But we never got a chance to ask because Mr. Dunner said, aIall call Ray now,a and went up the stairs and into the office, leaving us alone in the car lot.

He moved like he was a hundred years old.

A few minutes later, we were back in the car. Dad sat behind the steering wheel without turning on the ignition. Staring at the Auto Sales office door.

aDo you think I should have asked him more questions while I had the chance?a I asked.

He shook his head. aHe wouldnat have told you anything else. But I can tell you one thing: whatever happened that night has stayed with him like a waking nightmare all these years, and yet he manages to still care about other people. Thatas a rare gift.a aOr a curse,a I said.

_____.

Meghan was determined to give Dad and Anna Belle a night off from the kitchen and had taken over the dinner preparations. When we entered the house the scents of sage and fried onions greeted us. We hurried to join the others in the kitchen.

Anna Belle had found the jasmine body b.u.t.ter Iad left for her, and the heavy floral scent surrounded her like a cloud. The smell reminded me of my friend Tootie Hanover, Erinas great-grandmother, who wore jasmine every day, though on a much lighter scale.

aHow does your skin feel?a I asked her.

aLike velvet,a she said with a smile. aThank you.a Kelly and Meghan had filled her in on Ray Dunneras visit when she got home, and now she demanded to know how Ogden reacted to his sonas threats.

aHe said head talk to him,a Dad said.

aAnd if he does I think Ray will listen,a I said. aWhen Barr and I were at the car lot yesterday, Ray backed off when his father came in.a That reminded me of how much I missed Barr. Head be getting close to the Ambrose familyas Horseshoe Ranch by now, if he hadnat already arrived.

My mother snorted. aBut then he came over here and scared you and Erin, didnat he?a I grimaced. aTrue. Well, if you have any other ideas, please share. The sheriffas investigator didnat seem to think they could do anything based on what Dunner did.a aIam not surprised.a She huffed her disgust at the vagaries of law enforcement.

Good thing I hadnat told them that Jaikes had braced me about the lip balm they found under Joeas body.

Ick.

aSo what are you making?a Dad couldnat help but ask Meghan.

aNothing all that special. My summer version of chicken pot pie and a big salad. I took a look at the garden to see what I could use from it. Youave got a wonderful selection of goodies out there. Then I saw the sage, and that made the decision for me. I only needed to buy the chicken and puff pastry.a Yum. Meghan made the best pot pie ever. In the winter it was surrounded by a savory, flaky crust made with home-rendered lard, but in hotter weather she simply topped it with store-bought puff pastry and added a few more vegetables to lighten it up.

aDessert?a I asked. We didnat often eat dessert at home, but we sure had while on vacation.

Vacation. Ha!

Anyway, I hoped it wouldnat be too heavy. My walk earlier had reminded me I had a wedding coming up, and I needed to watch my waistline.

aChocolate-dipped strawberries.a aPerfect.a I could nibble on one, get a nice little dose of chocolate, and still feel relatively virtuous.

I checked my e-mail and voice-mail, and did a little work before dinner. Barr still hadnat called, but he also hadnat seen his family for a while. I understood. They had a lot to catch up on.

We were digging into the mounds of creamy chicken, carrots, onions, peas, zucchini, and new potatoes on our plates when the doorbell rang. I got up to answer it, swearing under my breath at people who dropped by during the dinner hour.

Just in case Ray Dunner had decided to grace us with his presence twice in one day, I flicked the shade to see who was on the front step.

Not Ray.

Ogden, still in his black suit and fidgeting with his tie.

Slowly, I went to the door and opened it. aMr. Dunner.a I stepped out to the front step, reluctant to let him enter the house.

aMiss Watson.a aReynolds,a I said. aMs. Reynolds.a aOh. Of course. Iam sorry.a aThatas okay.a I waited.

aUm, I was wondering whether I might be able to see that letter you were telling me about, the one your brother wrote to Tabitha Bines.a I stared at him. Was he kidding?

aI might be able to help you,a he said.

aIt was a love letter. Thatas all.a aThatas not exactly what Tabitha told my son.a aSo you talked to Ray. Is he going to leave us alone?a My tone was flat.

aYes. I promise. But I promised him Iad look at the letter if youad let me. To a.s.sure him he doesnat have anything to worry about.a You canat promise someone else will behave, but Iad take what I could get.

aWorry about? Like what?a I asked. aWhat is he so afraid of?a Ogden shook his head. aNothing real. Believe me.a Right. Now Ray was paranoid. Good Lord. Why couldnat anyone just give me a straight answer?

