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funeral.'
    'So now you're on holidays.'
    'Sort of.' Daniel sighed, and Kirri had the distinct feeling that he would have preferred to have been able to say yes. 'Jim's death seems to have put Philip in a bit of a panic. I thought I'd have a look over the company books while I was here, but he's been putting me off. Said he has to have time to sort out his father's affairs and look after his mother. Two days ago he offered me this holiday house of theirs so I could take a break until he's ready.'
    A magpie swooped down and perched on the verandah rail, cocking an enquiring eye at them. Kirri cut some crust off her toast and placed it on the rail close by. Cautiously, the magpie hopped closer until he was able to peck greedily at his prize.
    She looked back to see Daniel staring at her, a strange expression on his face. 'Are you … Do you have family back in Seattle?' She mentally kicked herself. She'd almost asked him if he was married. It was suddenly important for her to know, but she didn't want to appear too interested. Even so, she felt her cheeks warm.
    'No.' Daniel looked at her as though it was important to him that she knew he wasn't married. 'My only relatives are my mother's parents, and they live on a ranch in Wyoming. My grandfather runs it for a retired rancher.'
    'Have you always been in the construction business?' No sooner had the words left her mouth than Kirri realised how many questions she had been asking. Normally she wasn't so inquisitive, but … She bit her lip. The attraction she felt for this man was startling not only for its newness, but also for its strength, and she felt a need to know more about him.
    'Until my father died I was a park ranger.' Hell, Daniel thought, even that didn't bring a flicker of recognition from her. He was beginning to feel that he had stumbled into one of those weird television shows where you wake up in a parallel universe. Daniel's head had been aching before, but now it began to pound with tension and frustration. 'My father had logging and construction businesses, but he'd always hoped that one day I'd take over from him, so he insisted on teaching me about them.'
    Kirri smiled. 'Rangers are into conservation and loggers cut down the trees. It must have been quite a switch for you.'
    'It was at first. My grandparents are very attached to the land and they instilled their love of nature in me. I'd always felt that I'd rather work at preserving the forests than destroying them. Until I had to take control of my father's business, I hadn't really appreciated how well he worked within the restrictions placed on the logging industry.'
    Daniel had a sudden mental image of his father, red plaid shirt and blue jeans splattered with mud, as he inspected the trees his men were logging. Even now he found it hard to believe that the big, vibrant man who'd taken him camping and fishing was no longer alive. It was only since his father's death that Daniel had realised his own passion for caring for the environment had been shared by his father. His father had respected the land and what it could yield as much as he'd cared for the welfare of his employees.
    Kirri glanced at her watch. Daniel followed her gaze. Silver chain band, conventional face. A businesswoman's watch. Not the chunky adornment she had worn in New Orleans. Had the man she was living with bought her this new one? Jealousy surged through Daniel so fiercely his head began to pound harder.
    'I'd better get to the gallery. Jenny might -' Kirri frowned as she looked at him. 'Daniel, are you all right?'
    'Just my head,' he mumbled, wondering if he could cope with the emotional strain of confronting her now. Later, he decided. After he had the police interview out of the way. 'Could you give me a lift to the police station? I think I'd be a safety hazard on the road right now.'
    'I'd be happy to.' The smile she flashed him was beautiful in its compassion and eagerness to please, and confusion and anger roiled up