“Climate, most likely. There were cycles of drought and flooding. They’ve found evidence of violent fluctuation in temperatures in ice cores in the Antarctic.”

“They say climate change is because of human civilization,” she said.

“Were there factories twelve thousand years ago, when the ice caps melted?” he wondered aloud, and his twinkling black eyes met Clancey’s pale silver ones.

Her heart jumped. She stared back helplessly. What had he been saying? Something about ice cores in the Antarctic?

“Climate change goes back hundreds of thousands of years,” he continued. “There are cycles. Long before men built cities, drought decimated ancient civilizations. It put an end to many of them.”

“How do you know so much about that?” she asked.

“I minored in anthropology in college,” he said simply. “It was one of my favorite subjects. We spent a lot of time digging up things.”

“Oh. I didn’t know you went to college.”

“I have an undergraduate degree in criminal justice,” he said. “Since I planned a career in law enforcement, I thought it was a good idea. I worked with the Department of Public Safety in the daytime and went to school at night.”

“That must have been hard,” she said.

He smiled. “It was interesting,” he agreed.

“I’ve often wondered...” She stopped in midsentence and looked up. Cal Hollister had just walked in and was being seated on the other side of the restaurant.

Banks saw him at the same time that Clancey did, and his black eyes glittered. He had a sudden, mean urge to go over and throw Hollister through the nice picture window beside the booth where he was seated...

EIGHT

“Cal’s here,” Tad remarked with a grin.

Clancey smiled. “Yes, he likes the flamenco dancers,” she said. She glanced at Banks, who had the oddest expression on his face. “He’s a wonderful dancer. Sadly, he could never manage to teach me. I have two left feet,” she confessed sheepishly.

“Can you dance, Mr. Banks?” Tad wondered aloud.

Banks chuckled. “Yes, I can.”

“You should teach her,” Tad suggested, nodding toward his sister. “She can’t even do a two-step.”

“I could if I wanted to,” she told her little brother stubbornly. “I just don’t want to give other women an inferiority complex with my fancy footwork, that’s all.”

Banks laughed softly. He couldn’t remember a woman who made him laugh so often. Grace had been somber, like Mike Johns. In fact, so had Banks. In recent years, he was more taciturn than outgoing. He hadn’t realized just what an influence Clancey had on him. It was surprising.

“Cal can do the tango,” Tad said, staring over at Cal, who was sitting all alone.

“Doesn’t he date anybody?” Banks asked curtly.

“No,” Clancey said. “He really is a loner. I don’t think he likes women very much, actually.”

“He seems to like you,” Banks said, with a bite in his deep voice.