“No, thanks. I’ve got to get home. I promised Mama I’d help her figure out how to stay out of jail. That woman. I swear. When somebody pays her two hundred dollars cash for a quilt, she doesn’t think she should pay tax on it. The IRS is disagreeing.”

“Well, you tell your mama she has my sympathy. I don’t think she should have to, either.”

“I’ll do that. Has Betsy left?”

Sister shook her head. “She’s still here. You want to come in?”

“No. Just tell her I’ll see her later. And I’m glad your cousin showed up.”

“Thanks. We are, too. Tell your mama hey.” Sister closed the door and turned to me. “Imagine charging that poor old lady tax on quilts.”

No way I was going to get drawn into this.

“Was that Albert?” Betsy was standing in the hall doorway, wiping her face with a washcloth.

Sister nodded. “He said he’d talk to you later.”

“How are you feeling?” I asked. I already knew the answer. She looked like hell.

“Better. I’m sorry.” Betsy came over and sat back in the chair she had vacated so quickly. She held the washcloth against her throat. “I don’t know. Things just hit me all of a sudden.”

“I can understand that,” I said.

She held up the cameo. “But I thank you so much for this, Mrs. Hollowell.”

“I’m glad Jamie will have it. And, Betsy, my cousin Virginia found it in her car when they were on their way to Tennessee. Susan and the children went grocery shopping with her and she says she thinks one of the children might have broken the chain.”

Betsy nodded. “Thank you.”

I started collecting the coffee cups, but Betsy stopped me. “I’ll get those.”

“Don’t be silly. You just sit there and get to feeling better.”

“No, really. I’m fine.”

Mary Alice looked at her watch. I stood up.

“Well, if you ever need me for anything, you just call,” I told Betsy.

“I will. Thanks.”

She got up and walked to the door with us. I still wasn’t sure we ought to leave, but Mary Alice was halfway to the car by the time I gave Betsy a hug.

“Virgil’s coming to dinner,” she said when I got in the Jaguar. “I’ve got to go by By Request and pick something up. I guess I’ll have to feed the whole Nelson clan again, too. Unless you want to invite them.”

“Send them to Morrison’s Cafeteria.”

Gravel spun under the tires as Sister backed out and headed up the mountain.

“What’s that rattle?” I asked. “Did you shake something loose when you hit the curb at the sheriff’s?”

“Of course not. If I’d hit the curb that hard the air bags would have deployed.”