Behind me, Anna Belleas voice lilted. ah.e.l.lo. Wonat you please come in?a Surprised, I turned around. She ignored me and held the door open to Ogden Dunner. He walked past me into the great room. I followed, my eyes drifting up to the open beam above. What was she thinking?

aWait here,a she said, and disappeared into her den. When she returned she held Bobby Leeas letter. The real one, not the copy Iad been carrying around in my tote bag. Everyone had drifted in from the kitchen and stood around awkwardly. Ogden cleared his throat and darted a glance at me. I felt my nostrils flare.

He reached out and took the letter. Unfolded it and began to read.

As he took in the contents his shoulders began to relax. When he raised his head, he was the picture of bewilderment. Intense disappointment clogged my throat when I saw that, and I realized Iad thought maybe he really could help, despite my reluctance to show him the letter at all.

aI have no idea what this means,a he said.

Anna Belle sighed. My father went and put his arm around her. Meghan sat down on the step and Erin perched behind her. Kelly continued to lean against the wall.

aI hadnat seen Bobby Lee for months before he died. I thought a He looked down and closed his eyes briefly, then looked back up. aI thought perhaps I could put your minds to rest. But Iam afraid Iam less than useless at clearing this up.a aTell me,a I said. aWhat did Tabby say my brother wrote?a Because if she had told the truth then there would have been no reason to get so upset. Or was there? I was so confused I was starting to wonder if Iad ever figure this thing out.

Ogden hesitated. aIam afraid I donat know. Whatever it was bothered him, but I believe I was able to put his mind to rest.a He handed the letter back to my mother. aIam sorry to interrupt your evening. I only wanted to help.a aWe appreciate that,a Anna Belle said in her most gracious tone.

I walked Ogden out. He said goodnight in an apologetic tone and got in the MG Iad seen at the lot, the one painted British racing green.

Back inside the house no one had moved.

aCamon people,a Anna Belle said with false enthusiasm. aWe were in the middle of a perfectly fabulous meal.a We trudged back to the table and sat down.

aDad, do you believe he doesnat know what that letter is all about?a My father shook his head. aIt doesnat make sense to trust him. Something is going on, or was going on, and heas involved. I certainly donat think he wanted to see that letter just to help us. If it incriminated his son he would have kept that to himself.a I swallowed a bite of chicken. Poor Meghan, having her wonderful dinner grow cold on the table. aI agree. But he really did seem clueless when he read it. Anna Belle, I was surprised you showed it to him. You sounded so contemptuous when you first spoke of him.a aContemptuous? Yes, perhaps. I didnat like what he did out there at the Rancho Sueo. Or at least what I thought he was doing. Perhaps I was wrong.a Everyone stopped eating and stared at her.

aWhat? I canat admit I was wrong? Maybe the place wasnat so bad. Calvin told me about what that reporter had in her notes, and it sounds like Mr. Dunner was really trying to help people. I still donat like forcing religion on kids when theyare down on their luck.a For someone who was admitting she might be wrong, she sure sounded defensive.

But still: Wow.

aThe point is,a Anna Belle continued. aI wanted to know if he could explain Bobby Leeas letter.a I could tell she felt the same disappointment I did.

I picked my fork back up. aWell, Iam going out to the dairy in the morning to talk to Tabby. She sicced Ray Dunner on us, and I want to know whether it was accidental or intentional. And if it was the latter, I d.a.m.n well want to know why.a Not only that, but Tabby seemed to be the only one with the answers to my questionsahad been from the very beginning. Tomorrow Iad go at her with a little more ammunition than Iad had beforealike the quit claim deed and the information Iad gathered from Carrie Romainas notes.

aOh, that wonat work,a Anna Belle said. aNot in the morning. Iave made an appointment at Gingeras Bridal downtown. Iam hoping youall see something you like and we can get started with a fitting.a Across from me, Meghan ducked her head to hide her amus.e.m.e.nt.

aButaa aYou can go talk to Tabby afterward,a my mother said. aThe answers she gives you wonat be any different in the afternoon.a And that was the end of that.

