“She seemed to really like both of them,” Donna added, staring into the blue sky as if the past was playing there like an old movie. “But she hung out with Justin more than Neale. All this summer she’s been a sort of permanent fixture around him. Like when he was working West Beach, she was never very far from his station.”

“Did he mind?”

“Never seemed to—and you know how some guys would handle that! I mean, can you picture Skip putting up with a tagalong little sister?” Donna rolled her eyes. “That’s funny, isn’t it—they grew up never knowing each other, and when they were finally together, they really seemed to get along.”

“Maybe…” Kelsey stopped to shake a rock from her sandal, “if she was a little slow, they felt sorry for her.”

“Maybe.” Donna mulled this over, then added, “That makes it even worse, you know. That’s what I keep thinking about. That she was kind of innocent and naive…and nobody was there to save her.”

Kelsey shut her eyes, a flood of unwanted memories pounding through her brain. No…I will not think of them…

“Hey, are you okay?” Donna shook her gently by the elbow, and Kelsey forced a smile.

“Yes, something just got in my eye.”

“Well, you better watch where you’re going—the beach is really busy.”

Kelsey couldn’t believe the change since her walk that morning. Now the shoreline was absolutely jammed with people.

“Where did they all come from?” she asked, amazed, and Donna giggled.

“End of summerers. Trying to squeeze in all their last flings before school starts. The beach’ll be empty again when the boat pulls out this evening.”

“What happens then? The beach just closes down?”

“Well, it’s never really closed, not literally, but it’s swim-at-your-own-risk after six. I mean, the lifeguards can’t just live there twenty-four hours a day!”

“Don’t any of the islanders ever use their own beach?”

“Oh, sure, but not that many.” They swerved around a volleyball game. “Everyone’s been warned about the risks after dark, and really, there’s not many kids on the island anymore. They’ve all grown up and left. A lot of them go to the mainland to work or they’re off on exotic vacations.”

“And what about you?”

Donna threw her a mischievous grin. “My folks own the fanciest restaurant on Beverly. And am I a lady of leisure? No way! Unfortunately, my folks also believe in the old-fashioned values of hard work and earning your keep! This just happens to be my day off. Tomorrow Mom and Dad jet off to London, and where will I be? Waitressing and bussing tables.”

Kelsey laughed and hurried with Donna through the crowds. They had been going in the opposite direction from Kelsey’s route that morning, and this part of the beach was like a whole different world. Instead of quiet cottages on the rise overlooking the sand, there was a hodgepodge of food stands, game booths, souvenir tents, bright blue awnings and striped umbrellas, all jammed together with swimsuited bodies and glistening tans. Floating in the salty air was an overpowering mixture of hot dogs, suntan oil, hamburgers and grilled onions, dried shells and seaweed, and hot, hot sun. Laughter and shouting mingled with the rush and break of the waves, blaring radios, the happy screams of swimmers, and through it all came the hollow boom of a voice: “You’re out too far! Get closer to shore!”