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inner； maybe even in the sack。 A fantastic notion to turn back time； to drive out the carpetbaggers； to reclaim the land by painting it as treacherous and uninhabitable。 And to do it all with sly tricks and egregious pranks…Armageddon； with mirrors。 Wiley would have embraced the idea； embellished it； talked it to life； and made it all seem possible。 And Jenna； having started the spark or at least fanned it； would have slipped back to watch her passionate genius turn the whimsy into reality…watching with love and amazement； but not paying quite enough attention。 So that when the killing started； and she finally understood how far he had carried the scheme； there was nothing to do but let him finish。 The alternative was betrayal： to destroy Skip and orphan this dream； the thing they had created together。
〃Is he going to stop this craziness？〃 Keyes asked。
〃I don't think so；〃 Jenna said； looking away。
〃Then he'll be caught；〃 Keyes said； 〃or killed。〃
〃Oh； I doubt that。〃 She removed her headband and plucked off her tiny gold earrings。 〃I know Skip； and he's way ahead of everybody。 Even you； my love。 Now； scoot out of here and let me pack。 I've got a ten…o'clock plane。〃
Brian Keyes retreated to the living room and sat dejectedly on the coffin…turned…coffee…table。
〃What are you doing？〃 Jenna asked from the kitchen doorway。 〃Brian； it's time to go。〃
〃Did you hear what happened today？ Today it was a goddamn bomb。 Three people blown to bits。 You think that's cute？ The old Wiley sense of humor…you find bombs amusing？〃
〃Not particularly。〃 Jenna paused； frowning briefly； and something crossed her face that Keyes seldom had seen。 Guilt； remorse 。。。 something。 〃Don't jump to conclusions about Skip；〃 she said finally。 〃That shrink had lots of enemies。〃
〃This isn't a game of Clue；〃 Keyes said。 〃Your boyfriend has bee a murderer。〃
〃It's not like you to get so melodramatic；〃 Jenna said impatiently。 〃Why can't you just leave it alone？ Get busy on your other cases and forget about it。 You did your job： you found Skip。 When he's ready to e back； he will。 That's what I told Cab this morning； but he's just like you。 He thinks Skip has some kind of crazy death wish。 Nothing could be sillier； Brian。 I'm really disappointed in you guys。〃 She was twirling the headband on her index finger； and looking very self…assured。
〃Brian； you've got two problems Skip doesn't have。〃
〃What's that？〃 Keyes asked； sensing defeat。
〃Your ego and your heart。〃
〃Well； pardon me。〃 Now it was time to go。 He didn't have to take this Joyce Brothers shit from a woman who bakes her own granola bars。
Halfway out the door he turned and said； 〃Jenna； what about the other night in the hospital？ What was all that？〃
〃That was a moment； Brian； yours and mine。〃 She smiled； the first soft smile of the whole evening。 〃It was one lovely moment； and that's all。 Why does there have to be more？ Why do you guys think there's always a Big Picture？ Honest to God； Brian； sometimes I think the newspaper business fucked you up forever。〃
Jenna hardly ever used the word 〃fuck。〃 Keyes figured she really must be agitated。
〃Have a good trip；〃 he said。 〃Give your parents my best。〃
〃Aw； you're sweet；〃 Jenna said。 〃You get some rest while I'm gone。 Forget about Skip； forget about me； forget about the Big Picture。 Everything's going to work out fine。〃
Ninety minutes later she left the house carrying a canvas travel bag and a tin of hot granola bars。 She wore tight jeans； a loose long…sleeved blouse； and white heels。 Her hair was pinned in a prim bun。
The drive to the airport was vintage Jenna…no recognition or regard for curbs； stop signs； traffic lights； or pedestrians。 Brian Keyes kept a distance of two or three blocks； wincing at Jenna's close calls。 He had borrowed a rental car from one of the Shriners because Jenna surely would've recognized the MG； by sound if not by sight。
She parked in the long…term garage at Miami International。 Slouching low in the driver's seat； Keyes whizzed right past her and found a spot on the next level。 He bolted from the car； raced down the stairwell； and caught sight of Jenna disappearing into the elevator。 He ran all the way to the terminal building and waited。
Even in a crowd she was impossible to miss。 She had a classic airport walk； sensual but aloof； men always moved out of the way to watch Jenna's jeans go by； back and forth； a divine natural metronome。
Keyes followed her until she stopped at the Bahamasair ticket counter。 He hid behind a pillar； scouting for Skip Wiley。
〃Want us to take over？〃
Keyes wheeled around。 〃Jesus Christ！〃
〃Didn't mean to frighten you。〃
It was Burt the Shriner。
〃Where'd you e from？〃 Keyes asked。
〃Right behind you。 Ever since you came in。〃
〃And your pal？〃
〃He's around the corner。 Keeping an eye on your lady friend。〃
Keyes was impressed； these guys weren't half…bad。
〃She's on her way to Nassau；〃 Burt reported。 〃Her ticket was prepaid。〃
〃By whom？〃
〃The Seminole Nation of Florida； Incorporated。 Does that make any sense； Mr。 Keyes？〃
〃I'll explain later。〃
Keyes peered around the pillar at the Bahamasair counter； but Jenna was gone。
〃Shit！〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Burt said。 〃James is close behind。〃
〃We're too damn late。〃 Keyes broke into a run。
Because of the phenomenal number of airplane hijackings from Miami； the FAA had installed sophisticated new security measures designed to prevent anyone with bombs； guns； or invalid coach…class tickets from entering the flight concourse。 The most effective of all these security steps was the hiring of squads of fat； foul…tempered； non…English…speaking women to obstruct all runways and harass all passengers。
In tracking Jenna； James the Shriner made it no farther than Concourse G； where a corpulent security guard named Lupee pinned him to the wall and questioned him relentlessly in Portuguese。 The focus of her concern was the fez that James was wearing； which she tore off his head and ran through the X…ray machine several times； mashing it in the process。 In the meantime Bahamasair Flight 123 to Nassau departed。
〃I blew it；〃 James apologized afterward in the coffee shop。 〃I'm sorry。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Keyes said。 〃You didn't have a chance。〃
〃Not one…on…one；〃 Burt agreed。 〃Mr。 Keyes； our information says that your lady friend is traveling alone。〃
Somehow Burt had secured a printout of the passenger manifest （he wouldn't say how； and Keyes could only assume a fraternal Masonic connection with one of the ticket agents）。 With the Shriners staring over his shoulder； Keyes ran his finger down the passenger list。 Wiley wouldn't be using his own name； nor would he settle for a simple Smith or Jones as an alias。
〃Who are we hunting？〃 Burt asked。
〃A very cunning fruitcake。〃
〃What did you say his name was？〃
〃I didn't；〃 Keyes said。
He found whom he was looking for； assigned to seats 15…A and 15…B：
〃Karamazov； Viceroy。〃
〃Karamazov； Skip。〃
Keyes crumpled the passenger manifest into a ball and disgustedly tossed it over his shoulder。 The Shriners smoothed it out and studied the names。
〃A real wiseass；〃 Burt said。 〃This friend of yours； he seems to be enjoying all this； doe