medical examiner would be able to answer
that question, however.
“Boy, and we all thought you were seeing things,” Jack said suddenly, looking at
Genevieve.
She had been deep in thought and started when he spoke to her.
“Pardon?”
“Well, you saw a woman in the water. And there was a woman in the water,” Jack said.
Thor thought at first she would nod—not pleased, because who could be pleased by such
a circumstance?—but at least glad she hadn’t been crazy.
But she just stared back at Jack.
“Though God knows, we all searched exactly where you had been, and we couldn’t find
her,” Jack said.
“Maybe she lodged in the coral somewhere,” Victor said. “But I don’t see how.” He
looked glum and quiet.
Genevieve hadn’t offered an opinion. She had turned toward the beach where police and
bystanders were still milling. Only the little patch of sand where the body had actually
lain was still cordoned off.
“Amazing,” Lizzie murmured.
Genevieve turned her attention back toward the group. “I wonder what happened to the
mannequin,” she said, staring at Victor.
He flushed, then frowned. “Who told you what we were planning?” he asked, staring
accusingly at Jack.
“Hey! I didn’t say a word,” Jack protested, adjusting his big skull-and-crossbones
earring. “I thought we all decided not to do it.”
“We did,” Alex said.
“So how did you know what we were up to?” Victor asked. Thor was surprised to feel a
sense of growing unease. So that was what she’d been talking about, spouting about a
dummy when there was a pathetically dead woman lying on the beach.
Genevieve stared at him, shaking her head. “You asshole, Victor! When I woke up, there
was a mannequin on my porch, right in front of the door, waiting to greet me. I threw it in
the water.” She looked decidedly uncomfortable.
“She became real,” Bethany whispered.
“Oh, good God,” Marshall groaned. “What the hell is the matter with all of you? Victor, did you put a mannequin on Genevieve’s porch?”
“I swear to God, I didn’t,” Victor protested.
“Oh, yeah? Well she was there,” Genevieve said flatly.
“I didn’t do it,” Victor protested, staring at her. “Alex said it would be cruel. I just
thought it would give you a jolt, make you laugh, get you over the whole thing.”
“Yeah, right. Get her over it,” Zach said, fingers curling around his wife’s as he gave her
a grim smile. “It’s bizarre, though, isn’t it? Somehow, Genevieve saw a woman in the
water, and now…”
“Damn,” Victor said, shaking his head. “I was diving with her and didn’t see her.”
“We all
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