The chocolate-covered strawberries were huge. I ate five of them.

aMy motheras planned the menu, and sheas blocked out all the cabins for the whole week, so thereall be plenty of room for people to stay. Of course, youall have final say on the food, but I canat imagine you wonat love it.a Barr had finally called from Wyoming.

aThatas great,a I said, my voice weak. aTomorrow Iam going shopping for a dress with my mother.a aAnything you pick out will look beautiful on you. Remember that itall be November, though. Of course, weall be inside, so you donat need to actually dress for the weather.a It was the closest Barr had ever come to babbling.

aIall keep that in mind.a I sat cross-legged on the bed with Kitty Wampus on my lap. He stretched and purred. Iad finally given in after he refused to stop sleeping on my pillow, even after Iad covered it with a cloth soaked with peppermint oil. Felines usually hate peppermint, but not this one. I had to give him credit for persistence.

aAt least weave decided on rings,a he said. aWe can cross that off the list.a I wasnat much on diamonds, so wead commissioned a jeweler in Cadyville to make us one-of-a-kind platinum rings with Montana sapphires in them.

aCross them right off,a I repeated, amazed.

aSay, Iave asked Randall to be my best man,a Barr said.

Uh oh. Randall was Barras brother. Who was currently dating Barras ex-wife.

aDoes that mean Hannah needs to be in the wedding party?a I hated even asking the question out loud.

aOh, G.o.d no. Iave already explained that would be too weird for you, and she completely understands. Sheas offered to tend bar at the reception, though.a Too weird for me. Great. Tend bar. Excellent. Shead just better not think she could tend Barr, if she knew what was good for her.

aUm, speaking of the reception, just how many people do you think we should invite? Anna Belle is getting all het up about the guest list and sending out invitations.a aI thought about that as I drove. Iave got at least fifteen people Iad like to come, if they can. How about you?a I sighed, low so he couldnat hear it over the phone. Surely it was a good sign that I was more excited about being married than the actual wedding, right? I mean, my vision of the wedding had been down-to-earth and very simple. But if this was going to make everybody happy, Iad be happy, too.

aIad invite a few people from Cadyville, but I doubt most of them would come out to Wyoming in November for a wedding.a Silence greeted my words, and I realized how I must have sounded. aThey just wonat know what theyare missing. And Iall be sure to talk Tootie into it. Sheas the most important one besides Meghan and Erin.a Petunia Hanover was Erinas great grandmother, and a close friend.

aIall pay for her and Felix, both. Make sure you tell her that.a Felix was Tootieas ninety-something-year-old boyfriend.

I laughed. aOkay. Enough with the wedding details. Iave had a full, rich day since you left. Listen to this.a And I proceeded to tell him about the various interactions with the Dunner family.

When I was done, he whistled. aThat Ogden is a conundrum, isnat he? You feel okay about his son now? Or are you still worried?a aWell, father-son talk or not, weare locking the house up tight tonight, and Iall be sleeping lightly.a And we did, battening down the Watson hatches from attic to bas.e.m.e.nt.

_____.

Since Iad be trying on fancy dresses, I stuck to a bowl of berries for breakfast on Sat.u.r.day morning. Our appointment at the bridal shop was for ten oaclock.

aWhat kind of a place is this that you have to make an appointment?a My mother sniffed. aExclusive, thatas what kind. Ginger carries the most unique dresses. Youall love them.a aHmmph.a aOh, for heavenas sake! Itas your wedding.a aSorry.a I liked to play dress up as much as any female; it was Anna Belleas machinations that bothered me. It was silly, of course. Would Erin be the same way with Meghan, caught in that struggle to break away and be her own adult? I hoped not. Silently, I vowed to stop resisting and count myself lucky to have a mother who actually enjoyed event planning. Running my own business was my forte, but organizing special occasions was not. Left to me, wead end up with a pile of Twinkies bought at the last minute instead of a real wedding cake.

