In town they separated, Jarod went staight to the homeworker section, Parker moved to the food. After a while they met again by the clothes and Jarod held up a overalls.

"Youīre not going to wear this?" Parker looked amused.

"Why? We have a lot of work to do, so I need the right clothes." Then he took another one and held it in front of her. "This should fit you." and throw it in her cart.

"Are you kidding? No way I'm wear this!"

"Fine! I canīt wait to see you standing on a ladder with a skirt!" he grinned rudely and Parker threw the trousers back in his face and as she walked on he put it back in his cart and hurried after her.

"Do you have everything?"

"Almost!" he replied and run a few aisles back to grab some sweets. While they waited to pay he informed her "I ordered some other stuff weīll need to repair the cables and things like that. The merchant promised me I can pick it up everything tomorrow."

"Great." She cursed to herself, under her breath.

"Huh?"

"I said īgreat>. You can go on your own tomorrow."

"Donīt wanna join me?" he teased and pushed the cart further. "Oh, whatīs this?" Jarod picked something out of her cart.

"Give it back!" Parker eyes narrowed dangerously but Jarod jumped back before she could grab it and read the title on the book "The Bronze-Mask - a children's book?" his eyebrow lifted.

"Itīs for Debbie, though itīs none of your business!" and because he just grinned she felt the familiar urge to hit him but was startled by the cashier.

"You have all luck, do you know that. Normally, I would cuff you and drag your ass back to the Centre."

"Yeah, too bad you canīt and maybe donīt want to go back, too!" he leaned further to her not wanting to let anyone hear their exchange, then stepped forward to pay the bill.

Outside while they packed the car, Parker remarked "By the way, what about money?"

"What about money, what do you mean?"

"How much do we have?"

"Oh, that means you havenīt discovered what I did before I got caught?" and grinned triumphantly.

"No! What have you done?"

"Oh, I just paid myself my wages for the years I worked for the Centre. Thatīs enough for the next few years. And if I invest right, I donīt have to worry about it any longer. How about you? Wanna borrow any of mine?"

"No need. You're not the only smart one here. I can take care of myself."

"And how? Stole money for yourself, huh?"

"Something like that."

"That means you found the money from your mom?"

"I'm not going to ask you now how you know about that." She shut the trunk just as he yanked out his head.

"Hey, I don't need a haircut yet!" he protested.

"Shall I drive the rental car back or do you want to?" he asked after a while on the road.

"You. Iīll wait at the shore."

"Fine." silence falling between them again.

"Iīll take a cab and met you here then." he said and hopped into the car after they loaded the boat.

"Hurry up, boy." The captain shouted after him. "You don't want to let your lady wait to long." and Jarod could swear he could see Parker roll her eyes from the distance.

Island

"Daaaddy. I can see you. Now itīs your turn!" and Debbie ran away along the cost.

"Ok. Iīll count till 30!" Broots shouted after her as she dissapeared between the rocks on the beach.

Broots was so happy he had now more time to spend with his daughter.

"29, 30! Iīm coming!" he called out loud. "You hear me?" he tried but his daughter wasnīt sure dumb.

"Sure." she whispered, laughed, and ducked behind a big tree that had fallen across the rocks.

After half and hour later Broots still climbed over the rocks. "Ok, I give up. You win! I never find you here."

"Boo!" Debbie shouted from under him because he just stood up on the tree she hid under. It was only luck he didnīt fall straight down.

"Debbie! You wanna kill me?" he laughed at her and jumped down.

"Daddy, look! Theyīre back!"

"Who? What? Oh!"

Parker and Jarod drove past them near the beach and Debbie waved wildly towards them.

"Come on, Daddy, weīre gonna catch up with them at the shore!" with that she ran away and he behind.

Broots and Debbie helped them to carry all the stuff that Jarod couldnīt fit in the wagon which was already quite full.

"What did you bring with for me?" Debbieīs blue eyes glanced up excitedly up to Parker.

"Oh," she replyed with faked worry "I think I forgot." And watched her adding,

"Just kidding. Of course I thought of you."

"Ah, youīre just like dad, he likes to play such bad jokes to me all the time." Debbie remarked and throw her dad a knowing look who just grinned at her.

"But Iīm afraid you have to wait till we unpack later. I donīt know where it is right now, ok!" Parker was surprised at the good mood around here with everyone.

"Deal. And then weīre gonna take a walk."

Jarod walked behind them and throw the the wagon behind him and watched unbelievingly the others. I seemed like she left the old Miss Parker nearly completely in USA. Not that he missed her. He liked her the way she was now but everytime it came to him, she was again the hunter. But maybe she just needed time. He had his time since he left the Centre two years ago.

They were not even half ready with unpack as Debbie nagged to go out.

"Please, canīt we go now? Itīs getting dark soon."

"Go! We can do this here alone." Jarod pushed Parker gently out of the kitchen. "You go for a walk and we take care here and try to make dinner"

"I think we can live with that." and then the two women were gone.

"Ok, guy," Jarod turned to Broots, Sydney and Angelo. "letīs conjure a real dinner!" he clapped his hands.

Parker and Debbie walked in the opposite direction than to the shore up a hill.

"Iīm courious whatīs behind." Debbie dragged her behind her.

"Easy, easy. Iīm coming!" Parker laughed.

Finally up they stood at a huge cliff and looked down at the water.

"Wow!" Debbie stood and held Parkerīs hand.

"Right,īwow> is the right word. Itīs breathtaking."

They sat there staring out and down to the sea till it got dark and then hurried back to the castle because they had forgottten to take flashlights with them.

About a hundred meters away they could smell something good.

"Mhm, honestly I had doubts that they really could cook something."

"Oh, dadīs a good cook. Since we live alone he learned quickly. And most of the time it tasts good, too." Debbie informed.

They walked straight to the kitchen to find it empty but heared voices from the dining room. Parker pointed and Debbie walked on in front of her. The sight that lay before them was a surprise, too. The men had cleaned and decorated the dining room. They placed candels in every corner and on the tabel and made a fire in the chimney.

"Welcome to īchateau Parker>" Jarod said with a french accent and pulled back two chairs for them.

"You wonīt believe where we were!" Debbie blabbled. "Up the hill is a big cliff and you can look straight to the next island."

Debbie talked most of during the dinner, and from time to time someone else added something. After dinner they made the dishes and then Jarod and Sydney sat on the table to play chess.

"Give me a chance." Jarod begged him.

"Why? You always win."

"Thatīs not true, you beat me several times." Jarod respond.

"I know you let me win deliberately."

Jarod made a face "Ok, ok, but you can try it again. I have changed."

"Yeah, but you surely didnīt went dumber." He laughted but finally agreed to play.

While Parker went up to her room, Broots and Debbie also played a game called Stratego. Parker just opened her door to go back downstairs and stepped out as she saw Angelo in the other end of the corridor. She first turned to go but stopped and walked to him.

"Hi Angelo!" she greeted him friendly not to startle him.

"Hi Angel." He greeted back and smiled at her.

"Mhm, donīt call me that." she replied without anger and looked down.

"But why?" he asked innocently.

"Because, thatīs not me." she looked at him and saw once again all of the cruel things the Centre did to the people she cared for and added "anymore."

"Come on, Angelo, letīs go down to the others." She didnīt wanted to think of such things anymore but Angelo hesitated till she took his hand and simply dragged him with her.

"Miss Parker! Come, you have to play with us." Debbie greeted them thought the other man was weird to her. He barely spoke, moved funny and looked .... different.

"Ok."