Heads nodded and voices murmured in assent. Prudence marched out into the dining room. Her gait was determined; her jaw set. A flush suffused her fair skin. She didn’t look grief-stricken. She looked furious.

_____

Before I left, I checked in at the pro shop. The young woman behind the counter said she hadn’t seen Kenny. I also asked about the club’s pro, but Jason wasn’t in. Just as well. With no makeup, dirty hair, and red eyes after my nearly sleepless night at Maddie’s house, I wasn’t exactly looking my best. Not to mention, I still hadn’t scraped all the cow crap from my boots.

Not that I felt I had to impress Jason. After all, I had a fiancé.

Now, thanks to all the coffee I’d downed at the bar, I needed to visit the ladies’ room before I started the drive to work. While I was there, I figured I’d find that stash of moisturizing lotion and hair supplies again. I could use all the beauty help I could get.

I wended my way from the toilets past the whirlpool tub and back to the changing room. A soft murmur of voices came from a corner, behind a bank of lockers. I paid them no heed. I was on a moisturizing mission, trying to allay the effects of thirty-plus years in the Florida sun with a few free dollops of a silky-smooth cream I was too cheap to buy for myself. I slathered my bare arms and neck. It smelled clean and spicy, like lemons and rosemary.

I went a little crazy with the pump bottle, and spilled a big glob of moisturizer on the counter. I thought I remembered seeing a stash of towels in a wicker basket behind the lockers. Rounding the corner, I spotted Angel at the far end. I could see she was in deep conversation with someone standing just behind the lockers, out of sight. She held tight to the woman’s hand. The look on Angel’s face was tender, caring. She didn’t appear nearly as hard as she did while working behind the bar.

Uncomfortable that I might be intruding on an intimate moment, I turned to go. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a swath of familiar fabric resting on the bench by Angel’s side. I hadn’t even reached the door when I remembered where I’d seen it: Navy blue with white piping. It was the jacket to Prudence Law’s conservative suit.

twenty-two

Marty and I sat at our usual lunch table at Gladys’ Diner. We were waiting for Mama to quit swanning around the room and come tell us what she planned to order. We would never order the same thing. That would take all of the fun out of stealing from each other’s plates.

I crooked a finger to Mama, trying to motion her back to our table. Instead, she moved in on a church lady friend across the room. She stuck a fork in the woman’s squash casserole for a generous sample. Chewing, Mama gave me the wait-a-minute finger. With her, that’s always more like ten minutes.

“Let’s just order,’’ I said. “She’s probably going to get the Monday special meat and three.’’

“Right,’’ Marty said. “Meat loaf, collards, black-eyed peas, and mashed potatoes.’’

In the distance, Mama’s features formed the mmm-mmm face. She licked her lips and nodded at her friend. “Make that squash casserole instead of the potatoes,’’ I said.

“But she’ll definitely have the butterscotch pie for dessert.’’ Marty tapped on the menu. “So, I’ll order the vegetable plate and coconut cake.’’

“Barbecued pork sandwich and banana pudding for me,” I said. “Now, what kind of sides do I want—’’

“Oh my!’’ Marty slapped her hand over her mouth, whispering between the fingers. “Look who just walked in to sit at the counter.’’

I quit considering the side orders. Prudence Law stood at the front of Gladys’, crisp in a light blue blouse with a Peter Pan collar, her navy jacket folded over an arm. I wanted to tell Marty I’d seen her that morning at the golf course, but I didn’t want to have to create a lie about why I was there. It felt strange, keeping my baby sister out of the loop.

“We should ask her to sit with us.’’ Marty elbowed me.

“She probably wants to be alone,’’ I said.

“Not at a time like this. She’s hurting, and she’s so shy. I’m sure she doesn’t have a single friend in Himmarshee.’’

I recalled Prudence looking not at all shy when she coolly put the mayor’s wife in her place at the morning meeting. And she seemed to have at least one very special friend in town: Angel Fox.

“C’mon, the woman just lost a sister. Imagine how any of us would feel.’’ Marty looked at me, her blue eyes brimming with compassion.

I nodded okay. Marty stood and waved Prudence over.

_____

“I can’t stay long.’’ Prudence took a seat. “I’ve only just put in an order for takeaway.’’

“You must have a lot to do,’’ Marty said. “Will you let us know if there’s any way we can help?’’

The resemblance between the two women was amazing. Marty was blonde, and Prudence’s hair was dark, but both were petite. Both had enormous blue eyes and a fringe of bangs that gave them a waifish appearance. Their pale complexions were similar, too, as was the pink curve of their rosebud lips. Did men—or maybe women?—want to protect Prudence, like they always did with Marty? It was clear at least one man had felt no protective instinct toward Prudence’s murdered twin, Camilla.

“Thank you, Marty. What a kind person you are.’’

“Everyone says that about Marty.’’ Our cousin Henry had materialized at the table, and was standing next to Prudence with an expectant look. “Are you going to introduce me, cousins?’’

I did the honors.

“I’m sorry for your loss,’’ he said, holding on to Prudence’s hand. “I hear your sister was a wonderful woman.’’

“That’s a thoughtful thing to say. It appears kindness to strangers runs in your family,’’ she said.

“You must not have met Maddie yet,’’ Henry said.

He found an extra chair for the table, stuck it right beside Prudence. As she scooted a bit to let him in, her jacket fell off the chair back. Henry bent to the floor to retrieve it, dusting off some cornbread crumbs. Shaking it out, he returned it with a flourish. “I believe this belongs to you, pretty lady.’’

Her cheeks flushed adorably. She fluttered her eyelashes, Mama-style. “So gallant!’’

Henry waved a hand. “It’s nothing.’’

“You’re right about that,’’ I muttered.

Marty kicked me under the table, but Henry and Prudence ignored me.

“I just love your Southern manners. British men are not nearly so courtly.’’ What sounded like a giggle escaped her lips. My cousin puffed out his chest.

“So, Henry, how are those young’uns of yours?’’ I asked. “And how ’bout your sweet wife? Is she pregnant again?’’

Taking my hint, Henry announced he had to meet some colleagues for lunch. Prudence pushed back her chair to stand. Shooting out of his seat like it gave him a shock, he helped her out of the chair. “Don’t let Mace scare you away,’’ he said.

“She hasn’t scared me.’’ Prudence put a hand on his sleeve, stroking his arm through the fabric of his button-down shirt. “Don’t be daft. I’m making a quick stop in the loo, then I’m on my way out.’’

As soon as she was out of hearing range, I lit into my cousin. “Slimy much? Are you really flirting with a woman whose sister was just murdered?’’

He looked wounded. “I most certainly was not flirting! I was just being a gentleman; ‘gallant,’ in fact.’’

“What’s even weirder is she was flirting back. Right, Marty?’’

“I didn’t see it that way,’’ my sister said. “Don’t be so critical, Mace. Her sister was just brutally murdered, as I shouldn’t have to remind you. She’s entitled to act a little strange.’’

Strange? Oh how I wanted to tell them about Prudence at the golf course.

“I’m right and you’re wrong.’’ Henry stuck his tongue out at me. “Just because Maddie’s not here doesn’t mean you have to stand in for her role as bitchy sister.’’

He looked around the diner, waggled his fingers at Mama. She was now cadging a spoonful of creamed spinach off someone else’s plate.