"Gotta go,” he said. “Can you get a ride?"

"Of course she can,” Connie said. “You go save the animal world."

"Let's talk about what we know,” Robin said, and pulled the yellow tablet and a pen from her purse.

"Terry is following someone,” DeAnn offered.

"Not following,” Lauren corrected. “He's spying on someone at Carlton 's factory. I take that back. He's spying on the factory. We don't have any evidence he is spying on a particular person."

"Good point,” Harriet said grudgingly. “He was spying on the activity taking place at the factory. Right now, we don't know if there is anything unusual about what's going on there. Just because we don't know about a night shift doesn't mean there isn't one."

"So, that's the first thing we need to figure out,” Robin said. “If Terry is spying on the ordinary operation of a factory, then we have to wonder what he's up to and if he's planning some criminal activity. If, as he tried to lead us to believe, there is something wrong with what's happening at the factory, then we have to wonder why Terry's involved in spying on that wrong activity."

"He said he was meeting someone there, so we can't really say he was spying on the factory,” DeAnn pointed out. “He could have been verifying that his friend was there before he went down."

"You're quite the spies,” Aunt Beth said with a laugh. “You've just concluded that after all that following, you really don't know anything."

"We learned that Terry has some interest in Foggy Point Fire Protection and whatever is going on there at night,” Harriet told her.

"At last,” Aunt Beth said. “That is a fact."

"What do we do next?” DeAnn asked.

"I should be able to find out what's going on at Foggy Point Fire,” Harriet said. “Two of the Willis boys are staying at my house, and Gerry's been coming over to talk with them. They're all trying to sort out what happened with their dad. If Gerry is at my place when I get home, I'll ask him. If not, I can ask him or Carlton tomorrow."

"That'll be a good start,” Robin said.

"Speaking of the Willis boys and the questions about their father,” Connie said, “do you suppose there is some connection between Terry and Ilsa? I mean, they both came to town at the same time and they both were following someone."

"Whoa,” Lauren said.

"Could he be her son?” DeAnn wondered.

"If you're asking whether he could be Gerald's son,” Aunt Beth said, “I don't think so. At least, not if he was born after he and Ilsa were married. He was gone not quite twenty years, and Ilsa says they've only been married fifteen. But of course that assumes everyone is telling the truth."

"That's a slippery slope to go down,” Harriet said. “If we're questioning everything, Ilsa and Gerald might have had a relationship before he left. He did travel, didn't he?"

"You all aren't old enough to really know the man. I'd bet my life he wasn't having an affair on Mavis,” Beth said. “Unless Terry is fourteen, he's not Gerard's son. That doesn't preclude the possibility that he's Ilsa's son."

"And that might give him a good motive for killing Gerard,” Harriet suggested. “What would he have against Carlton that would have him sizing up the factory?"

"It's not a perfect theory yet, but it does seem to be a bit of a coincidence that Gerard comes back, followed by Ilsa and then it turns out Terry showed up at the same time,” DeAnn said.

"I think you guys are way off track, but let me dig on the internet about Terry,” Lauren said. “I'm not holding out a lot of hope, though. He seems kind of sharp, which means he's probably not using his real name and has probably lied about everything else, too."

"I've got to check up on Carla tomorrow,” Aunt Beth said. “I'll probe a little and see what Terry has disclosed to her. Who knows? He might have told her something useful."

"Call if you get anything,” Lauren said and stood up. “I've got to go.” She pulled a few bills from her purse and left them on the table.

"I better go, too,” Robin said. DeAnn left with her.

The remainder of the group stayed until the nachos were gone.

"I had Lauren swing by my house on our way here so I could get my car,” Jenny said. “I can drop you both off on my way home."

"Thanks, that would be great,” Harriet said, and Connie nodded agreement.

With that settled, they left the back room and threaded their way through the dining area.

"Oh, hi,” came Bebe's girlish voice from a booth by the door. “What are you gals doing here?"

"Eating Mexican food,” Harriet replied. “What about you?"

"Me and Carlton are having dinner. He's in the little boy's room."

"Are you ladies leaving me?” Jorge said as he set two plates on the table. Each was covered with dark-green torn lettuce pieces with two thin strips of chicken breast laid in a cross through the middle.

"You didn't cook these in oil, did you?” Bebe asked.

"Never,” he said and turned his back to her. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and mouthed a prayer for salvation. “You need picnic lunches again, you let me know,” he said to the Loose Threads, and went back to his kitchen.

"Is that all you're eating?” Connie asked.

" Carlton and I are going to Hawaii in a week and we need to be in swimsuit shape,” she said.

They all knew she'd been born in swimsuit shape- Carlton was the one being whipped into it. It was equally clear, to everyone but Bebe, that no amount of starving and exercising was going to erase his Humpty-Dumpty shape.

"Were you having a picnic in the dark?” Bebe asked.

Connie looked at Jenny and Harriet.

"We all went up to Miller Hill Park to get mineral water. Nadene at the Beauty Barn told us it would soften our calluses if we soaked our feet in it."

"That's funny, she didn't tell me that. She told me to rub olive oil on my feet and then put on clean cotton socks before I go to bed."

"You're probably not old enough to need the mineral water,” Jenny said smoothly.

"Hi, ladies,” Carlton said. “Are you here for dinner, too?"

"No, we were just leaving.” Connie ushered the other two out the door.

"Didn't we want to ask Carlton about what we saw at the factory tonight?” Jenny asked.

"I want to try Gerry first,” Harriet said. “Somehow, I'd feel more confident in what he said. Not that I have any reason to think Carlton would lie to us."

"I know what you mean,” Connie said. “You get the feeling Carlton is probably the last to know a lot that goes on at that company."

Four of the Willis brothers were assembled in Harriet's kitchen when she got home. An empty pizza box full of greasy, wadded-up paper napkins lay discarded on the island bar.

"Hi, guys,” she said as she came through the connecting door. Fred jumped from the counter to weave through her legs. “What's wrong, Fred? Wouldn't anyone feed you?"

"That cat is a con artist,” Harry said. “Each one of us fed him as we arrived. He's got a great starving cat shtick."

"He does know how to work it,” Harriet agreed and smiled.

"We've found out a few things while you were out,” Ben said.

"You mean James found something out,” Harry corrected.

"Let me put my purse down and get a cup of tea,” Harriet said. “I've learned a few things, too. Or at least, I've learned enough to have a few more questions."

Harry jumped up and put the kettle on. Ben opened the dishwasher and pulled Harriet's newly cleaned mug from the rack. Harriet took an Earl Grey tea bag from a box in the pantry closet. She sat down, and when the water boiled, Ben poured for her then made himself a cup.

"So,” she said as she dunked her bag up and down. “What did you guys learn?"