Everybody seemed to be having so much fun. Laughter came from the different groups. Kids tore about in playful glee. A hot sun burned the tiles on the patio and dried pool soaked skin in an instant. Couples staying in the water embraced with abandon; in general, they were all enjoying their holiday. Didn't they know two murders had been committed? Was he the only one being investigated?

What the hell was wrong with him? He looked back at the couple down the bar and determined that they were in a heated argument. Maybe he wasn't the only one not having fun. Turning back and giving in to his melancholy, Miller called to Mendoza. "You should try one of those things you gave me the other day on those two, I think they need to relax. Judging from the tone it sounds like they could use some of your magic." Mendoza's eyes brightened and he moved down the bar, smiling hugely.

"Hi sailor, buy a girl a drink?" Billy swung up onto a stool, bumping legs with Miller, tossing her purse on the counter and flashing a gorgeous smile. He glanced at her, awash in the energy of her aura. Everything seemed sharper and clearer when she was in her bubbly mood and he felt his gloom whiz away, instantly feeling so much better in her company.

"Aaaarrh, Sweetie, what'll it be?" He laughed, "What did our formidable Captain have to say?"

"I'm to stay on the grounds and make sure you do the same." She scooped a few peanuts from the bowl on the bar.

"Get out!"

"Don't you like having me as a policewoman?"

"I can think of other more pleasurable roles." Instantly he flamed red and gulped some of his drink as Billy's face took on a surprised amusement and she turned on her stool to face him directly.

"Care to share?"

"I uh- I'm sorry. That was rude."

"You are a piece of work, Miller." She ate some more peanuts and then ordered a drink when Mendoza returned.

"I don't think my drink will relax that couple," the bartender confided. "I think he is losing an argument about another woman." He winked and moved away to fix Billy's drink. Miller explained what happened and they both stole peeks down the bar at the couple.

"They were on that tour or whatever the other day with that woman."

"You mean-"

"Yes, Miller, her." They both stared at the couple again.

She wore a pale green over-blouse under a beige beach robe, with red, wedge-heeled sandals and yellow sunglasses. The man was tanned and well built and he wore blue shorts with an open, un-tucked shirt, sandals and lots of gold chains and rings.

"I'm not lying about anything." The man muttered.

"I'm sure."

"Where did you get this story?"

"Gary, give it up. I know, okay? You are nothing but a lying, cheating son-of-a-bitch."

"I was trying to get some information about the timeshare. I told you what she said about the cheques they were issuing."

"What makes you think that will happen now? Christ, Gary, the guy's dead . . . murdered!"

"The corporation has legal responsibilities to the investors. Jesus, the business can't stop; people die or get killed all the time." His voice rasped.

"So why not wait and see if it's true?"

"Look, any dope we can gather will only benefit."

Glenda arched her neck and glared. "And you thought you'd find it between the legs of one of the maids? You know who the dope is." He took in her venom and his face went rigid as the bartender suddenly appeared offering a specialty of the house.

"I don't want anything," Gary snapped and Glenda just shook her head. When the bartender moved away she stepped down from the stool and hissed at Gary.

"Enjoy your tryst with that little bitch because you won't be getting any more here; our partnership just went out with those waves."

As they watched, the woman stepped down from the stool, snarled something in a stage whisper and stalked off toward the hotel. A moment later the man tossed some money on the bar and followed.

"Unhappy in paradise," Miller exclaimed.

"Maybe with reason. Did you hear what she hissed at him?"

"No, what?"

"She said, something- that bitch- something, something- won't be getting- something- something- like Graves."

"Graves? Winston Graves?"

"Well I don't know that do I, Miller? Maybe she meant graves like in a cemetery. Or maybe it wasn't graves at all."

"You think it was just a reference or do they know something?"

Billy shook her head. "I'm just telling you what I thought I heard. I don't know anything about them."

"Finish your drink and let's find out."

"What, you want to play policeman now?"

"What better time. I can't go anywhere and I do have a policewoman watching me." He studied her face carefully.

She sipped her drink noisily and licked her lips, tilting her head and studying him. "Maybe I'd prefer one of those more pleasurable roles you mentioned . . ."

******

Gary presented himself to Warez and stood while the police captain admonished him for delaying his timetable. Then he ordered him to sit and with an almost gleeful expression he went through his interview creating fear and concern in equal parts.

"You don't deny having connections to both Senor Graves and Senorita Burrows?"

"I can't deny it. I'm an investor in Mister Graves' corporation and I've been dealing with his associate, Miss Burrows. I mean I've taken a resort tour with her."

"And now Senorita Burrows is also dead . . . murdered."

Gary sat still. His heart pounding so loud he thought the captain could hear it across the desk. "Murdered . . . ?" Obviously Glenda hadn't been told about Shelia and Gary had no idea what she used as an alibi for Graves. He knew for certain that she hadn't included him and there was no way he could say that his alibi was the latest victim.

"Senor Hunt and Senorita Estrada discovered the body while walking on the grounds this morning."

Gary's fingers went to the bandage and he quickly dropped his hand to his lap.

