It was the damnedest thing I'd ever heard. It ripped across the soft night, a crazed shriek of pure helplessness and fear.

There was a soft thud and then running footsteps. I hurried after the sound of the footsteps.

I heard the pounding feet heading toward the highway. Then I tripped on something, sprawling in the sand on my face.

A car door slammed and I heard tires shrill as the car turned on the highway.

"Cliff," Eve said, "are you all right?" I heard her kind of hold her breath.

I got up and went over to her.

Eve was looking down into the grass off the beach. "God, Cliff," she gasped.

Lying there was the crumpled body of a young girl. She was very dead.

Now we were really in trouble, Eve Thayer and I. Calling the police would mean questions, and stories in the papers. And I couldn't have that. Not when Eve Thayer was another man's wife.