Chapter 8

"Eamon, look." Bel pointed to the origami, but before he could follow her directions, an agent carrying an overstuffed box swerved to avoid her. He bumped into the wall, stumbling to regain his balance, and his foot slammed down on the gum wrapper. Bel flinched as he crushed it, and when his boot lifted, the blue butterfly had vanished.

"No! Wait." She raced after the man as he strode down the hall.

"Ma'am?" He twisted toward her voice, and she gestured at his foot. He glanced down, and noticing the wrapper stuck in the tread, he yanked it free. Bel grimaced as the flimsy paper tore, the butterfly gone as a twist of garbage replaced it. Up close, she noticed the wrapper's age. It was brittle and worn, the boot its final straw, and what had once been a cute design was now nothing but a mangled heap.

"Oh, thanks," the agent said, assuming her interruption was merely a polite act. He balled up the shredded gum wrapper, and without a backward glance, he continued down the hall.

"Isobel?" Eamon came up behind her. "You okay?"

"Please tell me you saw that," she begged.

"Saw what was in the box?" he asked. "I did, but I don't know what it was. It looked expensive, though."

"No." She stepped closer so only he could hear her. "The gum wrapper."

"Gum wrapper?" Eamon glanced at where the agent had disappeared around the corner. "No. I thought you meant for me to look in the box. Where did you see?—"

"Detective," Agent Peters interrupted him. "We need to go."

Bel hesitated as she threw one last look down the hall.

"Detective," Peters repeated. "Please."

She nodded despite the tightening in her chest. What choice did she have? The butterfly, if that's even what it was, had been destroyed. It was nothing more than garbage now, and if she mentioned it, the agents would roll their eyes at her obsession with litter when the proof of hundreds of altered criminals demanded their immediate attention.

"What gum wrapper?" Eamon whispered when they were finally seated in the helicopter.

"I'm sure you noticed how Anne Blaubart folds her gum wrappers," Bel said.

"It's hard not to."

"One of her origami butterflies was on the floor," she said as they took off, the whir of the blades hiding her words from all but him. "Same blue wrapper. Same brand and flavor that she chews. Same folded shape. It was stuck in a cracked tile, but then that agent stepped on it, and it crumbled."

"Why would Anne's origamis be in there?" Eamon asked.

"I don't know. She's married to a plastic surgeon. She'd have no use for this clinic… right?"

"If I was a surgeon, would you search out another doctor for help?" he asked.

"No," Bel agreed. "Especially not a place with unlicensed doctors. Plus, the FBI's cross-referencing confirmed the legal surgeons at the resort weren't involved in this operation. They're just Hyde's unwitting cover."

"The Blaubarts visit the island often," Eamon said. "Like that agent, one of her butterflies could've gotten stuck to someone's shoe and fell off inside the clinic. She folds them after every meal, so there must be hundreds floating around here. Or maybe a client of this facility picked one up to keep but then lost it? Trash has the ability to spread like wildfire. That butterfly could be just that. Wandering trash."

"Can it really be that simple?" Bel asked, the explanation feeling too convenient for the coincidence.

"Our luxury getaway turned into one of the largest FBI raids, so I don't know anymore," he said. "Maybe it isn't even Anne's at all."

"What are the chances of two different people who chew the same flavor and brand of gum and who fold the wrappers into butterflies ending up on the same island?"

"True, but what if Anne wasn't the first to fold her wrappers like that?" Eamon said. "What if someone like Gianni—a criminal who enjoyed flirting with the legal guests—taught her as a way to leave part of himself behind once his face changed? The one you just saw could've been his."

"Or I'm seeing things again," Bel said.

"Today's been a lot, so don't doubt yourself." Eamon wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his side. "If it helps, Anne's scent was nowhere to be found inside that facility. The smells were overwhelming between the surgeries, disinfectants, and the FBI, but I didn't detect her. She hasn't been at that clinic, not recently at least. I can't say that she's never stepped inside, but if she has, it would've been years ago, her scent long scrubbed clean. So maybe the simplest answer is the correct one. The butterfly was just wandering trash."

Bel's cell rang, interrupting the online origami tutorial, and she paused the video, tossing the half-folded Post-it note to her desk as she answered.

