As they talked, Mitch opened the fridge and scrunched his nose. There was no room for a casserole. He set it on the counter with a thud and shut the door. “How did you know it was Bea’s car?”

She’d left town in a black Chevy Blazer two years ago. Nothing like the yuppie-looking Toyota out front now.

“I heard it from Janice, who heard it from Ralph that she was coming in today.”

Mitch frowned. Ralph. He loved the guy and had worked with him for years, but he sure liked to talk. Not that anyone could keep a secret in Moose Creek.

Marge caught him looking at her and blushed. “And I saw the California plates.”

He looked away.

“How long have you been neighbors?” Jeremy asked.

“Since forever.” Marge dug into the pie his mom had set in front of her, not appearing to mind the chewiness one bit. “Back in the day, our little block had all kinds of activity going on. Kids playing outside, and everyone coming and going. But now it’s just me and Mitch. Two solitary souls.”

Mitch pulled at the collar of his shirt. Why’d she have to say it like that? But he remembered those days. They were good times. Before Bill abandoned Marge, and her three kids grew up. Before Caroline died, and Bea got married. So much had changed.

He didn’t like the way Marge was looking at him, but he resigned himself to the situation and sat back down at the table next to his father, who hadn’t said a word since asking Mitch to pass the pepper at dinner.

“Now, Bea, listen.” Marge pushed back the wild, curly frizz of hair encroaching on her face and leaned forward. “Janice said Ralph said you might be in town for several months. So I thought you might like to know that I heard Kathy’s finally retiring from the Food Farm, bless her heart, and MacGregor’s looking to hire someone part-time to replace her.”

Mitch cringed on the inside. That was his daughter’s best prospect? Replacing Kathy at the Food Farm? Then again, if a job would tie her down to Moose Creek . . .

“What a great idea.” June clapped her hands together. “Caroline has always liked to keep herself busy, isn’t that right?”

She turned to Bea with a smile, and Mitch frowned. Caroline? Where had that come from? Bea did resemble his wife enough to make his heart twinge every time he looked at her, but Caroline had been gone for two years. His mom had never made that mistake before.

Bea’s brow furrowed, and she tilted her head. Before she could respond, another knock sounded at the door.

“What on earth?” Mitch muttered.

“Busy place,” Jeremy said.

Mitch hurried back down the hall and yanked open the door for a third time. “Oh, hey, Darryl. What are you doing here?”