He saw the shock of what he did not say—that if she did not leave town she might end up dead within the week—flash in her eyes.
“How am I supposed to explain my sudden disappearance from Adelina Beach?” she said; the bleak expression in her eyes made it clear her heart was no longer in the argument.
“You can tell your clients that something personal has come up,” he said. “A family situation. Leaving town will force the killer to take a few more risks because he will probably try to find you. With luck it will draw him out into the open where Pell and his people can spot him.”
“What about my family? They’ll be scared to death if I tell them what’s going on.”
He hesitated. “I don’t want to tell you to lie to your family, but the truth is, it will be easier to deal with this situation if they aren’t involved. It could put them in danger.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Then I suggest you let everyone think you’re taking a few days off to get some fresh creative inspiration.”
“Right. Creative inspiration.”
Vivian did not appear enthused by that plan. He cast about for a little inspiration of his own.
“How does a honeymoon at the Burning Cove Hotel sound?” he said.
He was rather pleased with the cleverness of the idea until he realized that Vivian was staring at him, horrified.
“Honeymoon?” she said. “Are you out of your mind?”
“It has been suggested on occasion,” he admitted.
“Is that right? By whom?”
“The woman I married, among others.”
Vivian’s eyes widened. “Are you telling me you’re married? After you suggested we have a fake honeymoon together at the Burning Cove Hotel? Your wife must be amazingly open-minded when it comes to your professional work.”
“She’s not my wife. According to the court, she never was.”
“Now what are you talking about?”
“My marriage was annulled.”
“Oh,” Vivian said. She opened her mouth and shut it again.
Nick wasn’t surprised. Over the course of the past year he had discovered that an announcement of an annulment had a way of terminating a conversation. It immediately raised questions that few people dared to ask aloud.
The doorbell chimed. Vivian turned toward the door of the office, clearly grateful for the interruption.
“That must be Sam,” she said. “We’ll have to continue this discussion later. I’ve got bills to pay.”
“I thought your family was wealthy.”
She shot him an annoyed look as she headed toward the doorway. “I’m on my own here in Adelina Beach. My parents don’t approve of mydesire to pursue a career as an art photographer. Father assumed that if he cut off my allowance I’d give up and go home to San Francisco.”
“Why? What are the odds of making it as an art photographer?”
“About the same as the odds of getting discovered by a studio executive and becoming a red-hot movie star.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Yep. Which is why I am only too happy to do bargain portraits for handsome, well-built men from Muscle Beach. They help pay the bills.”
She went through the doorway. He followed, Rex at his heels.