"Agent Barry," she greeted. "How are you?" After collecting their luggage from the FBI agents upon their return, Bel and Eamon had joined her father for dinner in the city and recounted a redacted version of their trip for him. They'd then packed an overexcited Cerberus into Eamon's car and driven home, where they sequestered themselves in the Reale Estate for the weekend. They spent Bel's last vacation days hiking with the dog, cooking meals together, and lounging before the fireplace to read or watch TV. But Monday morning arrived all too soon, and she, unfortunately, traded in tropical resorts and half-renovated mansions for her own cabin and desk at the station. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, work was slow, and Bel felt guilty for her boredom. An uneventful shift was a blessing. It meant Bajka had returned to the peaceful town it had been advertised as, but returning to sleeping alone with the rapidly chilling weather had her antsy. Hence the sudden urge to learn how to fold origami shapes out of office supplies.

"I have good news," Agent Barry answered. "We found Alex Kinley. He was caught trying to cross the Mexican border."

"Oh, thank God." Bel sagged in her seat.

"With the new evidence and his attempt to flee the country, he won't escape his sentencing this time," he said.

"That's a relief. And Hyde? Did you find him?"

"Unfortunately, no. He vanished without a trace."

"At least you found Kinley." She didn't bother to hide her disappointment. "He's too dangerous to let run free."

"Agreed," Barry said. "We're also making progress on tracking down the criminals who changed their faces. There will be a lot of arrests in the coming weeks, but we're trying to time them to happen simultaneously to keep the guilty from realizing we know their new identities. Once we begin, the others might catch on."

"Do you think Hyde has already warned them?" she asked.

"It's possible. We're hoping that he lost contact with his clients after they left the island, though. They became new people, and the only records kept were photos. Makes sense they wouldn't leave a callback number with the surgeons who remade them."

"Let's hope that's the case," Bel said.

"And if it's not, changing their faces again will prove harder without the island in play. They might know we're coming for them, but they're stuck with these features now. We'll find them."

"I look forward to seeing the arrests on the news," she said. "Thanks for calling."

"No problem," Barry said. "Have a good day, Detective."

"Wait, before you hang up, I have a question," Bel said as she studied her Post-it note butterfly. "When your team interviewed the island guests after we left, did they uncover any connections between the facility surgeons and those vacationing at the resort?"

"None," Barry confirmed. "Most of the doctors we arrested kept their mouths shut, but a few have talked. Hyde hired physicians who either failed their medical boards, lost their licenses, or weren't authorized to practice medicine in the United States. He did this to keep his staff from turning on him, so everyone you met at the resort was, unfortunately, just as fooled as you. We found some overlap between the guests and the resort's clinic, but since it only offered simple beauty procedures to the rich and famous, we can confidently say the vacationing doctors were part of Hyde's cover-up."

"Thanks." Bel picked up her clumsy attempt at origami and held it against the paused video on her computer screen.

"No problem, Emerson," Barry said. "I'll call when I have an update, and if I don't speak to you before then, have a wonderful Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving," she said before hanging up.

"You so bored that you've taken up origami?" Detective Olivia Gold asked as she came up behind her partner. "Was vacation that bad? Are you tired of Eamon? Or tired of the job?" she teased.

"Eamon was awful," Bel teased back. "Muscles everywhere in a bathing suit. Gross." She stuck out her tongue in mock disgust as she closed the online tutorial. "We're fine. More than fine. I'm back at my place, and I'm annoyed I have to adjust to sleeping alone again."

"It's weird how that happens." Olivia pulled up a chair and sat beside her friend. "I was perfectly happy living alone, but now if Ewan isn't there, I toss and turn. Part of me hopes he'll ask me to move in with him so we don't have to deal with bad sleep anymore, but then I worry we haven't known each other long enough."

"Preaching to the choir," Bel said.

"Okay, so Eamon isn't what's bothering you. Was it that phone call?"

"No. That was good news."

"Then why do you look like something's wrong? You just got back from a romantic—if not unexpectedly thrilling—vacation. Shouldn't you be floating about the station with hearts in your eyes?"

"I do not float around with hearts in my eyes," Bel said, and her partner smirked.

"I know. I could barely say that with a straight face." She gently tapped Bel's temple. "What's going on up there?"

"It's stupid, really."

"Well, it's not like I have anything else to do." Olivia gestured to the quiet station. "Seems Thanksgiving is bringing out the best in our town. We've barely given out so much as a speeding ticket. So hit me with it."

