Eye of the Beholder

not even have an art critic on the staff.
    She reminded herself that it was entirely possible that whoever had covered the reception for the newspaper had not even noticed her spectacular collection.
    She read through the entire article before she finally found a single sentence near the end.

    ... Several influential members of the Tucson and Phoenix art world turned out to view the hotel's collection of art and antiques from the early twentieth century.

    "That's it?" Outrage poured through her. "That's all you turkeys can say about one of the finest collections of Deco in the country?"
    A figure loomed in the open doorway of the shop. "Is this a private conversation or can anyone join in?"
    She looked up at the sound of Trask's voice. Dressed in a work shirt and a pair of jeans, he looked as if he had just walked in off a construction site.
    She blurted out the first words that came into her head. "What are you doing here?"
    "I came to see you." He walked into the shop and halted in front of the display of stone gargoyles. He picked up one of the smaller figures, a fist-sized, goggle-eyed little monster with elfin ears and a pair of leathery-looking wings. "So this is what you do when you're not acting as a secret art consultant for Edward Vale."
    "I don't have much choice." Alexa straightened and slowly refolded the newspaper. "Secret art consulting jobs are hard to come by."
    He walked through a maze of faux Greek urns and came to a halt in front of the Egyptian-style chair that Alexa had privately dubbed Cleopatra's throne.
    "Not exactly museum-quality art and antiques," Trask said.
    "No, they're not." She heard a crackling sound and looked down to see that she had crumpled the newspaper in her hand. "I don't pretend that they are. Everything in this shop is clearly labeled as a replica."
    "Clearly labeled," he repeated. "Unlike the proprietor."
    "What's that supposed to mean?"
    "Nothing sinister. I just can't quite figure you out, that's all. Will you have dinner with me tonight?"
    She stared at him, dimly aware that her mouth was hanging open. She got it closed with a monumental effort of will. "You think you can figure me out over dinner?"
    He smiled slightly. "I've got a feeling that it will take a little longer than that. But I can at least get started on the problem. We'll go to the country club, if that's all right with you."
    "I'm not a member of the club."
    "I am. The hotel has a corporate membership and guest privileges."
    "Oh."
    He watched her very steadily. "Is that a yes or a no?"
    "I'm thinking about it."
    "I was under the impression that you wanted to keep tabs on my every move while I'm here in Avalon."
    "You mean you're going to take me out to dinner and tell me all the details of your paranoid conspiracy theories?"
    "Depends on how good a listener you are."
    Alexa took a deep breath. "Well, okay. I guess."
    "I like enthusiasm in a woman." He inclined his head with mocking grace. "I'll pick you up at seven-thirty."
    He turned on his heel and walked toward the door.
    "Hold it." She met his eyes across the top of the King Tut mask. "Mind if I ask why?"
    "I told you that I came back to Avalon to make some waves. I can't think of a better way to start than to have the country club crowd see me having dinner with Lloyd Kenyon's stepdaughter."
    She froze. "You intend to use me to stir up trouble?"
    His mouth curved in a small, grim smile. "In exchange, you'll be in an ideal position to know exactly what trouble I manage to stir up."
    "What makes you think that taking me out to dinner at the country club will give you the kind of results you want?"
    His eyes glinted with amusement. "Avalon may have become trendy in the past few years, but at its heart it's still a very small town. That means it runs on gossip, rumors, and speculation."
    She watched him uneasily. "How will stirring up a lot of wild speculation help your so-called investigation?"
    "I'm here to find some answers. It's been my experience that there's nothing like a lot of rumors and gossip flying around to make people talk."
    "That's what you want?" She stared at him. "To make people gossip about the past?"
    " Gotta start somewhere."
    "I keep telling you, there is nothing sinister to uncover."
    "In which case, you'll get a free dinner out of the deal."
    Trask went out the door.
    Through the front window, Alexa watched him walk back down the terra cotta path toward the parking lot.
    Unsettling though it was to know that he had invited her