"I have a job to do."

"You'd have left the island soon anyway."

"Not necessarily. It's been very peaceful here. I like the sunlight and the tranquillity."

"And you like Logan and didn't want to hurt him."

"I did hurt him."

"He'll be sorry to see you go, but he'll be okay." She paused. "I knew Joe would come for you, but I didn't know--I don't like this, Mama."

"You've never liked the idea of me searching for you."

"No, I mean . . . I have a feeling . . . there's a darkness."

"You're afraid I won't be able to survive working on your skull."

"It's going to be bad for you, but that's not what . . ." She shrugged. "You'll go anyway. You're so stubborn." She leaned against the wall. "Go back to sleep. You have all that packing to do. You did the age progression very well, by the way."

"Thank you," she said mockingly. "Talk about self-praise."

"I can't compliment you about anything," Bonnie said plaintively. "You think you're doing it yourself."

"Since you're a dream, that's the logical conclusion." She was silent a moment. "Libby's father was supposed to be a violent man. He took her as a revenge kidnapping. Is Libby still alive? She's not with you?"

Bonnie lifted her brows. "In your dreams or the other side? You can't have it both ways, Mama."

"Forget it."

A smile illuminated Bonnie's face. "She's not here with me. You have a chance of bringing her home."

"I knew that." Eve turned over on her side and closed her eyes. "I wouldn't have done all that work if I hadn't known there was a good chance."

"A logical supposition?"

"Exactly."

"Not instinct?"

"Sorry, I hate to pop your bubble, but these dreams of you are the only foolishness I'll lay claim to." She paused. "Are you coming with me?"

"I'm always with you." A silence and then haltingly, "But it may be difficult for me to get through. The darkness . . ."

"Is that skeleton you, baby?" Eve whispered. "Please. Tell me."

"I'm not sure. I can't tell if the darkness is for you or for me. . . ."

WHEN EVE WOKE, the palest glimmer lightened the horizon. She stayed in bed for another twenty minutes, watching the dawn creep over the ocean. Strange, she didn't feel as rested as she usually did after dreaming of Bonnie. She was a little uneasy. A psychiatrist would say the dreams were a catharsis, a way of handling her loss without going insane--and he'd probably be right. The dreams had started about a year after Fraser was executed, and their effect was positive. So she'd be damned if she'd go to some shrink to try to rid herself of them. A memory of love never did anyone any harm.

She swung her legs to the floor. Time to stop brooding and get moving. She had to pack and meet Joe at the house at eight.

And say a final good-bye to Logan.

"YOU LOOK LIKE you're visiting a dying friend." Logan was coming down the stairs when she reached the hall. "Are you ready to go?"

She braced herself. "Yes."

"Where's Quinn?"

"Waiting in the Jeep. Logan, I never--"

"I know." He waved dismissively. "Come on, let's get going."

"You're coming with us?"

"Don't look so wary. Only as far as the heliport." He took her elbow and nudged her toward the door. "I won't be left here like a forlorn lover. That's bullshit. I'm hereby kicking you off my island. Don't ever come back." He smiled crookedly. "Unless it's tomorrow, or next month or next year. Come to think of it, I might accept you if you hurry back in the next decade. Otherwise, forget it."

She smiled with relief. "Thanks, Logan."

"For making it easy for you? Hell, there's no way I'd taint your memory of our time here. We were too good together." He opened the front door. "You're a special woman, Eve. I don't want to lose you. If you don't want me as a lover, I'll be your friend. It will take a little while for me to adjust, but it will happen. I'll make it happen."

She reached up and kissed his cheek. "You're already my friend. I was a mess when I came here with you. No one could have been more generous or done more for me than you during this last year."

He looked down at her and smiled. "I haven't given up, you know. I want a hell of a lot more. This is just the first stage of a sneak attack."

"You never give up. That's one of the things that's so wonderful about you."

"See, you're already appreciative of my sterling qualities. I intend to capitalize on that and move forward." He pushed her toward the Jeep, where Joe waited. "Come on, you'll miss your helicopter."

THE HELICOPTER WAS already sitting on the tarmac when Joe pulled into the heliport.

"May I speak to you a moment, Quinn?" Logan asked politely.

Joe had been expecting it. "Get on board and buckle up, Eve. I'll be right with you."

She gave them both a wary glance but didn't interfere.

When she was in the helicopter Logan asked, "It's not Bonnie, is it?"

"It could be."