Eye of the Beholder

top of that, I only sold two winged lions and a reproduction of a medieval map that showed the edge of the world. How about you?"
    "The good news is that I'm not officially a suspect in Guthrie's death. The bad news is that there are some seriously disappointed people in town."
    Alexa was incensed. "There was never any question of you being a suspect."
    "That appears to be a matter of opinion in some quarters. Chief Strood , however, is currently treating Guthrie's death as an alcohol-related accident. I got the impression that he is no more eager for it to turn into a murder investigation than I am."
    "Of course it was a drunk driving accident." Alexa frowned. "What did you mean about the seriously disappointed people?"
    "Let's just say that the story of Dean Guthrie's death would be a lot more exciting to some folks around here if there was a way to tie it to me and to those threats I made twelve years ago."
    "Fat chance." Alexa gave a ladylike snort of disgust. At least she hoped it was ladylike. "There is no way anyone can do that. It was just a horrible coincidence."
    Trask looked thoughtful. "I'm not so sure about that."
    Alexa went cold. "Don't do that."
    "What?"
    She waved a hand. "Don't start talking about negative vortices and a lack of coincidences in the universe. I can't take any more metaphysics today."
    "My theories don't have anything to do with metaphysics. But I have to admit that I'm not a big believer in coincidences."
    "Damn. I was afraid of this." Alexa grabbed her satchel from the small closet beneath the cash register and slung it over her shoulder. She fished her keys out of her pocket. "It's closing time. Let's go." She started toward the door.
    "Where are we going?"
    "Someplace where we can have a little privacy."
    Trask followed her toward the door. "Why?"
    She paused to flip over the sign that hung in the window. "We need to talk."

18

    Trask lowered himself onto one of the rocks that rimmed the natural, spring-fed pool. The damp walls of the canyon cave loomed around him. Through the opening he could see the hot afternoon sunlight, but here inside the cavern, the hidden desert oasis was cool and serene, a shady retreat from the strong, bright sun and the stark landscape. There is nothing so seductive as water in the desert.
    An inexplicable restlessness shivered through his senses. He suppressed it with an act of will and forced himself to examine the stone cave that shielded the crystal-clear water.
    This place was beautiful, fascinating, mysterious .
    Wet.
    He realized that he felt like an intruder here.
    "It's called Harmony Spring," Alexa said as she dropped down onto a stone on the opposite side of the rocky pool. "It's supposed to be one of the hot spots in the area. The energy vortex here is feminine, by the way."
    Trask grunted. "Didn't know vortices came in different genders."
    "Just ask any of the locals. Energy vortices are either positive or negative, and they're either male or female."
    "Uh-huh. Come here often?"
    "Sometimes." She tossed a tiny pebble into the spring. Water rippled gently. "When I need to think. I spent a lot of time here after Mom and I first moved to Avalon."
    "Yeah?" He tried to feel amused. "I didn't think you were into that metaphysical stuff."
    "I'm not." She tucked one leg under herself. "But I must admit that I always feel calmer and more peaceful when I leave this place. Stronger, somehow."
    Trask had a sudden memory of how she had looked when she had faced him twelve years ago, phone clutched in her hand. He recalled the big, haunted eyes filled with gutsy determination and courage. Those qualities were still there, he thought. They were a part of her.
    She looked at him across the deep pool. "What did you mean earlier when you said that Guthrie's death could be connected to you and to what happened twelve years ago?"
    He contemplated the depths of the spring. "At the risk of confirming your belief that I'm slipping ever deeper into my conspiracy theories, I've got to tell you that I don't buy Guthrie's death as an accident."
    She stiffened and then dropped her forehead down onto her upraised knee. "I've already had this conversation with Joanna. Are you seriously going to tell me that you believe some malevolent force has been unleashed here in Avalon?"
    "Is that what Joanna said?"
    "Not exactly." Alexa raised her head. "But I got the feeling that she views you as the eye of the storm. She thinks that if you just go away, things will return to