Kate raised a hand. Not quite girlfriend, but she was upset at his death. And don‘t hassle her about it.

Of course not, Haynes said. I‘m just surprised. I didn‘t realize they were close. No reason you should, Kate thought, you don‘t appear to have known Gammons even existed.

Out on the deck Mutt stretched out and gave a voluptuous groan.

Who‘s your second call? Kate said.

I beg your pardon?

You say we‘re Suulutaq‘s first call. I was just wondering who your second call was. The boss in Anchorage, maybe?

Haynes, thrown off her game, said, Well, I . . . well, of course, we— She was spared further inarticulation by the arrival of a vehicle in the clearing. Kate stood up to look out the window. Ah. Here‘s another one of your First Callers. She went outside, trailed by a still stuttering Haynes, as the powder blue Ford Explorer, driven with dash and style, slid to a halt not quite eighteen inches away from the foot of the stairs. A diminutive octogenarian hopped out with a spryness that belied her years. Katya!

Hi, Auntie Vi, Kate said.

Mutt, through long experience wary of whatever mood Auntie Vi might be in, remained at Kate‘s side.

Shorter than Kate and thicker through the middle, Auntie Vi had bright button eyes of a piercing brown, a tousled bob of hair in which not a strand of gray dared show its face, and skin the color and smoothness of a walnut shell. Ha, Katya, she said again, moderating her tone as Haynes moved into her sights and she realized they had an audience. She bent an accusing stare on Kate, aggravated at this thwarting of her natural inclination.

Hello again, Vi, Haynes said. To Kate she said, Vern and I are both spending the night in town.

Kate wondered if they‘d taken adjoining rooms.

Her thought was immediately confounded when Haynes added, Vern‘s wife flew in for the weekend.

Kate raised her eyebrows. Really? Nice for them both.

Yes. But Haynes‘s jawline looked taut. She was able to hold Kate‘s gaze for only a few seconds before she said in a false, bright tone, Is that what you call a cache? I‘ve never seen a real one before. She walked to the edge of the clearing to examine the little house on peeled-log stilts with a wholly unmerited attention to detail.

Auntie Vi took the opportunity to say in a tone that approximated a hiss, Board meeting next week. You be there?

Kate repressed the shudder along her flesh. Actually, it‘s not until week after next, but yes, I‘ll be there, Auntie.

Auntie Vi looked hard at Kate. Why not you down Alaganik way with Old Sam? I decided to spend a summer at home for a change.

Auntie Vi dismissed this with a wave of her hand. But you be in town for board meeting.

Yes, Auntie, Kate said. I. Will. Be. There.

Demetri say he might maybe be up to lodge. So maybe he not there either. Yes, Auntie, Kate said. That‘s why we made the board larger, so we‘d still have a quorum when some of the board members are absent.