Donna looked distraught. “Oh, they questioned him, but he always had an alibi, and I don’t think anyone ever really believed there was foul play involved! I just don’t get it—why would Isaac go around killing women? And even if he did, then why would he stay on the island where they could catch him? It doesn’t make sense—”

“Then why was he on the beach last night after Justin’s accident?” Kelsey asked tersely. “Why was he sneaking around and trying to break in the gate? He couldn’t have gotten rid of me very easily with everyone else around—”

Donna’s face was growing paler by the second. “I don’t know,” she moaned, and her eyes lifted suddenly to the tall tower above them, fixing it with such a look of shock that Kelsey’s head snapped up.

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh, God—someone’s up there—someone watching us—”

Kelsey cupped her hands around her eyes, squinting against the glare of sun and sun-bleached rock, trying to make out the top of the lighthouse amidst its crumbled stones and splintered railings. “Are you sure?”

“Someone was up there, I swear it. Not now, but he was—” Donna scrambled to her feet, grabbing the blanket, the cups, flinging everything into the basket. Kelsey had picked up the jug without even thinking and now stood watching her friend in dismay. Something came to her just then—something Neale had said only an hour ago—something that confirmed all her growing fears—“Don’t make it your business…you’ll just end up getting hurt…”

And then it hit her.

She looked up again at the lighthouse, felt Donna grab her by the shoulders and turn her around so they were face to face.

Of course, Kelsey thought, and her mouth dropped open with the clarity of it all—of course…Neale knows that someone killed Beth…Isaac must know that he knows…he was trying to kill Neale, not Justin…Neale and me…and Justin was simply a case of mistaken identity…

“Kelsey,” Donna was shaking her, “we’ve got to tell someone about all this—we—”

“But how can we? We have absolutely no proof. Nobody will ever believe us.”

“You can’t go on now without someone knowing,” Donna insisted desperately. “It’s not safe for you—”

Not safe for me, Kelsey thought, “you’ll just end up getting hurt…” She stared at Donna, her face turning the color of chalk.

“If he tried something once, he might try it again,” Donna said slowly. “He might just be waiting till you’re alone, Kelsey—don’t you see?”

But of course she did see…she saw the truth of the situation…saw herself caught up in a web of endless, endless fear…

Donna shook her again. “Kelsey…that body we found—he must have done it—and now he knows you know.”

Chapter 14

THE LIFEGUARD TWIRLED THE paper between his fingers.

He loved to play games, and this one was turning out just as he’d planned.

Kelsey was so pretty. And so gullible.

So easy to scare.

He’d had fun writing that note and leaving it under her pillow, and he’d had fun slipping into her room and taking it back again.