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making things up in order
to get our names in the paper again. Stupid!”
    “There’s nothing we can do about it. We
tried to tell her.” If we were right, guilt would be almost overwhelming,
despite knowing we’d done all we could. Especially, if something happened to
the stubborn woman. There had to be a way to save Dotty before the month ran
out.
    I sensed Duane before I saw him. It
amazed me how the air changed the moment he walked into a room. All my senses
tingled. I whirled as he leaned against the kitchen doorframe, crooked smile on
his face.
    “I’m so sorry.” Dropping the butcher
knife onto the counter, I threw myself into his arms.
    “You silly woman.” He led me to a chair, then sat me on his lap. “There is no one but you. You hold
my heart in your hands. Without you, my heart would never recover.”
    Sighing, I buried my face in the crook of
his neck. A spot God had made just for me. “That woman has always made me
behave like a crazy person.”
    “It’s just an interview.” His arms
tightened around me. “I’m sure there will be more. You need to trust me,
Marsha.”
    “I do. It’s her I don’t trust.” My voice
was muffled.
    “So you’ve said.” He chuckled and set me
on my feet, then turned me to face him. His smile faded. “Now, to change the
subject. Tell me you and Gertie aren’t going to try
and solve another mystery. Don’t you remember what happened last time?”
    “Yes, I remember, but if we don’t do
something, Dotty will die. I’m convinced of it.”
    He sighed. “I know you well enough to
know you’re going to do what you want, but I can still hope you’ll be smart
about it.”
    I bent and planted a kiss on his
forehead. “I won’t do anything stupid.”
    “Of course not.” He gave me a playful
swat on the rear. “Now get to cooking, woman. I’m starving. Sexy reporters who
want to interview me always give me an appetite.”
    “Ha. I ought not to feed you after that
remark.”
    “But you will.”
    “Yes, I will.” I tapped his nose with my
forefinger and stood. Straightening the bib on my overalls, I wondered whether
Mom was right. Maybe I should wear a dress once in a while, or maybe a nice
pair of capris. Then, I could set Duane’s heart to fluttering the same way he
did mine.
    “What’s the matter with you?” Mom asked
as I strolled into the kitchen.
    “I’m thinking of getting rid of the
overalls.” I opened the cabinet and pulled out five glasses.
    Mom felt my forehead. “Are you sick?”
    “Stop it.” I set the glasses around the
table. “Aren’t you the one who’s always saying I should dress more like a
woman?”
    “You never listen to anything I say. Get
you some of those jeans with the sparkles on the butt.” Mom pulled the steak
from the broiler, set it on top of the stove, then marched to the back door.
“Time to eat!”
    Now all the neighbors knew. I shook my
head and finished setting the table at the same time I heard Lindsey thunder
across the porch. Leroy followed her, then Duane
appeared from the living room. My family was complete.
    Conversation ceased for the first few
minutes of supper. Then, Leroy shattered the peace. “So, what did you two women
do at the shop today?”
    “Uh.” Mom glanced at me and stuck a bite
of meat in her mouth.
    “We were very busy.” I grinned. “The
retirement home sent over a van full of citizens to spend their hard-earned retirement
checks in our store.”
    “That’s great.” He glanced around the
kitchen. “I looked for the newspaper this morning, but couldn’t find it. Did
someone move it?”
    Mom choked. She always was subtle.
    I reached over and pounded on her back.
“I didn’t move it.” Well, I didn’t, really. It sat on the counter all day,
right where Mom left it.
    Duane studied me over the rim of his
glass. “There’s something you aren’t telling us. Marsha. You’re a horrible
liar.”
    “I took the paper.” Mom took a deep
breath, then a gulp of milk. “We