Free Gingerbread Man by MAGGIE SHAYNE Page B

Department."
    "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. D'Voe," Vince
was saying, his tone reserved, his eyes watchful. "I'm a longtime
fan." Then he turned slightly, offering his hand to Amanda as well.
But before he could touch her, Reginald reached up and grabbed hold
of her wrist.
    "Amanda, I seem to have left my books in the
car. Do you mind?" Reginald asked.
    "Of course not," Amanda replied in her soft
voice. "It's very nice to meet you. Detective. Good to see you
again, too, Holly." She leaned down to kiss her uncle's cheek
before rushing off to the parking area.
    Vince's eyes followed her, the look in them
intense. Holly felt suddenly like so much chopped liver. Oh, great.
What was up with that?
    "'Again'?" Reginald asked, addressing Holly.
"I wasn't aware you and Amanda were acquainted."
    Holly tried to stop watching Vince watch
Amanda, and drew her gaze back to Reggie. "We only knew each other
in passing, up until a couple of weeks ago. Mom was late for our
lunch date, and Amanda was in the cafe picking up takeout. We ended
up having coffee together while she waited for her order."
    "I see," Reggie said.
    "She came to live with you as a small child,
Holly tells me," Vince said, his gaze returning to D'Voe only when
Amanda was out of sight.
    "That's right." D'Voe pulled his blanket
closer and changed the subject. "What are you doing in Dilmun,
Detective?"
    "I'm here on vacation."
    "How nice. I hope you enjoy your stay."
Reggie turned his attention to Holly so totally, so firmly, it felt
as if Vince had been dismissed. Holly had never seen the retired
actor behave so rudely. It was completely unlike him—at least, she
thought it was. She didn't know him well, but any time she had run
into him he'd always been polite. Almost exaggeratedly so. "Do tell
your mother to come over and say hello, Holly. I haven't spoken
with her in months."
    "I will," she said.
    "And now ..." He looked at the children all
around him. "That story I promised you, hmm?" The kids cheered and
shouted requests. Holly turned to go, realizing it was time. But
Vince didn't seem inclined to follow. Amanda was on her way back
now, three or four books in her hands, and Vince's attention seemed
riveted. Holly finally grabbed his arm and gave a tug, snapping his
reverie. He followed her as she left the group.
    ***
    THE DARKNESS WAS complete, and someone put a
torch to the pile of brush. The fire caught and blazed hot,
snapping and sending sparks and flames high into the night sky. The
band, which consisted of two guys with acoustic guitars and
passably decent voices, and a third guy on drums, began to play.
Vince walked around with Holly, let her introduce him to people,
tried to sound mildly interested in their small-town small talk,
but he kept his eyes on Amanda D'Voe and her famous uncle.
Something wasn't right there. The old man had tensed up the minute
Holly told him Vince was a cop. Why? What did he have to hide? And
why had he sent his timid niece scurrying away?
    Vince sat on a blanket with Holly, her
mother, and the chief. He ate cold fried chicken and potato salad.
He said all the right things, complimented the cooking, talked shop
with Chief Mallory, kept it light, and steered conversation away
from anything to do the alleged break-in at the cabin, or the real
reason he was in town. He thought he was doing great, right up
until the chief of police took Doris's hand and led her out to
where people were pairing up to dance. That was when Holly turned
to him and said, "Do you want to dance?"
    Her face was slightly flushed, her eyes
sparkling with something. Not excitement Not happiness. Something
else. He didn't think his dancing with her was all that great an
idea, but didn't know how to say so without offending her, so he
nodded. "Sure, why not?" He got to his feet. Holly didn't. He held
out a hand. But Holly remained sitting.
    "I thought you wanted to dance," he said,
confused.
    "Who me? No, Vince, not me. Amanda."
    He blinked. "I... I'm not