“We need to tell Violet,” Mary said. “She needs to be warned that he’s been spying.”

“But why would he?” Beth asked. “What could he possibly get out of watching us rehearse?”

“Oh, I’m sure he’ll get something out of it,” Lindsey said. “And it won’t be pleasant.”

Violet took the news that Harvey had been in the theater better than Lindsey thought, but then again, it could be Violet’s skill as an actress that kept her from showing any emotion in front of the cast and crew.

“Run your lines,” she directed the cast. “I need to make a call.”

Lindsey could feel Robbie watching her but she pretended not to notice and retreated to her worktable, where she decided to clean up her supplies for the evening. She did not have the patience to mold chicken wire again. It would have to wait until tomorrow.

After all of the hullabaloo, she just wanted to go home to her dog, Heathcliff. A nice walk and a hot cup of tea would put her right and hopefully make her forget about the angry wife, her smashed work, the skulking critic and the frown on Sully’s face.

• • •

Lindsey was up early the next morning. Heathcliff, a snuggler by nature, let out a grunt when she pushed the covers off and stepped out of the bed.

“Come on, lazy bones,” she said. He stretched his furry black body across the bedspread and let out a tongue-curling yawn.

When she had gotten home the night before, she’d been too tired to go for a walk and so had played fetch with him in the yard instead. This morning she wanted to make up for it by taking him on a nice long walk before she left for work.

She had a hankering for a pumpkin-raisin muffin at the bakery, and it was giving her sufficient motivation to get moving.

Lindsey tied her long, blonde hair in a sloppy knot on top of her head, slipped on her workout clothes and sneakers and clipped Heathcliff’s leash to his collar. Together, they jogged to the center of town. The small grocery store had its own bakery, which had patio seating outside. Lindsey found an empty table in the corner and tied Heathcliff’s leash to one of the chairs.

Mr. and Mrs. Kendall, a retired couple, were seated at the next table. Mrs. Kendall held out her hand to Heathcliff, who immediately rolled over onto her shoes and offered his belly for pets.

“Go get your coffee, dear,” she said to Lindsey. “I’ll keep an eye on your baby for you.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Kendall,” Lindsey said. She turned to Mr. Kendall and asked. “Did you read the new Clive Cussler yet?”

“Is it in?” he asked. The eyes behind his bifocals sparkled with new-book joy.

“Just came in last week,” Lindsey said. “Shall I put your name down for it?”

“Yes, please,” he said.