"I'm quite prepared to tell the police exactly what happened in the room. The story I told you in the hospital was true. I just didn't tell you why I was there. I hope that unless it becomes absolutely necessary, you will keep that part strictly confidential."
"I will," I said. "But tell me, what are you doing in Tunisia?
"We took the trip to celebrate the signing of the contract. We didn't know Kristi was coming, of course, nor did we know she'd be checking up on us. We get a lot of media attention, and I suppose eventually it would have to come out. My past, I mean. Perhaps I was being terribly naive to think it wouldn't. But we didn't know."
"But why Tunisia?"
"˜It sounded like fun, and we could afford it."
"Who picked it, you or Curtis?"
"Curtis, I think. I voted for Paris, but he thought this would be more interesting and different."
"Why didn't you pack up and go home after the fire?" I asked.
"I wanted to, not because of the trip, you understand. I want you to know that if it weren't for Kristi, I'd really be enjoying this trip. It's a beautiful country, and I've learned a lot, too. It's not your fault this hasn't been exactly the trip I dreamed of. Curtis said we should keep going, not let this get us down, so here we are. And I didn't kill her."
"H ELLO, BRIARS," I said, beginning my second interview of the day. While I was determined not to get involved in the subject of the shipwreck again, there was still the question of the relationship between Briars and Rick. "I'm glad to see you're out of hospital. Should you be staying all alone in this house, do you think? Where are the others?"
"Hedi's still around. He's a terrific guy. He has a place in town, already, so he stays there. He came by to see me and brought me something to eat, though. Gus and Sandy are taking a break. They've gone to Tunis for a few days. I can hardly blame them. There's nothing doing here, and frankly, I'm not much fun to be around. It's nice of you to come and see me," he said, getting up off the sofa to give me a hug. As we pulled apart, his lips brushed my ear. "Here," he said patting the seat beside him. "Sit down and talk to me awhile."
"I can only stay a few minutes," I said, "I've got lots to do today. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
"That's nice of you," he said, stretching one arm along the back of the sofa behind me. "Tell me all the things you have to do."
"You don't want to know all the boring stuff I have to do with this trip," I said.
"On the contrary, I'd like to hear about nice, boring, normal stuff," he said. "Anything other than ships and shipwrecks." His hand slid down on to my shoulder and I felt a slight pressure to move me closer to him. Something told me he was feeling a lot better.
"I have to check on arrangements for the excursion out into the desert . . ."
"I don't think you need me for that portion of the trip, do you?"
"No. It would be nice to have you along, but we'll be fine."
"What else are you up to?" he asked.
"Oh, Clive has something he wants me to do in the next day or so," I said. "Have you heard any more from that policemen, Ben Osman?"
"No, and I hope I never have to talk to him again," he said. "Can we talk about something more pleasant?"
"Sure, what?" I said.
"Something like this," he said, leaning over and kissing me. It felt very good, and I realized this was something missing from my life, to put it politely. Pretty soon, the atmosphere was getting quite warm in the room. I was enjoying the feel of the skin on his back, and the touch of his mouth on my neck, when an unbidden thought crossed my mind.
Don't think about it, I told myself, but it was too late.
Leaving aside for a moment the question of why he is doing this, a little voice in the back of my head said, why are you doing this? Is it because you're feeling sorry for Briars, who is having such a rough time right now? You're not his mother, you know. Or is it because you're ticked off at Rob?
"Shut up," I said.
"What?" Briars said, pausing for a moment. "Did you say something?"
You're annoyed with Rob, the little voice droned on, because he has a new pal. Well, won't he be pleased to hear that you're involved with Briars! I mean, do we see a pattern here? This should put any possibility of a relationship back in the freezer for another year or two.
"Lara," Briars murmured, pulling me down on top of him.
Decision time, the wretched little voice said.
"Briars," I said, sitting up and straightening my blouse. "I think I'm going back to the hotel."
"Oh no," he groaned. "Stay. Please."
"I'm flattered you'd like me to stay," I said, "but I think it would best if I went back."
"I'm not doing this to flatter you," he said, wrapping his arms around me again.
"No," I said. "This won't work. There's someone at home I think I'm attached to, in a way I'm not yet sure I understand. Maybe some other time, for both of us."
"Okay," he said, letting go of me. "I'm sorry, though."
"Me, too," I said, and I meant it. "Oh, Briars," I said, turning back at the door. It's amazing how fast one can forget what one came for. "I saw Ben Osman again this morning. He's thinking about having another look at what happened to Rick. He thinks Rick's death might not have been accidental."
"Do you mean he committed suicide? By diving into a pool? Wouldn't that be difficult to do?"
"Murder, Briars," I said. "About your argument with Rick--Is there anything you'd like to tell me about it?"
"There's nothing to tell," he said, but he looked agitated. "I thought we were done with that topic of conversation."
"Okay," I said. He'd gone really pale, and looked feverish. I didn't think it was his newfound passion for me that was doing it. "Are you feeling all right?"
"I'll be okay," he said. "I'm just tired." I decided I'd have to come back to this one at a later time.
"C LIFF," I SAID, back at the hotel."I know this is very presumptuous of me, but would you have a look at this tooth of mine?"
"Well, sure," he said. "I have my mirror in my room. I don't have anything else with me, of course, so I couldn't do anything . . ."
"Oh, it's just a second opinion I want. It's the front tooth on the bottom. You probably don't need any equipment to look at it."
"Ah yes, I see it," he said, peering into my mouth. "You've sheared off some of the enamel on the back of that tooth. Does it hurt at all?"
"No. I was just wondering whether to leave it or get it capped."
"If I were you, I'd leave it," he replied. "If it's scratching your tongue, you could have the rough edges filed off. Unfortunately I don't have the tools to do that here."
"Thanks, Cliff. Sorry to bother you with this. I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to find a dentist right away." I'd ascertained with some certainty that Cliff really was a dentist. He'd given me exactly the same advice I'd received from my own dentist before I left. What that did for me, I didn't know.