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leave, but it was hard to argue with the doctor. Within ten minutes, everybody was gone, leaving the three cousins alone.
    â€œDo you think it was wise to leave Cassie and Horace in charge of the bank?” Naomi asked.
    â€œWho else could I have asked? Either one of them knows more about it than I do.”
    â€œNorman was just like his brother,” Laurie said. “I know I shouldn’t say this, especially under the circumstances, but you should feel relieved to be out of that awful marriage. Everyone in town knows you were miserable.”
    Sibyl had never wanted to marry Norman. But after the events of a particularly tragic night, she’d been nearly out of her mind, and so emotionally distraught she’d given in when her father had threatened to disown her if she didn’t marry Norman. At that moment, she hadn’t cared what might happen to her. During the following seven years, she’d had plenty of opportunity to wonder if being disowned wouldn’t have been better. It was humiliating to have to be ashamed of her husband, horrible to feel she had to hold her tongue in public when he’d done something disgraceful. Norman had some good qualities, but they never came close to compensating for the character traits that had made him the least liked person in Cactus Corner.
    It was ironic that now Norman was dead, she should feel guilty. If he hadn’t been so anxious to avoid talking to her at breakfast, he might still have been at home when the robbery started. But no, Norman would never have allowed the bank to be opened or closed by anyone else.
    â€œI’m not going to allow you to feel guilty just because you’re glad Norman is dead,” Naomi said.
    â€œI’m not glad ,” Sibyl objected. “He was a terrible husband and worse father, but I can’t be glad he’s dead.”
    â€œThen I’ll be glad for you,” Naomi said. “I’m not afraid he’ll rise from the grave and come after me.”
    All three women laughed. Shocked at her behavior, Sibyl sobered quickly.
    â€œBut now that Norman is dead, what are you going to do about the bank?” Naomi asked.
    â€œI have no idea.”
    â€œYou could sell it,” Laurie suggested.
    â€œI don’t even know enough to do that.”
    â€œYou could combine it with Papa’s bank,” Naomi suggested.
    â€œWhich would put Cactus Corner back in the position of having just one bank.”
    â€œYou don’t think Papa will cheat anybody, do you?” Naomi loved her cousin, but she wouldn’t allow anyone to criticize her father.
    â€œOf course not, but I think everybody has been better off with a choice.”
    â€œI agree with her,” Laurie said.
    â€œSo do I,” Naomi countered, “but Sibyl doesn’t know a thing about running a bank.”
    â€œI could hire Ethan to teach me.”
    â€œAnd what is Papa going to do while Ethan’s helping you? He can’t be the town’s doctor and its banker.”
    Sibyl was tired of this conversation. “I don’t know what I’ll do, but the bank will stay closed until after Norman’s funeral. That will give me time to think of something.”
    The women talked about funeral arrangements and what food the neighbors could bring for the wake.
    â€œNow that I’m thoroughly depressed, I think I’ll go home,” Laurie finally said. “Jared and Steve are wonderful with the children, but I don’t like to leave them too long. They tend to forget they have a ranch to take care of.”
    Naomi laughed. “Colby is just as bad. We shouldn’t have needed any more proof that they were brothers.”
    Everyone in town knew Laurie and Naomi’s husbands adored their children. That’s why it had been so painful to have everybody know Norman had wanted so little to do with Kitty that he had planned to send her away to school at the tender age of six.
    â€œDid