the land； which is their finest resource。 I"ll be appealing for the preservation of that resource。〃 〃You"re a powerful speaker yourself； Chloe。 I heard you address that group on Martha"s Vineyard on the subject of natural erosion patterns。 You had them eating out of the palm of your hand。〃 Chloe gave a crooked smile。 〃Many of the issues are the same here。 Let"s hope they buy it； too。〃 Ross finished his formal presentation and opened the floor for questions。 A podium and microphone had been set up in the center aisle of the auditorium。 One by one； those residents e forward。 Most asked about specifics； all of which Chloe noted on her pad： the price range of the condominiums and the subsequent tax revenue； the time projection for the erection of the units； the capacity of the resort plex； and a listing of its self…contained facilities。 At length； Felix Hart stood and joined Ross at center stage。 〃I"m afraid we have to move on now；〃 he apologized； eyeing the large clock on the front face of the balcony。 〃There"s still another side to consider。 Thank you； Mr。 Stephenson。 You"ve been very direct and a great help。 Perhaps we"ll have time for more questions later。〃 Chloe watched with growing excitement as Ross returned to his seat and that excitement； for the moment； had nothing to do with him。 She liked talking to groups like this； and did it often。 Though she loved the scientific end of her job…the sample…taking and analysis； the puter work； the intricate calculations of ground position； weather…related ponents； time predictions…she found the presentation of her findings to be heady。 Felix Hart made the introduction。 〃I have the delightful task now of giving you Ms。 Chloe Macdaniel。 Ms。 Macdaniel has been retained by the county to study our coast with an eye toward the environmental impact of the Rye Beach Resort and Condominium plex as proposed by the Hansen Corporation。 She has already spent a good deal of time on the project。 Ms。 Macdaniel？〃 After lifting a neat folder from the floor beneath her chair； Chloe rose to her full five…foot…eight…inch height and approached the podium。 Her appearance was understated； she worked at that。 Still； the curiosity of the crowd yielded to a murmur of appreciation when she stepped forward。 Tall and willowy； dark haired and light plected； she was the image of grace。 Her dress was of a soft and simple white eyelet fabric； lined through the bodice and skirt； the sleeves hanging free and loose to her elbows。 A wide sash of contrasting aqua enhanced both the slimness of her waist and the porcelain of her skin。 Her voice was steady and well…modulated。 〃Thank you； Mr。 Hart； for your kind introduction。 Let me say how pleased I was to have been approached by your representatives last spring。 Not only do I have a professional interest in your coastline； but I have an emotional involvement with the entire New England coast； since it"s my home of choice。 In keeping with this； let me begin by saying that I am not opposed to the Rye Beach Resort and Condominium plex per se。 What Mr。 Stephenson has outlined for you sounds like a project that could benefit this area。 But I question the ecological wisdom of the plan as it stands。 The thought of a beachfront condominium may appeal to the romantic in us all； but this plan isn"t environmentally wise。〃 As she proceeded to explain the core results of her tests； she was oblivious to all else but her work。 The most powerful tool she had was genuine concern。 〃In terms of storm surge alone； the Hansen proposal is risky；〃 she argued； pointing to the carefully calculated figures now projected on a slide screen。 〃Once every six or seven years you folks get a storm strong enough to do significant damage to structures built so close to the beach。 If the entire plex were to be moved back an additional two hundred feet； the risk would be lessened。〃 Again she explained her theory in detail； using statistics where applicable。 By the time she finished and opened the floor to questions； she felt that her arguments had been well received。 She answered the questions posed with the same patience and care； the same genuine concern for the environment。 〃Great presentation；〃 Howard said when she returned to her seat。 She smiled modestly。 〃I only hope I"ve acplished our objective。 What happens now？〃 〃You endure brief speeches by Brad and myself。 Try to stay awake。〃 She gave an of…course…l…will chuckle； but with her own job done； her mind wandered。 While Felix introduced Bradbury Huff； she glanced at Ross。 Folded fortably into his seat； he appeared to be listening intently to his advocate； the state representative。 The years had been kind to Ross。 While his dark brown hair had a touch of gray at the sideburns； it fell over his forehead with vibrance and class。 There was strength in his unhearded jaw； which flexed as he listened。 The crow"s feet at the corners of his eyes were etched into a light tan that spoke of a life of sun and smiles。 He was perfectly at ease； maddeningly confident； and devastatingly handsome。 He blinked once； turned his head； and met her gaze and； in that instant； time stopped。 In the next； it reversed； speeding Chloe back over the years to the first time she"d seen him。 It had been a beautiful Thanksgiving night in New Orleans； the moment as clear to her as if it had been yesterday。 She had been with Crystal then。 Crystal。 She still missed her sister with the kind of pain that ate at a person from the inside out。 Howard covered her tight fist with his hand。 〃Are you all right？〃 He followed her line of sight。 〃You can talk with him later…〃 〃No；〃 she interrupted； 〃no need。〃 Embarrassed； she leaned toward Howard。 〃I"m sorry。 There are 。。。 memories。〃 〃There must be；〃 he noted softly。 〃And from the looks of you； they"re pretty awful。〃 It was a minute before she said； 〃Not all。〃 〃You"re white as a sheet。 Can I get you some water or something？〃 〃No。 I"m fine。〃 At his quirked brow she added； 〃Really；〃 before glancing at the podium。 〃Is Huff almost done？〃 〃He"d better be。 I"m next。 Take notes for me； will you？ I have a tendency to fo