He felt as though she’d slammed a fist into
his gut. “Was that in the letter?”
She hesitated a moment, then said, “No.” She
let the one word sit, with all the implications it carried, and
began walking again, gaining a couple of steps lead before he drew
even with her.
“No more lies, Ilene. What does the Diamond
Council want?”
She reached down to pick up a large, nearly
perfect fan-shaped white shell and turned it over in her hands idly
as she walked. “They want to know what you’re doing.”
“You’d think I was a celebrity with all the
interest my life is drawing.”
“Why?”
He let his confusion show. “Why what?”
“Why is everyone so interested? What are you
doing that’s got everyone so interested?”
He considered for a moment. “I’m guessing it
has to do with a project I’m workin