"Gum wrapper origami." Bel slid her Post-it note butterfly across the desk and explained Anne's gum obsession, starting with her after-dinner ritual and ending with Eamon's theories about how it might've ended up in the illegal surgery clinic.

"And you're the only one who saw the butterfly during the raid?" Olivia asked as she studied the photo Bel had snapped of the blue origami from her spa day.

"At least I think I saw it."

"Don't doubt yourself. You were convinced men with different faces were the same person, and look what your suspicion uncovered. You saw that butterfly. You know you did. Your problem is you're trying to rationalize what you and only you witnessed."

"I don't know why, but it feels significant," Bel said. "Anne had no reason to visit that facility. The wife of a renowned plastic surgeon would never allow a doctor without a license to touch her. At least I wouldn't if I were her."

"She would if she was hiding something from her husband," Olivia said, and Bel quirked her eyebrows at her. "Come on. Let's get lunch. Maybe talking this out will give you peace of mind."

"Sure," Bel said as she pulled on her coat. "But don't you hear how crazy I sound? I'm bothered by a gum wrapper."

"I'll drive." Olivia grabbed her keys. "And after everything we've been through, I'm smart enough to take your gut feelings seriously… even if they're about gum wrappers."

Twenty-seven minutes later, the detectives tucked themselves into a corner booth of the diner to avoid being overheard by the other patrons. Olivia ordered a cheeseburger and fries, but Bel opted to eat breakfast for lunch. The women made idle chitchat until their food arrived, and with two types of fried potatoes gracing the table, Olivia restarted the conversation.

"Logically, Eamon's theories are probably correct," she said as she stole some of Bel's hash browns and offered a pile of her fries as payment. "The Blaubarts visit Hyde's resort regularly, so there are undoubtedly dozens, if not hundreds, of her butterfly wrappers floating around that island. Think about how cigarette butts end up all over. You rarely see people toss them, but they're everywhere you walk. If she chews gum multiple times a day, it wouldn't be long before one of those butterflies ended up somewhere it shouldn't. Trash bags rip. People pick things up and carry them around. Litter gets stuck to shoes and car tires. Anne is married to a skilled surgeon. I can't imagine any rational reason she would visit an illegal clinic with uncertified doctors. It would be like Eamon asking a fired cop to investigate a case instead of asking for your help."

"Which is why it's silly to obsess over this," Bel said.

"But what if Eamon was hiding something?" Olivia asked. "If he wanted to keep secrets from you, he wouldn't ask for your help. Nor would he come to me or Griffin. Playing devil's advocate here, let's argue Anne was at that facility, and that's how that gum wrapper landed there. A woman like her would never visit a subpar surgeon unless she didn't want her husband to find out. Visiting that island as much as she did, perhaps she trusted Hyde to help her, and he brought her there because of its advanced equipment. Anne probably didn't even know the truth about his operation."

"I hadn't considered that." Bel sipped her water as she twisted the ideas around in her head. "That makes sense, though. Plastic surgeons have medical knowledge beyond facelifts. It's possible she had a tumor or a miscarriage that she didn't want to worry Charles with."

"Or a birthmark or tattoo tied her to a problematic past, and she wanted it removed without her husband learning the truth," Olivia added.

"I looked into Anne," Bel said. "I couldn't dig too deep without a warrant, but I doubt a woman with her background would be running from trouble. She was born to wealthy parents who died in a car accident while she was attending an Ivy League college. Little is known about her post-school years until she married Charles Blaubart about a decade ago."

"Okay, so the checkered past theory is unlikely, but the other two are valid. Either Eamon is right, and the butterfly was coincidental trash, or Anne required medical attention she wanted to hide from her husband."

"She was friends with Hyde," Bel said. "So she wouldn't have revealed his secret, especially if he lied about the facility's purpose. If he told her the center helped those the American medical system wouldn't treat, she probably would've been eager to remain silent."

"I would believe that lie if a close friend told me that." Olivia shoved the last bite of her burger into her mouth. "So, did talking it out help relieve your anxiety?"

"Yes," Bel paused. "I don't know. It's still bothering me, but when I say it out loud, I sound ridiculous. But… I felt the same way when I recognized Alessandro Gianni's shoes."

"And your suspicion paid off. So you're worried that if you dismiss that gum wrapper as nothing more than scattered trash, you'll let something horrible go unnoticed."

