THE POND.

They are the only ones near the pond. Philip

has picked out a solitary spot where they won't be seen easily from the path. Evvie sits on won't be seen easily from the path. Evvie sits on the gra.s.s at the edge, letting her bare feet dangle in the gra.s.s at the edge, letting her bare feet dangle in the cool water. Philip is at her side, holding her the cool water. Philip is at her side, holding her hand. She wears a lovely pale yellow, strapless sundress. Her matching sandals lie nearby. As she hand. She wears a lovely pale yellow, strapless sundress. Her matching sandals lie nearby. As she leans toward him, a small bottle of pills drop out leans toward him, a small bottle of pills drop out of the pocket of her dress. He quickly reaches for of the pocket of her dress. He quickly reaches for them before they roll down into the water. them before they roll down into the water.

"Oh, goodness, I forgot my pills."

He hands her a bottle of water and then examines the medications container. "There's no label."

Gently pulling the container away from him, she thinks quickly. She could tell him the truth, she thinks quickly. She could tell him the truth, that the pills are vitamins, but then why carry that the pills are vitamins, but then why carry those, when she supposedly has a life-threatening those, when she supposedly has a life-threatening illness? "I always carry them in a small bottle instead of dragging the larger one they came in." illness? "I always carry them in a small bottle instead of dragging the larger one they came in."

"What are you taking?" She hesitates. He smiles and reaches into his jacket and pulls out a bottle as and reaches into his jacket and pulls out a bottle as well. He winks. "You tell me yours, I'll tell you well. He winks. "You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine." mine."

Evvie tries to remember what Sophie takes for her heart. "Dijoxin." She takes one pill out and her heart. "Dijoxin." She takes one pill out and swallows it with water, then puts the bottle back in swallows it with water, then puts the bottle back in her pocket. Playfully, she reaches for his bottle. her pocket. Playfully, she reaches for his bottle. She has to divert him. She hopes he doesn't know She has to divert him. She hopes he doesn't know that Sophie's pill is white and quite small, unlike that Sophie's pill is white and quite small, unlike the large gray vitamin. the large gray vitamin.

"It's Vicodin."

"I've heard of it. What's it for?"

"Migraines. I've had them all my life."

"Oh, you poor dear, they must be painful."

"Yes, they are." He lookes at her bottle again. "Is that all you take? Just the one? What exactly is "Is that all you take? Just the one? What exactly is your condition?" your condition?"

Her mind is working as fast as it can. "I have my other pills in the morning." She reaches for his my other pills in the morning." She reaches for his hand again. "It's such a beautiful day; let's not hand again. "It's such a beautiful day; let's not waste it on depressing subjects. We'll start to waste it on depressing subjects. We'll start to sound like really old people who only want to talk sound like really old people who only want to talk about their illnesses." about their illnesses."

"You are right, my dear." He kisses her hand, and looking deep into her eyes, he recites, " 'Dost and looking deep into her eyes, he recites, " 'Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.' Ben Franklin." that's the stuff life is made of.' Ben Franklin."

Evvie rallies. She can handle this. "How about, 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Old Time is still 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Old Time is still a-flying.' Robert Herrick." a-flying.' Robert Herrick."

He continues it. " 'And this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying.' " smiles today, tomorrow will be dying.' "

It's a strange moment. Evvie is sorry she chose that poem; she had forgotten those next chilling that poem; she had forgotten those next chilling lines, yet Philip seems pleased. How charming that lines, yet Philip seems pleased. How charming that he loves poetry as much as she does. It was poetry he loves poetry as much as she does. It was poetry that got her through the lonely years at school that got her through the lonely years at school when she felt so awkward and unattractive. And when she felt so awkward and unattractive. And when she wasn't reading poetry, she was acting. when she wasn't reading poetry, she was acting. Her shy, real self would disappear while playing Her shy, real self would disappear while playing the wonderful parts onstage. Cruel queens, famous the wonderful parts onstage. Cruel queens, famous heroines, and gorgeous debutantes: that's when heroines, and gorgeous debutantes: that's when Evvie came alive. On the stage. But it all came to Evvie came alive. On the stage. But it all came to nothing, Evvie thinks bitterly. Her parents had forbidden her to pursue a theater career. She was expected to pick some neighborhood boy and get nothing, Evvie thinks bitterly. Her parents had forbidden her to pursue a theater career. She was expected to pick some neighborhood boy and get married. married.

Philip leans closer to her, his lips nearly touching hers again. She pulls away slightly. Being outdoors makes her nervous. What if someone should come along? She has to change the mood. "You come along? She has to change the mood. "You have such a beautiful voice, Philip. Did you ever have such a beautiful voice, Philip. Did you ever have professional training?" have professional training?"

"No, my dear, these are the affectations of English private schools. Or as they call them, public schools." This time he kisses her lips gently. English private schools. Or as they call them, public schools." This time he kisses her lips gently.

Footsteps crunch along the nearby path and Evvie instinctively pulls away. Evvie instinctively pulls away.

TWENTY-SEVEN.

THE BUSYBODY.

It takes me a while, but finally I find Evvie sitting on the gra.s.s next to the pond. I hurry toward her, and then stop when I realize she is not alone. She is with Philip. They are holding hands and looking longingly at each other. Evvie is wearing another expensive-looking new outfit, something s.e.xier than the clothes we originally bought.

