Summer in Eclipse Bay

about."
    Sullivan nodded. "And she comes first now, is that it?"
    "That's it."
    At six o'clock that evening every parking lot was full. A large crowd of locals, Heralds, tourists, and summer people thronged the street and sidewalk.
    Colorful balloons bobbed from the open doors of the shops and gallery. The temperature had been above average during the day, a balmy eighty-two, and the late summer sun was fending off the evening chill. The Annual Eclipse Bay Summer Celebration was in full swing.
    Octavia breathed a sigh of relief when several kids, dragging their parents, surged into Bright Visions the minute the door was opened.
    "It looks like the show isn't going to be a disaster after all," she said in a low voice to Gail, who was supervising the punch-and-cookies table.
    Gail chuckled. "Told you not to worry. Did you really think anyone would stay away? Every kid with a picture in the show will be here tonight, and everyone else in town will come just to get a look at you and Nick together. After all, you're the lady who shattered the curse."
    "And then, of course, there is the fact that I am a noted local art thief," Octavia said dryly.
    "Hey, a little notoriety never hurts when it comes to publicity."
    "Just goes to prove the old publicity axiom, I guess. 'I don't care what you call me so long as you spell my name right'."
    Gail's amusement faded. "It's true that people are very curious about your relationship with Nick. And I won't say that the rumors about the missing Upsall haven't piqued everyone's interest. But the bottom line is that a lot of people really like you, Octavia. You're a nice person."
    Octavia made a face. "You mean, for an art thief?"
    "Gail is right." Hannah appeared out of the crowd and helped herself to a chocolate chip cookie. "You and the Bright Visions gallery are part of this town. Folks wouldn't be talking about you if you weren't considered a legitimate member of the community. Local folks never talk about outsiders. They're not interested in the summer people or the casual visitors."
    "Like it or not, you belong here," Gail said.
    Hannah glanced toward the door. "And here come a couple of your biggest admirers."
    Octavia followed the direction of her gaze and saw Eugene and Dwayne enter the gallery. They looked different. It took her a few seconds to realize that both men had shaved and put on clean shirts and pants for the occasion. Eugene's hair was slicked down with some sort of shiny pomade, and Dwayne had tied his in a ponytail.
    The pair came to a halt just inside the entrance, blocking traffic. Although they had walked into the gallery with a certain air of bravado, they now appeared uncomfortable. She got the feeling neither of them knew what to do next.
    "Will you look at that," Gail murmured. "They've actually buttoned their shirts."
    "Sort of ruins the image when you can't see Eugene's hairy belly through the holes in his undershirt, doesn't it?" Hannah mused.
    Gail frowned. "I hope they're not here to start trouble."
    "Don't worry," Hannah said. "Sean Valentine is just outside talking to Nick and A.Z. and Virgil. Eugene and Dwayne won't create any problems with the chief nearby."
    "I agree, there's no cause for alarm." Octavia picked up two paper cups filled with punch. "They wouldn't have gone to all the effort to get cleaned up if they'd planned to start another brawl."
    She made her way through the crowd to where Eugene and Dwayne hovered uncertainly.
    "Hello," she said brightly, handing a cup to each man. "I'm glad you could make it tonight. Please come in and have a look around."
    "Thanks." Eugene seemed to relax. He took one of the cups of punch. "Dwayne and me figured it was about time we educated ourselves about art, y'know?"
    "Of course." She gestured toward the buffet table. "Help yourselves to cookies."
    "Look, Dwayne, they've got free food."
    He started toward the table.
    "Excellent." Dwayne downed the contents of his punch cup and set off in Eugene's wide wake.
    Nick sauntered through the door at that moment. His gaze tracked Eugene and Dwayne's progress. "Everything okay in here?"
    "Yes, indeed," she said. "I was just welcoming a couple of other legitimate members of the community."
    He raised his eyebrows. "Do I detect a trace of irony here?"
    "Probably." She glanced at Carson, who stood with Anne in front of the picture of Zeb. The two children appeared to be deep in conversation. A couple of miniature art connoisseurs, she thought. "Tell me the truth,