Mmm cake.

aHow about carrot cake?a I asked.

aYouare hungry?a aNo. For the wedding cake.a Anna Belleas face lit up. aOf course. Thatas a wonderful idea. Iall call Ca.s.sie andaa She looked at her watch. aNo, itall have to wait until we get back. Wead better get going.a In the car, I related some of my conversation with Barr the evening before, including his excitement regarding the reception menu his mother had in mind.

aWell, he ought to be excited. She wants to serve filet mignon,a Anna Belle said.

aYum. With garlic mashed sweet potatoes, too. Starting with roasted red pepper bisque. Oh, and the appetizers! Okay, Iam officially into this whole wedding thing.a She didnat clap her hands, but then again, she was driving.

The little bridal shop was in a converted house on Mulberry Street. Small and quaint on the outside, it was elegant but friendly inside. Ginger met us at the door and had several dresses ready for me to look at. A couple of them were white, fluffy affairs, but the one I immediately fell in love with had a fitted lace bodice and low neckline. The long sleeves reflected the flowing skirt sans train, and it was a dark purple-brown.

aThis color is crazy for a wedding dress, but itas so beautiful.a I fingered the layered skirt.

Anna Belle frowned. aDonat you think itas a bit dark?a aAubergine is very chic,a Ginger said. aItas wonderful with your skin, and makes your green eyes positively glow. Try it on.a I did, and loved it even more.

aWell, it does look quite nice on you,a my mother said, pursing her lips. aAnd you are getting married late in the year.a aIall take it,a I said. aNo, wait. How much is it?a Ginger cited the amount so casually it took a moment to register. When it did, the blood drained out of my face.

aOh. Well. I, uh a aWeall take it.a Anna Belle shook her head and consulted the ceiling. aMost women would take hours to choose the right dress, but trust you to pick the first one you try on.a I bristled.

But her smile was good natured. aVery efficient of you.a She tugged at the dress fabric. aIt could use a small tuck in the waist and a bit of letting out around the bust.a aNot a problem,a Ginger a.s.sured us and opened the armoire in the corner which held her measuring tape and pins.

aAnna Belle,a I whispered. aIt costs too much.a Actually, Barr could afford it, but I hated to ask him to dip into the money head inherited from his uncle earlier that year, especially for a dress Iad only wear once. And I sure couldnat afford that extravagantly beautiful garment on my own.

aThis is my present to you.a aButaa aNo a'buts.aa aI canat let you do that.a She looked stricken. aPlease? It can be your something new.a Desire warred with guilt, but when she put it like that, how could I say no?

_____.

The brief coolness of the early morning had vanished, leaving a heavy feel to the air and blazing temperatures that threatened to climb even higher as the afternoon wore on. Clouds hovered on the northeastern horizon. Virga wisped down from their undersides like gray fur, the potential rain evaporating before it hit the ground. It was not a phenomenon Iad ever seen in the Pacific Northwest. Here, precipitation teased the parched land below. At least the spreading clouds might offer some relief from the heat.

My flight to Seattle would leave the following afternoon. This was my last chance to get answers from Tabby, my last chance to give my parents some closure. I wondered whether she knew who had killed her husband, then reminded myself that was Schumakeras problem. My focus had to be on my family in the limited time I had remaining in Spring Creek, however frustrating it was to leave while Joeas murder remained unsolved.

Now that I knew about the quit claim deed, Tabby might spill what had happened. At least I hoped so. Was she as skilled a liar as she was a cheese maker, or could it be that she really didnat know Joe had blackmailed Ogden Dunner? The latter was pretty hard to believe. As the Subaru seemed to find its own way down the county road, I thought about Tabbyas face when she spoke of her daughter and cared for her animals. She might have decided never to fall for another man after Bobby Leeas death, but her love for Delight radiated a fierce intensity.

A similar expression had settled on her face when she spoke of Bobby Lee. Her refusal to help me get to the bottom of what had happened eighteen years ago made me want to shake her until her teeth rattled, but it was hard to truly dislike someone who felt that way about my brother.

Iad expected to see more vehicles in the T&J Dairy parking lot, but found only the milk delivery truck and Tabbyas Jeep. Merry yellow streamers of crime scene tape festooned the area behind the cla.s.sroom where wead learned to make mozzarella, but a rattle and clank from within the building alerted me to someoneas presence inside. Leaving my heavy tote bag in the car, I walked the few steps to the door. It was ajar a few inches, and I pushed it open. Inside, I discovered Tabby stacking crates of empty bottles along one wall.

