Page 49

“Ah. I was going to say,” Jack commented. “It’s not my imagination, right?”

“No.”

“She’s deliberately trying to look like Tosh?”

That wasn’t quite what Ellery expected to hear, but Jack was right about that. “It kind of looks that way.”

“Because Chelsea looks nothing like she did in those college photos.”

Ellery made a face. “In the interests of fairness...”

Jack chuckled, tugged gently on Ellery’s forelock. “You were pretty skinny, yeah, and the hair almost counted as another person, but other than that, you look mostly the same. Same taste in jeans and T-shirts. I think you’re still wearing the same pair of tennis shoes you had on in that photo with Noah.”

“I grew into my nose.”

Jack leaned over and nuzzled the nose in question. “It’s a very nice nose, I must say.”

Ellery smiled beneath these attentions; paid them back in kind.

“But yeah,” Ellery returned to their earlier conversation. “Aggressive mimicry.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s when predators or parasites mimic harmless species to get closer to their prey. Chelsea’s even wearing her hair like Tosh now.”

For some reason Jack seemed to find that funny.

“What? It’s a Trivial Pursuit question,” Ellery protested.

“I believe you. And you think the transformation is all on Freddie’s behalf?”

“Maybe not entirely. Chelsea’s ambitious. She’s talking about moving out to Hollywood. She has to know if she’s going to make it on the West coast, she has to look the part. No pun intended. Tosh is the obvious role model.”

Jack stopped laughing. “Now, betweenthosetwo, there’s enough friction to start a campfire.”

“I think that might be where Freddie comes in because Freddie—”

“Still has feelings for Tosh,” Jack agreed.

Ellery moved his head in assent. “You’re very observant.” Not that it came as a surprise. In fact, sometimes he wished Jack wasn’tquiteso observant.

“It’s part of the job.” Which was true.

Ellery said, “But Freddie does like Chelsea. They were pals in college. They stayed close even after Freddie and Tosh split. Granted, Freddie and Tosh weren’t asking people to take sides. It was a pretty civilized split.”

“Nice when it happens. Which isn’t often enough.”

“Tosh is still fond of Freddie. And vice versa.”

“Sure,” Jack said. “But I’m guessing the feelings run deeper for Freddie.”

“Yes. But he approves of Chelsea’s makeover, that’s for sure. So maybe she’ll finally get her wish.”

Jack’s mouth curved. “Maybe. Unfortunately, friendship doesn’t always turn to love.”

“Not always,” Ellery smiled ruefully, recalling a rather painful period in their own friendship.

Jack said softly, “But it’s sure nice when it does,” and leaned over to kiss Ellery.