“Not really. But it wasn’t just the house on the bay and the unique aspects of that sort of building that interested them. They were interested in Island Contracting. He said that they thought their audience would love an all-female contracting company. But how did they know about us?” she asked, suddenly realizing that there were questions she hadn’t considered before.

“How was it explained to you?”

“It wasn’t. I… I was so flattered that I never even thought about it. Stupid, huh?”

“Completely understandable. And it could have been a coincidence. I mean, the show could have been told about this interesting house, and then when they investigated the story, they discovered that a unique contracting company was going to be doing the work and that just sold them on the entire thing.”

“Do you think that’s what happened?”

“I think it could have happened. But frankly, Josie, I doubt it.”

“Me, too.”

“What did Courtney say?”

“About what? This?”

“Yes.”

“Nothing.”

“You two hadn’t seen each other in how many years?”

“Wow. Let me think. Tyler is sixteen and I left school when I was two months pregnant… I guess it’s been almost seventeen years.” She grinned. “In fact, she was there when I discovered I was pregnant. Although she couldn’t know that, of course.”

“What do you mean?”

Josie frowned. “I was so young and stupid. I don’t like to think about those times.” And she sure didn’t want to tell him about them.

“We all did stupid things when we were young,” Sam said gently. “Tell me about it.”

“Okay. See, I thought I couldn’t get pregnant.” She paused and, happy that he hadn’t asked why, continued with her tale. “So when I didn’t get my period, I went to the school infirmary to see a doctor. I wasn’t just surprised and upset to find out I was pregnant; I was embarrassed to be so naive. The doctor I saw was less than kind. In fact, it was obvious that he thought I was too stupid to be in college. He told me I was pregnant and said he was busy and had to see students who were really sick. I walked back out into the waiting room in shock. And Courtney was there.”

“She just happened to be there? You weren’t meeting her there for any reason?”

“No. Heavens, no. I spent a lot of my first two months on campus avoiding her.”

“Did you two speak? Did you tell her what you were doing there?”

“I wasn’t thinking straight. I was in shock. My whole life had changed in just a few minutes. And… there was something else.” It was becoming more and more difficult to talk about it.

Sam didn’t say anything. He just waited for her to continue.

“See, she was dating the guy who… who got me pregnant.” She didn’t say “Tyler’s father.” She didn’t think of him that way. She hadn’t thought of him that way since his response to her announcement that she was pregnant.

“She was dating him while you were dating him?” Sam’s voice was gentle.

“I think so. She was still dating him at that point. They could be seen necking all over campus.”

“That must have been horrible for you.”

“It was. But more before I discovered I was pregnant than after. Once I knew I was going to have a baby-or an abortion-nothing else mattered a lot.”

“Josie, did you tell the guy you were pregnant? Or did Courtney find out in some way?”

“I told them both. I told you, I wasn’t thinking. I actually blabbed it out to Courtney right there in the waiting room.”

“You just told her you were pregnant?”

“I don’t actually remember the words, but she knew I was pregnant and who… the father was.”

“Do you remember what she said?”

That she remembered as if it was yesterday. Courtney had looked up from the book she was studying, brushed her long hair back over her shoulder, and said, “It doesn’t surprise me, Josie. I always said you were stupid.”

Sam’s response to her statement was gratifying. “What a bitch!”

“Yeah, but she was right. I was stupid to get involved with that guy, even stupider to get pregnant, and then I did something else stupid. I told him.”

“Since you ended up here, I gather he didn’t offer to do the right thing.”

“To marry me? No way, but I don’t think I would have married him.” She frowned. “At least I hope not. But, anyway, you’re right, he never offered. He didn’t even offer to help pay for an abortion. But I guess I should be glad about that. I probably would have done it without thinking about whether or not it was what I wanted to do. When I think back on that time-and I don’t much-I realize that most people, including my family, thought I should have gotten rid of the baby, changed schools, and gone on with my life, but then I wouldn’t have Tyler.”

“And everyone who knows him is glad of that,” Sam assured her. “He’s quite a kid. And you’ve done a remarkable job of raising him and creating a life for yourself.”

“He really is wonderful, isn’t he?” Josie smiled. “But I was lucky, too. I came to the island and Noel offered to help me. I don’t like to think about where Tyler or I would be if that hadn’t happened.”

“But go back to Courtney,” Sam urged. “What happened to your relationship?”

“Nothing. That day in the infirmary office was the last time I saw her until this week. The word on campus was that she and her boyfriend broke up. Of course I knew why, but I didn’t tell anyone. That would have meant letting people know about my pregnancy.” She decided to skip over the rest. “Christmas break started two days later and I was planning on going home. I think… I think Courtney and her family went to St. Bart’s over vacation. I… My parents and I stopped speaking to each other and suddenly I found out that I was on my own in the world. I came here. And I’ve been here ever since.”

“And you’re not in contact with anyone who might have told you what Courtney was up to?”

“I hadn’t even thought of her in years and years.”

“What about her? Doesn’t it strike you as odd that she came here to tape a show? Did you get the impression that she knew she would find you here?”

“I have no idea.”

“And she honestly didn’t say a word when the two of you met again? Certainly she expected you to know who she is.”

“Why?”

“Don’t you think she probably assumed you would have watched her show and recognized her on TV?”

“I guess. Probably.”

“So what did she say when you two met?”

“Hello. I mean, she said hello, like she’d never met me before. Or maybe she didn’t remember.”

“Josie, I’ve got to tell you this. I think she remembered you. In fact, this may all be based on circumstantial evidence, but I’ll bet they are taping here because you are here.”

“But why, Sam?”

“I don’t know. But I think we should get busy and find out.”

TWELVE

JOSIE WAS NOT accustomed to anyone other than herself ordering her crew around. But she had to admit that Bobby Valentine was doing a good job of it.

“She is not here. She probably had important personal business to attend to. That’s the key phrase for you all to remember. Courtney had important personal business to attend to. That’s what you say if anyone asks. But nobody, and I mean nobody, is to say anything to the press! Understand? Now we’re going to continue work on the show as though Courtney was still here.”

“And how the hell are we going to do that? Do you have some sort of Courtney dummy that you’re going to lean against the wall to watch us work?” Dottie sneered.

“We have already shot some of Courtney’s cutaways, and we can do interviews without her. You don’t have to worry about that part of it. We know what we’re doing. We do this all the time.”

That got Josie’s attention. “She’s disappeared like this before?”

“Not like this. No, not like this. But Courtney Castle is a very busy woman with many diverse demands on her time. She’s frequently called on to be someplace else while we tape a show, and when that happens, we are required to work around her absence.”