If she was nervous, she told herself it was foolish to be. The move was a very practical, very logical step. Her new title, accounts manager, soothed frustrated ambitions, and though money had never been a problem, her new salary didn't hurt the ego, either.

And most important of all, she would have more time to spend with Kevin.

As the approach for landing was announced, Megan reached over, brushed a hand through Kevin's hair. His eyes, dark and sleepy, blinked open.

Are we there yet?

Just about. Put your seat back up. Look, you can see the bay.

We're going to go boating, right?

If he'd been fully awake, he might have remembered he was too old to bounce on his seat. But he bounced now, his face pressed to the window in his excitement.

And see whales. We'll go on Alex's new dad's boat.

The i.e. of boating made her stomach turn, but she smiled gamely.

You bet we

will.

And we're really going to live in that castle?

He turned back to her, her beautiful

boy with his golden skin and tousled black hair.

You'll have Alex's old room.

And there's ghosts.

He grinned, showing gaps where baby teeth had been.

So they say. Friendly ones.

Maybe not all of them.

At least Kevin hoped not.

Alex says there's lots of them,

and sometimes they moan and scream. And last year a man fell right out of the tower window and broke all his bones on the rocks.

She shuddered, knowing that part was sterling truth. The Calhoun emeralds, discovered a year before, had drawn out more than a legend and romance. They'd drawn out a thief and a murderer.

That's over with now, Kevin. The Towers is safe.

Yeah.

But he was a boy, after all, and hoped for at least a little danger.