"Exactly… hence, why I sound like a conspiracy theorist. I'm seeing clues in gum, and it's ridiculous. I've gotten used to finding monsters among us, so I'm turning everything into an issue."

"It's hard to see what we've witnessed and not expect evil to be around every corner," Olivia sympathized. "We recently worked a case where a groom hired his childhood friend to kill his new family in the most horrific ways. We were both kidnapped by a man who believed killing women who resembled you was a love letter. So, I get it. Everything has a double meaning. Everything becomes a warning sign. Our suspicions are right as many times as they aren't, but regardless of which this is, you know I'm always here to chat." She reached out, and Bel took her hand, suddenly feeling like she had six sisters instead of five.

"We should get back to the station," Olivia released her and threw cash onto the table. "Nothing's going on, but Griffin will be mad if we play hooky."

"Thanks for indulging me." Bel placed her payment atop her partner's, and together the women donned their coats and returned to work.

Bel's phone rang as she removed Cerberus' harness. Work had been painfully slow, so for the first time in months, she'd arrived home at a reasonable hour. The nights were growing bitter, but that didn't stop her dog's love of hiking, so she'd bundled up and let him guide their walk. He'd taken her to all of his favorite spots along the trail, and when her fingers turned blue despite her gloves, she dragged him back to their cabin.

"Hey," her voice was all smiles as she answered Eamon's call.

"Fridge," he said by way of greeting, and with furrowed eyebrows, she walked to her refrigerator.

"What's this?" she asked as she withdrew the bag that hadn't been there that morning.

"I had lunch with a client a few towns over," he answered. "The restaurant was amazing, so I ordered takeout for you."

"Oooo." Bel dragged out her excitement as she tore open the bag to find multiple to-go containers. "Oh my gosh, how much did you get me?"

"The plain steak is for Cerberus."

"Of course it is." She rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't sure what you'd be in the mood for, but at least you'll have leftovers for work lunches. I also left different wine options that'll pair with your dinner, depending onwhich dish you eat."

Bel noticed the bottles for the first time, and her jaw dropped when she saw his selections. These weren't from a liquor store. These were from hispersonalcollection. Hisextremely expensivepersonal collection.

"I take everything I ever said about you breakingand enteringback." She grinned as she plucked the roast chicken and veggies out of the takeout bag to eat alongside the bottle of red that was practically screaming her name. "You can break in any time you wish if thisis the result."

"If you gave me a key, I wouldn't have to break in," he said.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Alas, there isn't any," he chuckled. "I also took Cerberus for a walk and gave him a treat."

"He just dragged me on a long walk." She turned on the oven since this wasn't a mealoneheated in the microwave. "Little manipulator. Like those jokes about moms and dads who don't communicate,sothe dogs get two dinners."

"Mom and Dad," Eamon repeated, and Bel could practically see his black eyes lighten at her words.

"Don't get too excited," she teased. "We all know mom is the favorite."

"She is indeed… do you want to eat alone or can we switch to video chat?"

"Let's switch." Bel dug the steak out of the bag and scooped half of the already cubed meat into a bowl before putting the rest of the food back in her refrigerator. "I got some good news from Barry."

"Did they find Hyde?"

"No, but they found Kinley," she said as muffled noises came from Eamon's phone as he readied to switch to video. "I'm glad he's?—"

A knock interrupted her, and Bel peeked out of the picture frame window over the sink to find her partner standing on the front stoop.

"Who's there?" Eamon asked.

"Olivia," she said as she opened the door.

"Hey." Gold smiled, and seeing her phone, her smile turned awkward. "Sorry, I should've texted first."

"No, it's fine. Come in." Bel stepped out of the way, and Cerberus took it upon himself to act as the greeting committee.

"Is she okay?" Eamon asked.

"Olivia, is everything okay?" Bel asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." Her partner scratched Cerberus' ears as the pitbull danced around her legs. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about our conversation at lunch, and I wanted to run an idea by you."

"Sounds like you're busy," Eamon said good-naturedly. "Go enjoy dinner, and I'll call you later."

"Thanks."

"No problem, Detective. I love you."

"I…" Bel froze. It was instinct to end her calls with her family with the customary ‘I love you' , and it had almost slipped out of her mouth. Was she in love with him? Was she ready to say it? And if she was, this phone call wasn't the time. "I'll talk to you later. And thanks for the food," she said instead.

Eamon chuckled, clearly not distressed by her fumble, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she hung up.

