Berry leaned over and put his glass on the coffee table. “No, the land belongs to Blue Bay Ranch Corporation. At least that’s usually the way these things are set up.” He held his fingers in a triangle. “See, this finger is Jason. He wants to develop the land and has the financing to do it. Now,” he wiggled the other finger, “this is Millicent who owns the land. So they form a development corporation with her land and his money.” His thumbs formed the base of the triangle, the corporation. “The land and the money are now the Blue Bay Ranch Coporation, not Jason’s and Millicent’s, except they are stockholders, of course.”

“So wouldn’t Fairchild inherit Millicent’s shares?” Haley asked.

“I doubt it,” Berry said. “Usually, in a case like this, the original shares revert to the company. It’s for the protection of the development. I expect Millicent had a hefty insurance policy for her husband, though, that the company paid for so he wouldn’t be left out in the cold if she died before the development was completed.”

“A million dollars,” I said.

Berry nodded. “I figured it would be a good one.”

“So any shares Emily Peacock had in Bay Ranch would revert to the company, too,” Sister said.

“I imagine so, if we’re talking about the original charter here.”

Haley spoke up. “So what you’re saying is that now the two women are dead, Jason Marley is the principal share-holder of Blue Bay Ranch.”

“Hell, he may be the only one.” Berry looked at Haley and shrugged.

“What were y’all doing over at Emerald Towers anyway?” Haley asked. Berry had said good-night and left not long after Jason had and the four of us had somehow ended up at the dining-room table. Sister, I noticed, was sipping plain Coke again.

“I volunteered,” Mary Alice said. “Fairchild was trying to locate Emily to tell her about Millicent’s death. He didn’t think she was at home but figured some of her neighbors would know how to get in touch with her at her daughter’s.”

I pressed my fingers against my temples. “It was awful. She’d been there for two days.”

Sister got up. “The Chicken and Stars may make a return visit.” She disappeared into her room and shut the door.

“Do, Jesus!” Frances said. “The surgeon general ought to label this place as hazardous to your health.”

Haley turned to me. “Do you think it was a suicide, Mama?”

“She left Fairchild a note saying she was sorry. Who knows?”

“Maybe we ought to talk Aunt Sister into going home.”

“Fat chance. We couldn’t get your Aunt Sister out of here with a crowbar. Besides, Officer Andrews has informed us we have to stay at her beck and call.”