Photographs, scissors, a glue stick, and an a.s.sortment of sc.r.a.pbooking supplies covered the long table in the center of the room. At one end a large poster board stood on an easel, already half covered with pictures of Joe Bines.

aHi,a I said.

She whirled to face me, one hand over her chest. aOh. Sophie Mae. You scared me.a aSorry. Didnat mean to sneak up on you.a I pointed to the poster board. aJoeas life in pictures?a aItas for the memorial service.a Leaning in, I saw the collage captured a progression in time. Joe as a baby sitting on his motheras lap. His third-grade picture, already showing a devilish glint in his eye. Around fourteen, posing in a baseball uniform and grinning high, wide and handsome. A similar grin as he leaned against the door of a forest green pickup, First Truck in fancy script across the bottom of the picture. Head been almost good looking as a young man, before the hard living and tobacco chewing. Before the blackmail and bar fights.

Tabby watched me from the other side of the table.

Straightening, I took a deep, bracing breath. This wasnat going to be easy. I folded my arms and considered her. aThat letter really threw a monkey wrench into things, didnat it?a She sighed. aWhy are you here?a aDid you hire someone to kill Joe?a It was the first time Iad really thought of that; just my luck the brakes between my brain and my mouth chose the perfect moment to fail. Again.

She blanched under her tan. aI donat have to listen to your wild accusations. I think you should leave.a aNo.a Anger flared across her features, widening her eyes and her nostrils. Her lips parted to reveal even white teeth.

aYou do have to listen to this,a I said. aIam sick and tired of getting the runaround. Nice and reasonable havenat worked with you, Tabby. Now Iam simply at the end of my rope. Youare going to answer my questions, or else youare going to answer Sheriff Jaikesa questions about that letter.a I shrugged. aItas up to you.a aWhy do you think I know something about Bobby Lee? I donat.a She blinked rapidly as sudden tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

aYou do. d.a.m.n it, Tabby, I know you do.a I heard the pleading tone in my voice and stopped. Cleared my throat and tried again. aI know a few other things, too. For example, that Ogden Dunner quit claimed this land to Joe. Then lo and behold, you married him even though you admitted to me you never loved him. But you got the dairy you always wanted, didnat you? Were you behind the blackmail? What did Joe have on Dunner that could make a man give up his familyas land?a Her throat worked as she tried to swallow. aI didnat have anything to do with it. Joe and I werenat even married then.a aBut you knew about it, didnat you? You told me the other day this dairy was your idea, and that you love it. As far as the daily work went, Joe was more of a detriment than a help. But Tabby, your name isnat even on the deed. Is that how you run a business?a aItas mine now.a Her chin raised in defiance. aStop looking at me like that. You donat know as much as you think you do. I didnat kill Joe, but this place belongs to me now that heas dead.a aOf course you didnat kill him. Iam your alibi, for heavenas sake. That still begs the question of why Ogden Dunner gave Joe this land.a Her chin swung back and forth. aI donat know.a aYou loved Bobby Lee. So did I. You owe me an explanation if this involves him.a The anger flared again. aI donat owe you a thing, Sophie Mae. Youare the one who started this whole mess.a aOh, no you donat. This messayour messawas here all along. I just wanted some answers about my brother, and you could have simply told me the truth. He wrote that letter to you. Only you understand what he meant by a'it wasnat your fault,a and a'donat blame yourself.

aBut then you had to tell Ray Dunner there was something about him in that letter. Something incriminating. Did you know that jerk showed up at my parentsa home yesterday, forced his way past an eleven-year-old girl and waited inside until I came home?a Tabbyas eyes widened at my mention of Erin.

aThen he demanded the letter. He even threatened me.a Her jaw set. aI had nothing to do with any of that. He called me because you came into his car lot and acted like Iad sent you there. How dare you involve me in your lies, Sophie Mae? I had to tell him something. So guess what? I told him the truth. I told him you were trying to find out what Bobby Lee meant in that stupid letter. Itas not my fault if Ray came to the conclusion that you tracked him down because of something your brother wrote. You poked that bear, and he came after you. What did you expect?a I stared at her, speechless. Then my fist came crashing down on the table. The collage supplies jumped. So did Tabby.

Ow.

aI may have poked that bear, but you sent him after me. To get me to stop asking questions? Did you sic him on Joe, too?a Her eyes widened.