doors spanned the far wall, and through them Emma could see the outlines of a large infinity pool. At least thirty people lounged around it under the flames of citronella torches, while others in swimsuits floated on inner tubes. The whole scene appeared out of place, late as it was. She saw Warner walk to a lounge chair and pick up her swimsuit top. Music played, but not Rex Rain. Emma knew most of Carrowâs hits, and the current selection wasnât one of them. The house was set high on the hill, and beyond the pool the ocean view would have been sweeping had it not been night. Now all she could see was the occasional wave as it undulated under the moonlight.
âIs the whole house awake?â she asked.
Carrow nodded. âAfter eighteen months on tour and playing gigs every night, we have become essentially nocturnal.â
âEighteen months is a long time.â
He gave her a glance. âIt will be two and a half years before weâre done. In that time Iâll have had all of four weeks off. These two and another two in March.â
A woman in her mid-forties stepped in through the French doors that led to the pool area. She had black hair and wore a bathing suit with a sheer white tunic top over it and flip-flops decorated with rhinestones. Emma recognized her as Belinda Rory, a woman made famous by the cable show The Other Side. She claimed she could speak to the dead, among other things. Her arresting brown eyes passed over Emma in a focused assessment.
âIs he awake?â Rory said to Carrow. He shrugged.
âDunno. Going there now.â
âIf you need me just let me know.â She nodded once at Emma and started across the living room to a swinging door on the opposite wall. When she pushed through it, Emma saw the front panel of a stainless steel refrigerator. The door closed behind her.
âWasnât that the famous television medium?â Emma asked.
Carrow nodded. âMartin invited her. He wanted to speak to Jimi Hendrix.â
Emma raised her eyebrows. âAnd how did that go?â
Carrow gave her an amused look. âApparently he was otherwise occupied.â Emma suppressed her own smile. In her travels sheâd seen many things that appeared unexplainable, and had learned not to dismiss too readily anything that was new or unusual. Still, she didnât believe in mediums, or that they could speak to the dead.
They entered a hallway and passed into a bedroom. This room, too, had glass doors where the wall should be and another breathtaking view of the ocean. Emma moved toward a large four-poster bed made of teak with a mosquito net pulled back on each side. A man lay there, sleeping. His eyes were closed and his face had a peaceful look. A sheet was pulled up to his chest.
âHeâs wearing clothes,â she said.
âHe was drinking right before.â Carrow pointed to a carafe on a nightstand that was filled with red wine. Next to it was a glass, and next to that a pile of powder. Emma stepped closer.
âIs this it?â she said.
âYes.â
Emma reached to a lamp on the nightstand and moved it closer, taking care not to disturb the powder. It was a dirty, beige color. âWhatâs his usual powder of choice?â
âNot powder, pills. Roxyâs.â
OxyContin. Emma wasnât surprised. The prescription pill had taken over the drug world. What was on the nightstand wasnât it, though, that was clear. OC was blue. The color was off.
âHe sometimes uses China White, so I initially thought this was just some cheap stuff heâd picked up on a nearby island on his way here, but thatâs not heroin.â Emma didnât want to ask Carrow how he could be so sure it wasnât heroin, but she needed to know if heâd taken it himself. If he had and hadnât fallen asleep, then perhaps the powder wasnât the culprit.
âDid you try it? Is that how you know itâs