Chapter One - Richard Lewis

On the way back, she asked Nol if he wouldn't mind stopping at the beachfront
villa were the bones were found.
He did mind, but he didn't say anything.
At the villa, the pool concrete had already been poured and workmen were setting
dark turquoise tiles.
Tina snapped a few photos and contemplated the strollers on the boardwalk. "In
1965 this would have been empty coconut groves," she said. "Were the victims all from
the village?"
"I wasn't even born yet," Nol protested.
Tina put a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be stirring this up for you. It
must have been hard, growing up without a father."
Uncle Dharma had done the best he could. He'd taken Nol to temple and to fairs,
bailed him out of trouble, gave him jobs and pocket money, scolded him when he was
rude, hugged him with pride when Nol graduated from high school.
He coughed to clear the sudden lump in his throat.
"Let's go home," Tina said. "I have groceries to put in the fridge. And," she added
with a smile, "I promised your mother to help with the ironing."
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