"I'm sorry," Olivia repeated. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"You didn't," Bel said as she gave Cerberus his steak. "Eamon just called to say he bought me takeout. Are you hungry? I have plenty."

"No. Ewan's working late on a commission, so I took advantage ofnodinner plans and atea bitof everything as I worked. I know men like meals, but sometimes eating a cube of cheese, some chips, strawberries, a slice of turkey, and an entire row of crackers, followed by dark chocolate, is precisely what you need."

"Or a giant bowl of cereal," Bel added. "Perfection."

"Exactly, and these guys just don't get it."

"Although I'm glad Eamon is meal-oriented," Bel said. "I tend to eat poorly when I'm busy, and it got worse after my attack. I struggled with self-care for a while, but he loves to feed me."

"Seems he likes to feed the baby beast, too," Olivia said. "Was that steak in his bowl?"

"The man is nuts. He goes to a client meeting and orders my dog a steak from an expensive restaurant. I don't even want to know how much Cerberus' dinner cost."

"I think it's romantic," Olivia said as she sat at the kitchen table. "So I'll try to be quick so you can call him back."

"Wine?" Bel held up an empty glass, and Olivia's eyes widened when she saw the bottle.

"If that's what we're drinking, absolutely."

Bel poured two glasses before pulling her meal out of the oven. Cerberus instantly ran to her side at the smell, pretending he hadn't just eaten a bowl of expensive beef, but she lovingly ignored him as she sat across the table from her partner.

"I looked into Anne Blaubart after we talked," Olivia began. "I know you think obsessing over a gum wrapper is silly, but now it's bothering me, too. And not because you found garbage someplace it shouldn't be. It rattled you, and you have good instincts. If something unsettled you, it isn't a coincidence, so I'm invested."

"Olivia, I didn't mean to put this on you."

"We're partners, and Ewan has a massive commission to finish before Thanksgiving, so I'm putting it on myself because I'm bored. Maybe I should get a pet."

"Well, thanks for not thinking I'm nuts, and my bias will always say adopt a dog. We could take them on hikes together." Bel said, unsure how to tell her partner that one reason she believed she was making a mountain out of a molehill was Eamon's senses. She couldn't admit that her boyfriend was an ancient being who drank human blood to survive, or that his sense of smell had confirmed Anne hadn't been in that clinic. Not recently at least.

"Ewan loves hiking, so maybe once we're serious, we'll adopt a pup together," Olivia said. "Okay, switching gears.Our theory isAnne endedup in that facility because sheasked Hydefor medical help.The wrapper was old, so if shewas there, it wasa long time ago, and if shewashiding a procedure from her husband,thensomething must have happened to her.So I tracked down one of her college friends. I figured we could start there. She might have insights that'll give us an idea of what Anne was dealing with." She set her phone on the table as if asking Bel's permission. "Her friend is expecting our call."

"Sure, why not?" Bel shrugged. Her brain warned that this was a wild goose chase, but her partner was right. There was a reason this bothered her, and it would nag at her until she figured out why.

"Hello?" a feminine voice answered on the second ring.

"Is this Kelsey Lynn?" Olivia asked.

"Yes."

"Miss Lynn, this is Detective Olivia Gold with the Bajka Police Department. We spoke via email earlier today."

"Oh, of course. How can I help you?"

"I'm here with my partner Detective Isobel Emerson," Gold continued. "We're calling about Anne Blaubart, or as you knew her, Anne Chambers."

"What's this about?" Kelsey asked warily.

"We can't speak about ongoing cases," Olivia lied without batting an eye. "Anne isn't in trouble, though. We're merely trying to ascertain her character."

"Oh okay," Kelsey said. "But I'm not sure how much help I'll be. I haven't seen her in years."

"That's all right," Olivia said. "Anything you remember will be helpful."

"What would you like to know?" Kelsey asked, and Olivia gestured for Bel to take control.

"You were friends with Mrs. Blaubart in college, correct?" Bel asked, and the woman voiced her confirmation. "Can you describe her to us?"

"Anne was a smart girl who came from an extremely wealthy family, and she thrived on being the life of the party," Kelsey began. "My god, she was fun. She wasn't a troublemaker or a wild party girl. She was just an absolute blast." Kelsey sighed into the phone as if she longed to return to those days. "She made everyone laugh, and she never took anything too seriously. Maybe it had to do with her parent's deaths. They died in a car accident, and I guess she realized how short life was, so she didn't sweat the small stuff."