I hesitate. Part of me doesn't want to intrude. The more sensible part says this is a job and I'd better check up on my a.s.sistant. I pretend to be strolling and just happen to see the happy couple. Now I get to play the hypocrite.

"Evelyn. Philip. h.e.l.lo, there." My voice is an octave higher than normal. I am fairly trilling. Evvie startles and, caught off guard, throws me a dirty look. Philip immediately stands up, dusts his pants, and breaks out the charm.

"Gladys Gold," I say quickly, before he realizes he's never seen me before. "We met Sat.u.r.day night. At the mixer."

Naturally, he won't admit he doesn't recognize me. "But of course," he says. "Though it was rather crowded."

"Yes, wasn't it? But such fun."

He gazes down at Evvie. "It certainly was."

Luckily there is a bench right next to them, so I perch at the edge. If I sat down on the gra.s.s, I'd never be able to pull myself up. I indicate Philip should sit again, but he doesn't. "Don't let me disturb you," I babble on. "I didn't have a chance to tell you when we spoke that night, we had something in common."

"Really?" He is losing interest, but what I'm about to say should grab his attention.

"Oh, really?" Evvie adds, her voice like ice.

You, too, sister dear. This ought to teach you not to be so smart. "Yes, my niece, Myra, works at Grecian Villas. You know, she works for Mrs. Gordon, the manager? Myra told me so much about you."

There is the slightest twitch in his eyes, but he pretends delight. "Yes, of course I remember her. A lovely lady. Very kind."

My dear sister is sizzling. I can always tell when she is angry because her earlobes turn red. Evvie reaches out to Philip. "Philip, dear, we have to leave."

He gallantly helps her stand as I glare at Evvie from behind his back. Don't you dare, Don't you dare, I mouth to her angrily. I mouth to her angrily.

Evvie, spiting me, puts her arm through his and starts to lead him away. "So sorry. We have an appointment," she says to me, ever so sweetly.

"Yes, we must hurry," Philip agrees.

As Evvie pulls him along, I stand and grab on to his other arm. "Yes, I must also. I'll walk back with you." Without missing a beat, I say, "So tragic about poor Mrs. Ferguson, wasn't it?"

His step falters momentarily. "Yes, indeed. She was a lovely lady."

He has a one-track mind, this Romeo. Everyone's such a lovely lady.

Philip picks up the pace. I wonder why. Can it be he doesn't want to discuss lovely, dead Esther Ferguson?

We reach the lobby. "Which way are you going, Gladys?" he asks. Whatever makes me think that if I say right, he'll be going left? "Oh, toward my room." I point with my right hand.

"Well, then we'll have to take leave of you." He fairly pushes Evvie toward the left. I grip his arm a little tighter and glare at Evvie.

"Have you ever seen that darling TV show where Donald Trump tries to hire an a.s.sistant?" Evvie knows it very well. She loves that show. "Isn't it funny when he looks straight at the poor loser and says real loud, 'You're fired'?"

Get it, Evelyn Evelyn? You're fired.With that I let go of Philip's arm. That should leave them both reeling. I wonder what lies he'll tell Evvie about Grecian Villas. a.s.suming she'll speak to me again and let me know what he said. I've learned one thing about him. He doesn't want anyone to know about his past. If he is really guilty, he must a.s.sume no one has figured it out or they'd be after him by now. Lighting this match under him should get some results. He'll be very wary of me. We'll see.

And hey, sis-I hope you got my message.

TWENTY-EIGHT.

SOPHIE.

Back again. Caddy to Chevy-land to check on how Sophie is doing and maybe see if there's anything new on the Peeper situation. Who am I kidding? After that awful scene with Evvie and Philip yesterday, I need to go to my own home once more. I need to be where I feel I am myself and not some interloper.

I quickly check my machine for messages. Nothing, as usual, from Jack. I sigh. So near and yet so far. I won't leave a message for him. I cannot bring myself to call and be rejected again.

In fact, there is only one message. From Alvin Ferguson. From earlier today.

I call him back. Unfortunately, he's not home and I get Shirley.

"Hi, Mrs. Ferguson," I say cheerily. "Alvin called. What's going on?"

Her tone is colder than an ice pick at the North Pole. "We checked online. Quite a few charges you've already piled up on your house account. You must like that fancy hotel we're keeping you in. Living high off the hog, are we?"

I suddenly have a picture in my mind of Evvie's new clothes. I try to bluff. "I thought we were keeping expenses down."

"Well, the boutique at Wilmington House certainly likes your business. Couldn't you find a less expensive place to shop? Like Wal-Mart? Or Cheap Haircuts?"

I gulp. "We did buy most of our outfits at a thrift shop."

"Three hundred and fifty dollars for a yellow cotton sundress? Matching sandals, one hundred and five. Jogging outfit, one hundred and twentyfive. And there's more. Thank goodness you only bought one of each. And what about that expensive hair coloring?"

I'm dancing as fast as I can. "Look, these items were bought because we needed them in a hurry. I a.s.sure you"-another gulp-"that won't happen again."

"I certainly hope not. My husband isn't made of money, you know. He just acts like it. And what progress have you made?"

I try to be polite. Not easy with that scratchy smoker's voice grating like chalk on a blackboard. "Quite a bit. We've hardly been there a week, but we are in constant contact with Philip Smythe." No lie here, I think. "We're trying to work our way into his confidence."

That's for sure. At least one of us is.

"Just remember. No more big-ticket items." With that, Shirley hangs up on me.

Thanks a lot, Evvie.