Wish Upon a Christmas Star by Darlene Gardner

some experience this morning.”
    “I don’t want—”
    His phone rang, cutting off what she was about to say. He
picked up his cell and looked down at the caller display. “It’s a Key West
exchange,” he told Maria.
    “Answer it,” she said, scooting forward in her seat. “It could
be that woman from the post office.”
    That was exactly who it was. Logan silently mouthed as much,
then, nodding at regular intervals, listened intently to what the postal clerk
had to say. He could feel impatience rolling off Maria in waves.
    “Well? What did she tell you?” Maria asked the instant he
disconnected the call. “Did somebody recognize the photo?”
    Logan considered how to answer without getting her hopes up too
high. Not for a minute did he believe this lead would pan out. “Possibly.”
    “What do you mean, possibly?” she retorted. “Somebody either
recognized Mike or they didn’t.”
    “Hold on a minute and let me explain.” Logan chose his words
carefully. “Somebody at the post office thinks the age progression looks like a
guy who’s a regular at a bar on Duval Street. The guy’s there at least a few
nights a week.”
    “Which bar?” Maria asked.
    Logan wouldn’t normally withhold information to get his way.
These, however, were special circumstances.
    “I’ll tell you tonight,” he said, “when we go there
together.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    “I CAN ’ T BELIEVE YOU still won’t tell me the name
of the bar,” Maria groused.
    She and Logan were in the heart of the tourist area. The tiny
white lights that decorated many of the businesses were only starting to glow.
If Logan hadn’t gotten the tip, she would have spent the evening touring the
local bars Kayla had told her about.
    Late this afternoon she and Logan had stopped by a coffee shop,
a barbershop and a diner. Nobody had recognized Mike. They’d intended to go to
the sunset celebration but had run out of time.
    “I’ve got a steep learning curve,” Logan said. “You gave me the
slip once. You might do it again.”
    “This time you’d know where I was going,” she replied.
    He slanted her a grin. “Still, I’m not taking any chances.”
    A quartet of twenty-somethings in shorts and Key West T-shirts
passed by, each carrying a plastic cup filled with what was probably alcohol,
legal on the island. Behind them a small, elderly man dressed as an elf pushed a
shopping cart made up to look like a sleigh.
    “Santa’s helper coming through,” he called in a high, nasal
voice.
    Logan edged closer to Maria, taking her arm and shielding her
from the crush. Even though being on Duval Street was an assault to the senses,
she could pick out his clean scent. The hairs on her arm stood at attention. Her
stomach tightened.
    He kept hold of her, as though it was perfectly natural for him
to be touching her.
    “You can let me go now,” she said.
    “Oh, no, I can’t,” he said. She was summoning the will to
wrench her arm away when he added, “Not until that belly dancer goes by.”
    Sure enough, coming toward them was a woman with a long green
skirt hanging low on her hips and a red jewel in her naval. She seemed to be
rehearsing her act as she walked.
    Logan laughed aloud. “This place is crazy. I like it.”
    If not for his close shave and expertly cut short hair, he’d
almost look like he fit in. He’d exchanged his dark slacks and gray shirt for
jeans and a floral print shirt he must have bought earlier today. No way could
Maria imagine he’d had that shirt in his suitcase. Or as part of his usual
wardrobe.
    “It does feel like a different world, doesn’t it?” she
murmured. “A place somebody would come to get away from it all.”
    “By somebody, do you mean Mike?”
    “Yes,” she said. “If he’s been trying to lie low, it makes
sense that he’d be in Key West.”
    “I’ve gotta say this again, Maria,” Logan stated. “For Mike to
be alive, he’d have to go to great lengths to make sure nobody knew it. Stop and
think