Summer in Eclipse Bay

nothing to it. But it just wouldn't look good for Katy's picture to be in the show."
    "That's ridiculous," Gail fumed. "The best way to help us squelch that gossip is to allow your daughter's picture to be exhibited with the others. If you pull it, you'll just add fuel to the fire and you know it."
    Octavia was touched, but she was not about to let Gail fight this battle for her. "It's all right, I'll get the picture."
    She circled the counter, opened the door of the back room, and went inside.
    "I'm sorry about this," Marjorie said coldly, "but it really is not my problem, is it?"
    "Depends how you look at it, Marjorie," Nick said.
    In the back room, Octavia winced. Nick was in a dangerous mood.
    Marjorie, however, apparently did not recognize the razor-sharp edge of the blade buried in the too-soft words.
    "Nick." She was suddenly overflowing with warmth and cordiality. "I heard you were in town for the summer. Nice to have you back in Eclipse Bay for a while."
    "Thanks," Nick said.
    "I saw your latest book on the rack at Fulton's," Marjorie said. "A very intriguing cover."
    "Think so?"
    "Yes, indeed. I have an excellent sense of color and design, you know. I'm sure the story is very good, too. I understand you've become quite popular. Unfortunately I don't have much time to read these days."
    "Why am I not surprised?" Nick murmured.
    Octavia stifled a groan and hurriedly went to work sorting through the framed paintings to find Katy's picture. If she didn't get out there fast, there would be blood on the floor of the gallery.
    "Gordon is getting ready to run for mayor, you know," Marjorie continued in a blithe, chatty fashion, evidently unaware of the ledge she was walking. "And what with all the campaign work and Katy's summer activities schedule, I haven't had a chance to read anything other than a newspaper for months."
    "I know what you mean," Nick said. "I've been a little busy myself lately. I'm working on finding out who started those rumors that are circulating about Octavia."
    "Oh, yes." Marjorie sounded nonplussed, as if she hadn't intended the conversation to go in this direction. "Yes, I did hear that you were asking around about the painting. Uh, any luck yet?"
    "Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm getting close."
    "That's wonderful," Marjorie said vaguely.
    "I'm working on this theory, you see. I figure that when I find out who started the rumors, I'll have the thief."
    Marjorie cleared her throat. "Is that so? I don't see why there would be any connection…?" She let the remainder of the question dangle in thin air.
    "There's a connection, all right," Nick assured her with the grave authority of an expert in his field. "It's obvious that someone is promoting the gossip in order to divert attention from himself." He gave it half a beat before adding very deliberately, "Or
herself,
as the case may be. It's an old tactic."
    "It is?" Marjorie asked warily.
    "Sure. Thieves and bad guys use it all the time. That's why the first thing law enforcement types do is check out the rumors surrounding a crime. They call it following leads."
    "I see." Marjorie cleared her throat again. "I didn't know that."
    "Probably because you've never read one of my books," Nick said very politely.
    Octavia gritted her teeth. Things were getting nasty out there. She tried to sort more swiftly through the pictures. She was pretty sure Katy had done a drawing of a house. And she thought she recalled a big yellow flower, too.
    "I'm making a list of everyone who repeats the gossip," Nick explained. "Checking out the sources. See who's trying to spread the rumors."
    "That doesn't sound very helpful." Marjorie sounded a little desperate now.
    "When I'm done, I'll give the list to Sean Valentine so that he can take a closer look at some of the people on it. I figure it's safe to say that someone on the list will prove to be the guilty party."
    "I don't think you can make that assumption." Alarm registered in Marjorie's voice. "I mean, that's ridiculous. Everyone in town is spreading that gossip."
    "Not quite everyone," Nick said. "For instance, I'll bet Gail, here, hasn't repeated the rumors."
    "Nope, not me," Gail assured them with ferocious glee. "I wouldn't spread that kind of outrageous nonsense. I've got my position in the community to consider. After all, my family is third-generation here in Eclipse Bay. Same as yours, Marjorie."
    "Well, I heard the story from Betty Stiles down at Fulton's," Marjorie said. Defensive now. "I have no