"Senor? Have you anything to say?"

He shook his head. "I- I don't know what to say. She was so young and pretty . . ."

"She was also seen a number of times with you."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Where were you last night, senor?"

The question stunned him. He needed to speak with the maid. He needed her for his alibi that didn't mean for just an hour late in the morning. When Warez continued to press him he confessed he'd been with one of the resort maids but didn't know her name.

"You spend a night with a woman and don't even learn her name?"

"I wasn't looking to going steady."

"Unlike you and Senorita Weiss . . . ?" Warez let the inferred question hang.

"What about us? We're both investors in the resort."

"Nothing more?"

"We've let a little intimacy pique the relationship but it's nothing beyond a holiday fling." He felt the sweat trickling down his back and sides and he prayed Warez would accept his story.

"We will need to interview this maid."

"I don't know where she is, I'd have to go and find her."

"And when you do I wish to speak with her, senor." Gary swallowed hard and nodded agreement, rising and leaving on shaky legs.

********

Glenda threatened to contact the embassy when Captain Warez summoned her again. She refused to sit and barely allowed him a word as she read him the riot act about her rights and his continual harassment. When he finally had the opportunity to tell her that Shelia Burrows had been murdered as well, Glenda stumbled to the chair and sat with a thump.

"We now have a strange situation with the same people cropping up around these events."

"I know absolutely nothing about this latest death."

"Murder, senorita. Murder." He drew his notepad over and read for a moment. "Where were you last night?"

"Uh- I was in my room." Her words flew out without consideration.

"All evening and night?"

She hurriedly ran through some options and quickly settled on what seemed the simplest. "I had dinner alone at the restaurant, walked past the shops and then went to my room."

"Alone?"

"Yes . . . alone."

"Can you verify that in any way, senorita?"

Glenda thought about Gary being with Shelia, about the cut on his face and she wondered if it could have possibly been him. She knew she was innocent but she needed a solid alibi as proof.

"Uhm, the security guard. You could check with him. I was having some trouble with the door lock and he came by and fixed it for me. He was uhm- he was kind enough to check back later to make sure I was comfortable with what he'd done."

"I see. This would be which guard?"

"Hec- Senor Prince."

"Gracias, senorita. I will check this information." The questions continued for several minutes and then he gave her a nod of dismissal. Glenda left the office on shaky legs too. She needed to find Hector.

******

Dinner that evening consisted of green salad, cold spareribs, guacamole, taco wraps and sour cream. Billy sighed and licked the smooth green paste from her fingers and reached for another wrap. Miller took a gulp from his cerveza and followed it with a mouthful of salad.

The sun had moved behind the lighthouse and the balcony was in pleasantly cool shade. Music drifted across the hill from the patio, guitars and harmonized voices. The ocean turned a purplish pink from the setting sun and the white sails from the small craft stuck out like stars at night.

Miller had instantly forgotten about the couple at the bar after Billy's comment and immediately pursued its potential with an offer of dinner in the famous Casa Faro.

"I can't imagine a more beautiful sight," Miller said, looking over at her. "And the ocean doesn't look bad either." She gave him a fake smile and pulled her robe over her knee. "What made you decide to do this, Billy?"

"Pity."

"Thanks, just the answer I was hoping for." He finished his beer and set the bottle on the balcony beside his chair.

"Why did you do it?" She asked.

"Are you kidding? Take a look at yourself through my eyes."

"That's pretty bloody shallow." She wiped her hands on her napkin and sat up, holding her robe closed.

"Hey, I'm not kidding anybody that I'm such an irresistible catch, okay? When I saw you on the plane I was already into fantasy."

"Didn't matter that I might not have a brain?"

"Of course . . . well . . . no. But then it was fantasy not a life goal."

She sniffed and stood, gathering up her dishes and taking them inside. Miller followed in kind.

"Shall I call for room service to pick this stuff up?"

"Just put it down at the door, they'll come by automatically." She picked up her blouse and held it up.

"Are you leaving?"

"All fantasies come to an end, Miller." She slipped off the robe and pulled on her blouse.

"The fantasy was on the plane, Billy. I didn't even know you for cryin' out loud."

"And now that you think you know me, what?" She pulled on her panties and then her skirt and fastened it, leaving her blouse out.

"I do know you . . . biblically . . . and I'd like to know you in all other aspects too." He stood facing her, his face a mix of fear and disappointment.

"Biblically? I don't think I've heard that one used before." She stepped into her sandals and hunted around for her purse. "Usually guys just say they've fu-"

"Stop it!" He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her to him. "Just stop it, Billy." Their faces were inches apart and both pairs of eyes moistened before their lips came together and his hands slid under the back of her blouse and hugged her warm skin.

Miguel grinned like a schoolboy when Miller told him not to wait while he saw Billy into her quarters. The moon had sneaked through the clouds and the stone walkways and the patio all looked washed out in its glow.

A shaft of light fell across the floor to the bureau beside her bed and when she stepped into its path and shed her top, Miller gave a small gasp. He went to her and they embraced, sinking slowly to the bed, remaining close until the moonlight turned to sunlight.