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never accepting that theirs had been merely a summertime fling for Joss. Tommy was tall, great-looking, and the best marksman in his police training class, but living in Newport on a full-time basis, married to a cop, was not what Jocelyn Vickers had planned for herself. The very thought of it made her shudder.
    Still, the rookie police officer could help get Joss where she did want to go. If Tommy could get her some inside information about the skeletal remains found at the old Wagstaff estate, Joss could ingratiate herself with the powers at KEY News and earn that staff position.
    There was no time to waste. If she could convince Tommy to get the information now, he could have it all ready for her tonight when she met him. Searching in her Kate Spade bag for her cell phone, Joss punched in the 401 area code.

  CHAPTER  
6
    When Grace finally got home, her father was asleep on the living room sofa. She grabbed a slice of cold pizza from the box on the kitchen table and wandered into the den, finding Lucy watching TV. Her daughter was obsessed with Law & Order. And since you could find it running all the time on either the networks or cable, Lucy was stationed in front of the television far too much.
    “Why are you wasting your time with this, Luce?” Graced kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “I don’t like you watching this stuff. It’s too disturbing.”
    “It’s good, Mom. I want to see who did it.” Her daughter didn’t take her big brown eyes from the television set.
    “But you probably already know who did it. It’s a rerun.”
    “I know, but it’s still good.”
    Grace sat down on the love seat, chewing the pizza and staring, unseeingly, at the screen. She had to call Frank, and she dreaded it.
    “You all set for tomorrow, honey?”
    “Sure, Mom.”
    “All packed?”
    “Not yet. I’ll do it after this is over.”
    Grace wasn’t up for nagging her daughter. Not before she had to leave her for a week. Not before Lucy was going to be with Frank and that pretty, fun new stepmother who seemed to have nothing to do but get her nails done, shop, and give in to Lucy’s every whim.
    “All right, Luce,” said Grace, getting to her feet. “I’m going upstairs to get organized.”
    Closing her bedroom door behind her, Grace went to the phone on the nightstand. She swallowed as she heard her former husband’s voice answer on the first ring.
    “Hi, Frank. It’s Grace.”
    “Oh yes, hello. How are you?” He always sounded so formal, so devoid of emotion.
    “How do you think I am, Frank?” She didn’t wait for his response. “I got the letter from your lawyer today.”
    “I see. And?”
    “And why are you doing this, Frank?” Grace’s voice rose. “Please, I’m begging you, don’t go ahead with this. Lucy doesn’t need any more upset in her life.”
    “It’s Lucy I’m thinking about, Grace.” His tone was maddeninglycalm. “It will be better for Lucy if she lives up here with us.”
    “How? How is it better, Frank? Tell me,” Grace demanded. “Lucy’s adjusted to her school here in Waldwick now. She’s finally made some friends. It’s not fair to uproot her again. She’s been through enough already.”
    “Lucy is going into adolescence, Grace. That’s a tough time. Adolescents need strong roots to hold on to and good parental role models. Parents have to be there for their kids. They have to be involved. They have to pay attention.”
    Grace gripped the telephone receiver, her knuckles whitening. She knew what would be coming next.
    “Jan and I can give Lucy a more nurturing, stable environment than you can.”
    “How dare you!”
    “It’s true and you know it.”
    “I know nothing of the sort, Frank. Lucy has a very stable, loving home right here. And while we’re talking about ‘stable environments’ and ‘parental role models,’ what kind of example do you think you gave Lucy? You, with all your so-called dinner meetings and business trips—fronts, and