Eye of the Beholder

been the killer. No wonder she wanted the past to stay buried."
    Harriet looked at her with a fond expression. "I had no idea you'd been living such an exciting life since we dissolved our partnership, dear."
    "We didn't exactly dissolve our partnership," Alexa said through her teeth. "You disappeared in the middle of the night and left me to face the music."
    "It amounted to the same thing," Harriet said cheerfully. She looked at Trask. "I understand that you're the proud new owner of Icarus Ives's Dancing Satyr."
    "I own a statue called Dancing Satyr." Trask glanced at Alexa. "I'm told it's a fake."
    "It is," Harriet said. "One of my best pieces."
    Trask nearly choked on his scotch. "It's a McClelland?"
    "Yes, dear." Harriet smiled. "I wonder if I might ask a small favor of you ..."
    "Whatever you do," Alexa warned. "Don't listen to her."

    Several hours later Alexa awoke to find herself alone in the black lacquered bed. She turned and saw the solid, dark shape of Trask outlined against the window.
    "Are you okay?" she asked softly.
    "Yeah."
    She sat up and folded her arms on her knees. "You've got the answers you came here to find."
    "Most of them," he agreed.
    She braced herself to ask a question of her own. "How long will you be staying in Avalon?"
    "That depends," he said.
    "On what?"
    "On the answer to my last question."
    A lightheaded sensation passed through her. "What is your last question?"
    He watched her from the shadows. "Before you abandon your wild and reckless lifestyle entirely, will you take one more risk?"
    "What kind of risk?"
    "On me?"
    A glorious rush of warmth rose within her. The sense of weightless happiness was so great she wondered that she did not levitate off the bed. She pushed aside the covers, got to her feet, and walked across the room to join him.
    She put her arms around his neck and raised her mouth to his.
    "I kept telling Dr. Ormiston that I wouldn't have a problem with commitment when I met the right man," she said.
    A long time later Trask rolled onto his back and put one arm behind his head. He had never been more satisfied, more content, more at peace, he thought. And the sex was terrific, too.
    "What are you thinking?" Alexa asked in a sleepy voice.
    He smiled to himself and gathered her close. "Wild woman lives."

37

    Three weeks later. . .

    You were certainly busy while your mom and I were out of town." Lloyd stretched out on Alexa's patio lounger and reached for his beer. "Scared the bejeezus out of us when we found out what had happened."
    "What can I say?" Alexa smiled. "I went through a wild period. Probably just a phase."
    "Let's hope so. Don't think I could take too much of that kind of excitement." Lloyd eyed her. "Trask, I assume, is not just a phase?"
    "No. Trask is permanent." She watched the setting sun paint the desert with the uncanny light of other dimensions. "I'm going to marry him."
    "Figured as much." Lloyd gazed out over the glowing red and purple landscape. "That why you asked me to come over before Trask and Vivien got here tonight?"
    "Yes. I wanted to discuss something with you in private."
    He nodded. "You probably want to talk prenups . I know I've always made a big deal about them. You've got a fair amount of money to protect."
    "Thanks to you."
    Lloyd shrugged that off. "All I did was take what your grandmother left you and put it to work. Anyhow, like I said, I know I've drilled the idea of the importance of a prenuptial contract into your head since you started to date."
    "Good advice, Lloyd. I've never forgotten it. Think I'll need one with Trask?"
    Lloyd gave her a searching look. "Do you think you need one?"
    "Nope."
    Lloyd smiled slowly. "That's pretty much how I see it, too. Does he want one?"
    "Nope."
    "Figured he wouldn't. Forget the contract. Twelve years ago that stubborn son-of-a-gun wouldn't take a dime from me. He hasn't changed much from what I can tell. If the marriage doesn't work out, he won't touch your money. And you wouldn't touch any of his. You're just as proud and bullheaded as he is."
    "The marriage is going to work just fine."
    "I think you're right." Lloyd took a swallow of beer. "Trask turned out okay. Had a feeling he would."
    Alexa smiled. "You were the only one around who wasn't worried when you heard that he was coming back to Avalon."
    Lloyd snorted. "Probably should have worried some, after all."
    "But not about Trask."
    "No, not about him." Lloyd arched one thick brow and gave her a long considering look.