"Ruth Meadows certainly seems nice," Natalie said casually. "Are you serious about her?"

Andrew St. John set down his coffee cup with a clatter. "Serious? Where do you get your nerve?"

"I think it's a perfectly appropriate question." Natalie took a small bite of toast and chewed calmly. "After all, if our positions were reversed, you would ask me the same."

"That is different."

"It isn't." Natalie grinned. "Besides, all this evasion answers my question."

"No it doesn't," Andrew said sternly. "I barely know the woman."

"Hear that, Blaine?" The dog looked up from a bowl of Alpo. "He barely knows the woman."

"It's true. Not that it is any of your business, but we have been out to dinner exactly three times and she cooked dinner for me once at her house."

"That's it?'

"Yes, nosy, that's it."

"I'm disappointed."

"Forgive me."

"No need. There's still time."

Andrew gave her a hard stare. "My darling girl, Ruth is a fine woman but I have no desire to change my life style."

"So you say now. Who knows? In three or four months-"

"About you and Kenny," Andrew interrupted. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Balderdash."

Natalie giggled. "Dad, only characters in novels say balderdash."

"I'm the exception. Stop changing the subject. You and Kenny."

Natalie spread more jelly on her toast. "We had a fight."

"I guessed that much. About what?"

"I really don't want to go into it."

"Another woman. He was sleeping around." He paused. "Well, don't look so surprised. The first time I met him I knew he was the type."

"The type? Isn't that an unfair generalization?"

"Not when I saw him eyeing every woman who passed by when you weren't looking. I never approved of him. I especially disapproved of you living with him, which is probably why you did it."

"It is not!" Natalie flashed. "I loved him. Love him."

"You were right the first time. You don't love this man, Natalie. Don't go back to him."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

Andrew held up his hands. "Sorry. You're too old to take orders from your father. I'm at least entitled to give a little advice, though." He laid his napkin on the table. "I'm off to the hospital."

Natalie drew a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Exciting day?"

"Appendectomy and gall bladder."

"Sounds thrilling. Tamara's visitation is from six to eight. You will be free by then, won't you?"

"I can be there by seven." He carried his plate to the sink, unobtrusively dropping a piece of bacon in Blaine's bowl. "I hate visitations."

"So do I, but it's a tradition. Of course it will be a closed coffin."

Andrew shook his head. "My God. That poor girl." He looked at Natalie. "You were at the sheriff's house until late last night."

"The housekeeper had to leave so I stayed with Paige while he worked late. A double homicide makes for a busy day."

"First Tamara, then Warren."

"And don't forget Charlotte."

"I took her tonsils out when she was ten. She was a most dislikable little girl."

"She was a most dislikable big girl. Except to Warren, apparently."

"Does the sheriff have any idea who the killer is?"

"No," she said, remembering that Nick had said perhaps Lily or Oliver killed Warren because they thought he had murdered Tamara. "Of course, I barely talked with him when he came in," she added.

"Hmmm."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing. I simply thought it was very considerate of you to go out of your way to baby-sit last night."

"I went over to see about Paige's cat. Then this situation came up and she is a cute kid and-Dad, what are you smirking about?"

"Nothing except that Nick Meredith is single and good looking. I think he's a fine sheriff. Probably an excellent young man-"

"Dad."

"As you told me, dear, there's always hope."

Andrew had just left when the phone rang. "Good morning, Nat. Feeling better about things?"

Kenny Davis. With everything that had been going on, she had barely thought about him the last couple of days. Well, more than barely. Less than constantly.

"By 'feeling better,' I assume you're asking if I've stopped being angry. I haven't."

"Come home. We can talk it out."

"I don't think we can talk this out, Kenny. You slept with another woman and it wasn't the first time."

"I'm not denying what I did. The reason why I did it is what we need to talk about."

"We already have. You said you panicked at the thought of commitment."

"But I'm over it."

To her surprise, Natalie laughed. "It took less than a week for you to overcome this deep-seated fear? Kenny, I'm not a fool."

"But I've done a lot of thinking since you left, Nat. I've missed you and I can't imagine my life without you."

"And after I've been back for a while and you've stopped missing me? What then?"

"You're not giving me a chance."

"Kenny, I told you I need time to think. Time doesn't mean five days-"

"Six."

"Okay, six. Whatever. Besides, a lot has been going on around here."

"I read in the newspaper about the murder of a Tamara Hunt in Port Ariel. Did you know her?"

"Did I know her?" Natalie burst out. "Kenny, she was Lily's sister. You've met Lily."

"Hey, don't get so mad because I didn't recognize the name of the married sister of someone I've met."

"You make it all sound so casual." Cold anger filled her. "Lily is my best friend. Tamara was her twin. I've known them since I was a child and I've talked about them so much since we've been together, but you don't remember. You weren't even listening to me."

"Of course I was listening. I'm just not good with names."

"Another lie."

"Why are you so mad?"

She sighed. "I repeat that I asked for time. Considering what you did, I think you might have the decency to grant it. Instead, this is the second time in less than a week you've called. I am not ready to talk."

"So I gather." He paused. "You only have one more week of vacation time. You'll come home then and we'll talk."

Home. Home was the condo she shared with Kenny. Could she possibly go back there and pick up where they left off?

I left off seeing Kenny in our bed with another woman, Natalie thought after hanging up the phone. Is that what he wants me to come home to?

A dull headache was forming at the back of her head. Tension. She could not take another round with Kenny. She turned on the answering machine to screen calls.

The doorbell rang. Natalie sighed. Now what? At least it couldn't be Kenny.

She opened the door. Ruth Meadows stood smiling at her and holding a pie dish covered with aluminum foil. "I couldn't sleep last night so I baked a few pies. Your father told me once that your favorite is cherry, so I brought one over."

"How nice of you!" Natalie was genuinely pleased. "I haven't had cherry pie for years." She stepped back. "Come in. Dad isn't here."

"Oh, I knew he wouldn't be," Ruth said. "Shall I put this in the kitchen?"

"Yes, please."

She followed Ruth into the kitchen. Ruth opened a drawer, pulled out a dishtowel, laid it on the counter, and set the pie on it. "It's still warm from the oven and I wouldn't want to damage this Formica. Such a lovely leaf pattern in these autumn colors."

"Dad had the kitchen remodeled last year. Nothing had been replaced since the house was built thirty years ago, but I was still surprised by the renovation."

"Your father is happiest when he's working. When he came to my house for dinner, he immediately decided the railing on my deck isn't strong enough and he plans to replace it soon. I told him I could hire a handyman, but he insisted."