“Donna!” Kelsey shook her head. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing, I swear. Only sometimes Justin’s just so shy he needs a little help, is all. Isn’t that right, Justin?”

Kelsey spun around, startled, as Justin came down the front steps. He looked sleepy, his hair still rumpled, and embarrassed at having been caught.

“’Morning, sleeping beauty,” Donna teased him. “Aren’t you a little late this morning?”

Justin nodded. “Guess I overslept. Have you seen Neale?”

“I passed him on my way. He’s got East Beach today, he said. And by the way, isn’t there something you wanted to ask Kelsey? About tonight?”

“Donna!” Kelsey turned on her, but Donna only laughed and gave her a big wink.

“The beach party,” Donna prompted him. “Bringing along a date. Stuff like that.”

A sheepish look crept over Justin’s face. “You’re doing such a good job, Donna, I thought I’d let you ask her for me.”

Donna was totally unruffled. “I did. And she said yes.”

“Oh, Donna,” Kelsey groaned, and Justin tossed her a quick grin as he ran by.”

“See you later!” Donna called and pulled firmly on Kelsey’s arm. “Come on, I know this great little place—we can eat and get some sun and eat and talk and eat—”

“You’re impossible.” Kelsey couldn’t stay annoyed with her when she giggled like that. “And pretty presumptuous.”

“Who, me? No, the word is perceptive, I think. I’ve seen the way Justin acts around you, in case you haven’t.”

“Justin’s got too much going on in his life right now to even be thinking straight,” Kelsey said absently. “Especially about me. Or girls in general.”

“And what are you thinking about?” Donna asked, peering at her intently. “Besides Justin, I mean. That look is awfully serious.”

“Donna,” Kelsey began, and saw her friend staring back at her in concern, as she reached out for Donna’s hand. “Donna, I’m really scared.”

“Kelsey, what is it—”

“Something’s going on that I don’t understand. I’ve got to tell you.”

Donna nodded, her face full of questions, but she kept them to herself until they reached the picnic spot hidden back beyond the dunes. Kelsey frowned when she saw the lighthouse rising, spectrelike, on the cliffs behind them.

“Do you believe in that legend?” she asked, helping Donna unpack the basket. “About the drowned souls luring people to their deaths?” She shaded her eyes and looked up at the rotting tower tilting above them.

Donna followed her gaze. “I don’t know. I think probably someone started it to keep trespassers away. I expect it could just crumble away anytime. But it still looks kind of noble, don’t you think? Like some brave last stand against time?” She chuckled and took out a plastic jug and cups. “The floors have all pretty much collapsed, I think. No telling what kind of critters are holed up in there—” she shuddered. “I’ve always had this fear, you know, that one granddaddy of a storm could do the whole thing in.”