Kanesha hugged her aunt, and Lily clung to her for a moment.

“Thank you, Charlie,” Kanesha said, her voice husky.

I nodded and waited for Lily to compose herself. “Call if you need anything,” I said. “Anything at all.”

Lily was quiet on the ride home. I had plenty to think about, too. Azalea’s revelation puzzled me. What on earth could she have seen?

Whatever it was, it had to be part of someone’s costume, I figured. I needed to sit down and think carefully about what everyone wore that night and decide what could have made such an odd shadow.

Stewart, Dante, and Diesel were busy in the kitchen when we arrived. Lily took over at the stove and announced that everything was ready. I filled Stewart in on Azalea’s condition while Lily dished up the food. Dante and Diesel watched her with great interest, and Dante pranced around on his back legs for a moment. Lily grinned at the little poodle, and I was pleased to see it.

Diesel chattered to me while I talked to Stewart, and I patted his head and stroked his back until he finally calmed down. He obviously wasn’t happy that I had left him behind for the second time that day, and he had to tell me all about it.

I asked Lily to eat with us, even though I halfway expected Azalea to rise up out of her hospital bed and come after both of us if Lily accepted. She declined politely and said she wasn’t hungry but might eat later.

That was that, so I thanked her for the delicious-looking meal of pork chops, green beans, mashed potatoes, and homemade rolls.

“You’re welcome,” she said, ducking her head shyly.

“Why don’t you go on home,” I said. “It’s been a long day, and Stewart and I will clean up afterward.”

Lily looked like she wanted to argue, but I think tiredness won out. “All right, Mr. Charlie,” she said. “Now, if you need me this weekend, you just let me know.”

I promised I would, and after making sure she had a ride home—she had Azalea’s car—I bade her good-bye. Then Stewart and I tucked into the meal. It was every bit as tasty as it looked.

After a few mouthfuls I put my fork down for a moment. “You weren’t kidding earlier,” I said. “About Lily being such a good cook. Everything tastes wonderful.”

“Yes, I had more than a few opportunities to sample Lily’s cooking,” Stewart said.

“When she was working for the Beauchamps?” I said.

Stewart nodded. “You might as well know, Hank and I were together for a couple of years. It didn’t work out.”

“I sort of gathered that from that little episode the night of the gala,” I said, trying to make light of it.

“Not one of my better moments, I’ll admit,” Stewart said. “It’s too bad, because Hank can be a really great guy. He just has this little problem. Oh, well, he’s moved on, according to Lily, though I don’t know to whom.” He shrugged. “Good for him. And good for Sissy, too. We all thought she would never have a life of her own.”