Bel's face involuntarily scowled at the phone as Kelsey reminisced, but when she noticed Olivia staring at her, she shook her head as she sipped her wine. The Anne Kelsey remembered wasn't the woman she'd met, but she didn't want to influence the discussion with her memories.

"For instance, we all got obnoxiously drunk one night," Kelsey continued, and Bel tuned back into the conversation. "There was an out-of-service bridge by campus, and when we were too wasted to be reasonable, someone dared Anne to walk the railing. The bridge wasn't that high off the ground, so she accepted the dare. She almostmade it across, but she tripped and fell onto the creek bed. Unfortunately, she landed on the rocks, so we had to rush her to the hospital. We were so worried about her, but she was fine. She needed stitches on her ribs, and when they healed, we realized the scar looked like…" she paused as if suddenly embarrassed.

"Well, it was shaped like a pair of boobs," Kelsey giggled. "I never meant to laugh at her. It just looked so ridiculous. I expected Anne to be mortified, but she was cool with the teasing. She was a total riot with the scar. Sometimes, she would even dress it up with makeup for laughs. She was such a good sport, and we loved her to death. I've had very few friends as special as Anne, which is why my heart broke when we lost touch. She dropped off the face of the planet after college, then a few years later I saw her on the news. She was at a charity event with her new husband,and thatwas painful. My best friend had gotten married, and she hadn't even invited me. I suppose when you think about it, it makes sense. She married this famous doctor. She was probably afraid wild Anne would return to embarrass her."

"She didn't invite you to her wedding?" Bel asked.

"She didn't invite any of her college friends," Kelsey answered. "She cut ties with all of us after school. It was like she didn't want any reminders that we existed."

"Did something happen?" Bel asked, trying to keep the eagerness from her voice. Was this what they were looking for? Wasthe reason Anne abandonedher old life the same reason she'd ended up in that illegal clinic?

"Not that I'm aware of," Kelsey said. "We graduated, promising to stay friends, but she never looked back. Shegot married, and honestly, I haven't thought about her for years. I couldn't tell you what happened to her. Maybe she had a falling out with another friend, or maybe shesimplywanted to leave the life where her parents died behind. I wish I knew. I missed her at first."

"I'm sorry," Bel said. "Losing someone you care for is difficult."

"Thank you," Kelsey said. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"Her scar?" Bel asked. "Where was it exactly?"

"On her right ribcage, below her breast. That's why the shape was funny."

"So it would be visible if she wore a bathing suit?"

"Oh absolutely. It was impossible to miss, and she never cared to hide it. I think she enjoyed watching people try not to laugh."

"One last question," Bel said. "Did Anne chew gum?"

"Doesn't everyone?"

"I meant, was she an obsessive gum chewer?"

"No, definitely not," Kelsey answered. "The only times I saw her chew a stick was after we'd eaten something garlicky."

"Hmmm," Bel grunted. "Did she prefer a particular flavor?"

"I don't think so. She never carried any with her, so sheonlychewed what others offered her. She wasn't picky."

"So she didn't chew a specific flavor from a specific brand after every meal?" Bel asked.

"Anne?" Kelsey laughed. "Definitelynot. She was not the habit type."

"I believe that's all the questions we have for now." Bel met Olivia's gaze with meaning. "Thank you for your time."

"Yes, thank you," Olivia said. "Have a good night." She hung up the phone and fixed Bel with an expectant expression. "What was that face?"

"The Anne I met is not the same person Kelsey described," Bel said. "Anne Blaubart is shallow and borderline hostile. She wasn't welcoming, and there was nothing carefree about her. Now I know that means little since people change drastically between college and their late thirties, but Kelsey remembers a woman I didn't meet. What's more, Anne Blaubart is an obsessive gum chewer. Every meal,thesame brand and flavor, followed by the same butterfly origami.I realizepeople can pick up nervous ticks over time, but Anne Chambers and Anne Blaubart sound like two completely different women."

"Marrying a wealthy surgeon probably changed her," Olivia offered.

"That's entirely possible," Bel said. "Personality and habits can change, especially after a tragedy or stress, but people can't erase the scars on their bodies. I saw Anne in a bikini, so I got a decent look at her ribs. Anne Blaubart does not have a scar."