“You know what?” Frances was shredding a paper napkin into strips and making a neat stack. “I read a book one time about all these women who decided to do away with their husbands, collect the insurance, and travel. They went all over the world. Had a great time.”

Haley and I looked at her. She tore another strip and placed it on the stack.

“So?” I asked.

“So maybe that’s what we’ve got here. We’ve got two widowers, already. Fairchild and Jason Marley. Three counting Berry West. Now what are the odds against that?”

“They’re killing their wives so they can travel?” I asked.

“Of course not.” Frances gave me a withering look for being a smart aleck. “It’s got something to do with Blue Bay Ranch.” Another strip hit the pile. “Mark my words.”

“But Emily committed suicide. And she didn’t make anyone a widower.”

“But her death made them richer. Except for Berry.”

True. After we were in bed, I kept thinking of all the wealthy widowers involved with Blue Bay Ranch. Before I put out my light, I did remember, though, to tell Haley that Sophie had come by to get her to go see the turtles coming in to lay their eggs.

“I’m sorry I missed that,” Haley said.

“Well, she said they would probably come in tomorrow night, too. She said she’s on patrol protecting the nests, that Millicent had been taking her.”

Haley put her book down. “That was why Millicent didn’t want to sell the land over on the bay, wasn’t it? I wonder if Jason Marley will remember there’s such a thing as the environment.”

“I hope so. You know, he’s younger than I thought he was. I saw him talking to Fairchild the other night and I could have sworn he was bald.”

Haley giggled. “Mama! You thought that rug was his hair? It wasn’t even on straight when he left.”

“Well, I guess you just inherited your father’s power of observation, not your mother’s.” I turned off my light and closed my eyes. Smartass child!

“Mama?”

“What?”

“I’m really sorry you and Aunt Sister were the ones who found Emily. I know it must have been awful.”

“It was.” I heard the elevator open and close. Probably the Berliners coming back from the turtle watch. The elevator. “Stupid! Stupid! Get in the elevator, you stupid bitch!” I sighed and turned on my side. Damn it! Why did I keep remembering that dream?

Sometime during the night, I came awake to hear Haley snoring slightly. Heavy breathing, she would call it. And though the elevator didn’t open, I lay awake for a long while and realized that I hadn’t told Haley that Fred was coming to Destin. I also realized that she hadn’t talked to Philip the night before. Whatever that meant.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10