“Are you the artist?” The young woman couldn’t have been more than twenty, and she leaped out of the driver’s seat with an eagerness that boded ill for his privacy.

“I suppose I am an artist,” Adam acknowledged.

The young man climbed out of the passenger’s side. “Told you so, Haley.” To Adam he said, “That armor is awesome. Did you make it?”

Looking at them standing side by side, Adam realized they were brother and sister, twins. “I did, and I’m on my way to a demonstration of knightly skills.”

“That would explain the breeches,” Haley said.

Adam ignored her grin. “If you’ll excuse me...”

Too late. Haley rushed past him and into the shop, and shrieked. “My God, Carlos, come and look! Daddy would love this!”

Carlos cast an apologetic glance at Adam. “Our father is notoriously hard to buy for.”

Adam followed him in and barely caught Haley’s hand in time. “Don’t touch that. It’s razor-sharp.”

The sculpture he had finished on the night before Elle’s arrival still sat on the wheeled trolley, waiting to be placed...somewhere. Somewhere he never had to see it again. Then the prow of Elle’s great-grandparents’ boat would take its place, and he would create another piece of art.

But not one like this. Not one with killer points and edges. When he remembered the history of that piece of metal, he thought it would bear a vaguely human resemblance, a suggestion of the people who had sacrificed their lives to save the lost art of long-dead civilization.

Haley’s bosom heaved with excitement as she stared. “It’s beautiful, like some deadly monster rising from the depths of the ocean.”

Full points to Haley for perception.

“It is good.” Carlos sounded surprised. “I wonder what the old man would say if we got this for him?”

“Are you kidding?” She turned to her brother. “Can’t you see it on the pedestal in the foyer at the beach house?”

Adam didn’t have time to stand here while they debated. “I really do have to leave.” He walked toward the wide open door.

“Haley, I think this guy—” Carlos indicated Adam “—is one of the knights who’s in the festival thing. If he’s got to leave, we should—”

She turned to Adam. “How much?”

Okay, sure. There was more than one way to get rid of unwanted pests. He said, “Usually for my large sculptures, I charge—” and he named a figure more than twice his normal hefty fee.

Haley’s eyes lit up with joy. “Carlos, think! Christmas present solved!”

So Adam added, “But because of the unusual nature of this one, and my attachment to it, I would charge—” He named an exorbitant sum. A ridiculous sum.