By which we meant that it was a crying shame he was wasting his life saddled with a woman who needed to feel intellectually and morally superior to everyone she met.

Of course, we didn’t say that. Not out loud. But we thought it.

Buffy stared into the near distance. “Liz and Perry danced. So did Libba and Charlie.”

“And after the singer left?”

“We sat around the table and talked.”

“Did anyone else leave?”

“Mel and I visited the ladies’ room in the clubhouse together. Sumner went, too. She came back claiming she’d seen a raccoon on the path.”

“The men?”

“I don’t remember. You probably heard that Charlie and Graham had words.”

“I did. What precipitated the argument?”

“Thatch said something about billable hours, and Graham said he had him beat by a country mile. That’s when Charlie mentioned the lawsuit. He asked if the only thing Graham cared about was billing hours.”

“What was Graham’s response?”

“He said he also cared about winning cases. Then, Charlie called him a weasel and said that men like him always got their comeuppance.”

“And?”

“Graham asked if that was a threat.”

“What did Charlie say?”

“Libba pulled him away. Thatch made a joke. And we all laughed. The moment was over.”

That was within in spitting distance of the story Libba and Charlie had told me.

A drop of sweat rolled off my nose, and I stood and took off my glasses. “Hold that thought.” I jumped into the pool.

“How’s the water?”

“Too warm.” Almost bathwater.

“The lake is probably cooler.”

Undoubtedly. “Two words. Water moccasins.”

Buffy held up her hands. “You don’t need to convince me. I will never dip a toe in that water.”

I sank below the surface and held my breath for a few seconds. When I emerged, droplets sparkled on my lashes, and the world seemed cooler.

I dove under again, touched the bottom of the pool, and did a handstand. I was behaving like a child on the first day of pool season and I didn’t care. The water washed away my worries and I felt lighter.

Finally, I broke the surface for air.

“Do you still swim in the morning?” Buffy asked.

“I do. Anarchy comes with me.”

She nodded. “You look good. Fit. Toned.”

“Thank you. I try.” I pushed out of the pool just as Mel Paige approached.

“Ellison, I’ve been looking for you.”

“Oh?” Did she want to complain about Anarchy, too?

“Will you shoot skeet with me? Please?”

“Now?” It was bone-meltingly hot.

“The alternative is puttering around the lake.” She made it sound so boring she might die.

“You could join us here at the pool.”

Mel did not look impressed by my suggestion.

“We can go shooting later, Mel.”

“When?”

I randomly picked a time. “Seven o’clock?”

“That’s hours away.”