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The officer shakes her head like she’s swatting away a fly. I’m not sure if she recognizes Fred. I’m going to go with no because she’s treating him like a regular person rather than a movie star.

“And what are you doinghere, exactly? This isn’t the wedding venue.”

Oliver speaks into the silence, always the good student who never got into trouble. “We were doing the ropes course and then we found José.”

“And whose idea was it to look for evidence?”

“Connor,” I say as he says, “Eleanor.”

The fink.

But, oh!

Wasthatthe point? Is he working for Tyler, even now? Is he smart enough to have used reverse psychology on me?

I’m not sure he is. But I’ve underestimated him before.

“Why would you do such a thing?” the police officer asks.

“I...Who are you?”

“I’m Officer Anderson of the Avalon division of the LA County Sheriff’s Department.” She speaks robotically, like Mr. Anderson from theMatrixmovies, though they look nothing alike. I’m not sure who’d play her in the movie—some ingenue, I guess, in her first starring role. “Who are you?”

“Eleanor Dash.” I pause to see if she’s heard of me.

She hasn’t. Fine. Moving on.

“And you’ve been assigned to this case?”

“I’m the only officer on the island.”

“Are others...en route?”

“All ferry service has been canceled—the last ferry went out this morning when the evacuation order got issued. I’m to ascertain if this is an emergency and advise before they send a boat. The sea is already rising, and the storm can come in fast. We don’t want to risk lives.”

“Where is it now?”

“It’s touched land in Baja and is making its way up the coast. Heavy rain is already flooding coastal towns. You all should have evacuated.”

Or never come here in the first place.

“Did you find anything else near the body?” Officer Anderson asks.

“No.”

“What were you looking for, exactly?”

“I was looking for his phone.”

“I say.” Inspector Tucci comes forward with his hand extended. “Inspector Tucci of the Roman police force. May I be of assistance?”

Officer Anderson creases her brow in confusion, or maybe that’s recognition? “Are you...”

“He’s not a policeman!” Simone says. “Just an actor.”

“Oh, I...”

“Ignore him.”