“I was thinking more creature from the Green Lagoon.” Grace gave her mask, safety goggles, long-handled roller, and booties a sweep.

“Cute.” Eve pulled off her mask and motioned them in. “Welcome to my world—if you can stand the smell.”

Cate sniffed . . . wrinkled her nose . . . and nudged Grace. “We may want to rethink this.”

“Not a chance. After driving for close to two hours, I’m not leaving without a short visit, at least.” Her youngest sibling marched in, a brown bag in her hand.

“The smell shouldn’t linger long. I used a water-based finish.” Eve set the roller in a bucket. “But we can sit on the deck.”

“That’ll work.” Cate entered.

“Give me a few minutes to ditch this garb and clean up. Help yourself to drinks while you wait. Hey.” She snagged Cate’s arm as her older sister started toward the kitchen. “I thought you were undercover.”

“Job’s done. Can’t you tell by this?” She swept a hand down her usual off-duty attire of jeans and tank top.

“Yeah—and that outfit is a vast improvement over the all-black number you had on last visit.”

“I agree.”

“You nail the bad guys?”

“Yep.” Cate continued down the hall and disappeared into the kitchen.

“I didn’t get any more out of her either.” Grace shrugged and lifted the bag. “I brought you gumbo for dinner tomorrow from the Cajun place you like near my house.”

“How about dinner tonight? I haven’t eaten yet.” She took the bag and lifted it to her nose. Inhaled. “Bliss.”

“I’ll nuke it while you clean up. It’s been in a cooler.”

“With gumbo as an incentive, that won’t take long.”

Six minutes later, she found Grace monitoring the microwave and sipping her iced tea. Outside, Cate had already claimed a chair and put her feet up on the railing, legs crossed at the ankles, head thrown back to catch the last rays of sun.

“She looks tired—but more relaxed than the last visit.” Eve motioned outside and picked up the glass of soda one of her sisters had poured for her.

“I agree.” Grace pulled the gumbo out of the microwave. “I brought corn bread too.” She indicated another container on the counter.

Eve began to salivate as she took out a piece. “You’re a keeper.”

“Remember that the next time we have a disagreement.”

“What? Us, disagree?” She grinned at Grace as she took a huge bite of the crumbly yellow square.

“Now and then. Come on. If we don’t join Cate soon, she may doze off on us.” Grace picked up the bowl of gumbo and moved toward the door.

Eve got there first and pushed it open.

“I was beginning to think you guys had succumbed to the fumes.” Cate kept her face angled toward the sun.