“It’s probably still in the box down by the street. I’ll go get it.”

“No,” Joanna said. “Let Jenny.”

Minutes later, Joanna unfolded the paper, opened it to the page containing Marliss Shackleford’s “Bisbee Buzzings” column, and began to read aloud:

A reliable but unnamed source tells us that Cochise County Sheriff Joanna Brady, a widow, will soon tie the knot with Bisbee newcomer Frederick W. Dixon. Dixon, a former tavern owner, is currently unemployed.

“That witch!” Joanna exclaimed, carefully choosing one word over another because of the listening children playing on the floor. “How dare she say he’s unemployed. Butch spends at least four hours every morning working on his book, and he looks after Jenny every afternoon after school. Not only that, he’s spent the better part of the last three days taking care of Junior.”

“Who’s Junior?” Marianne asked. “You didn’t adopt another dog or horse, did you?”

Briefly Joanna brought Marianne up-to-date on the Junior dilemma.

“And who’s the unnamed source?” Marianne asked, looking at the newspaper column again when Joanna had finished telling the Junior story. “Your mother, I presume?”

Marianne and Joanna’s friendship-a relationship that dated all the way back to junior high-held very few surprises for either of them.

“You guessed it,” Joanna said. “And that’s why Jenny got in a fight at school today. Some of the boys were teasing her about my getting married. She didn’t think it was true because I hadn’t gotten around to telling her.”

Marianne smiled a genuine smile then. “Naturally she beat them up. Given that kind of provocation, I probably would have, too. So it is true then? You and Butch really are getting married?”

“He asked me yesterday,” Joanna replied, “and I said yes.”

“That’s wonderful. Congratulations.”

“Thanks. That’s one of the two things I came by to discuss you. If you’re going to quit the ministry, you can’t do it [t least after the wedding.”

“Which is when?”

“I don’t know. We haven’t had a chance to talk about that yet. I’ve been too busy.”

“And the other thing we need to discuss?” Marianne asked.

“Marliss Shackleford. How do I keep from killing her the next time I see her?”

Marianne glanced toward the children. Jenny and Ruth teemed totally engrossed in their building project, but Marianne knew better than to trust to appearances. “Maybe we’d better go into the kitchen,” she said. “I’ll make a fresh pot of coffee.”

An hour later, feeling as though an interior pressure valve had been released, Joanna packed up Jenny and headed home. “We’d better stop by Butch’s house and let him know you won’t be there after school today.”

But Butch Dixon wasn’t home. Parked in the Outback’s spot in his carport was a decrepit bronze Honda.

“Hey, look,” Jenny crowed in delight. “The Gs are here. Grandpa’s still in the car.”

The Gs were Jenny’s paternal grandparents, Jim Bob and Eva Lou Brady. For two cents, once Joanna spotted the car, she would have kept right on driving. The possibility of her remarrying was something she had long avoided discussing with her former in-laws. Unfortunately, by the time Joanna saw the Honda, Jim Bob had seen the Blazer as well. He was already climbing out of his car.

“What’s the matter?” Jenny asked, glancing at her mother’s face. “Aren’t you glad to see Grandpa Jim Bob?”

“I’m glad all right,” Joanna said, but her voice didn’t sound the least bit convincing.

As soon as the Blazer stopped, Jenny shot out of the passenger seat. Jim Bob caught her, scooped her into his arms, and swung her high in the air.

“There’s my girl,” he said. “How’s tricks?”

“I got suspended from school,” Jenny replied at once. “For three whole days. I can’t go back clear until Wednesday.”

“Suspended, eh?” Jim Bob said. “Maybe you’d better come home with me tonight. That way you can tell Grandma and me all about it.”

“Can I go, Mom?” Jenny begged. “Can I, please?”

“May I,” Joanna corrected automatically. “And yes, I suppose you may.”

“And should I tell them about you-know-what?”

While Joanna sent her daughter a withering look, Jim Bob looked questioningly from Jenny to her mother. “Tell us what?” he asked.

“Butch and Mom are going to get married,” Jenny blurted. “Marliss Shackleford said so in the paper.”

Jim Bob Brady waved one hand as if swatting at a pesky fly. “Oh, that,” he said. “All I can say is, it’s high time.”

And that was all there was to it. Joanna had gone to great lengths to avoid telling Jim Bob and Eva Lou Brady that there was a new man in her life, someone who wasn’t their son. And yet, here was Jim Bob accepting the news at face value and giving every indication that not only did he approve but also that he couldn’t see why it had taken Joanna so long to make up her mind. He seemed to accept her decision with the same kind of aplomb Jenny had.

Joanna swallowed hard. “You and Eva Lou don’t mind then?”

Jim Bob put Jenny down and then gathered Joanna into his arms. “Of course we don’t mind, honey bun. Why would we? When Andy was alive, you were the very best wife a man could ask for, but he’s gone now. You have the whole rest of your life ahead of you, Joanna. You’re young and bright and you deserve some happiness. In fact, I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more.”

Joanna squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears from spilling out. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Jim Bob pushed away and held her at arm’s length. “You’re welcome,” he grinned. “And congratulations.” Then he turned to Jenny. “Come on now, you little hellion. Let’s get going. Grandma was putting a batch of corn bread in the oven as I was leaving the house. On the way home you can tell me all about who you were fighting with and how come.”

Joanna felt a bit left out. “Wait a minute. You mean to tell at Eva Lou’s making some of her world-famous corn and I’m not invited?”

“No, ma’am,” Jim Bob said. “Butch called a little while ago and asked if I could come pick Jenny up right after school. He said two of you had a date tonight-that he was taking you out to dinner.”

“He is, is he? Funny he never mentioned it to me,” Joanna returned. “Which reminds me, where is he?”

“Said he had a bunch of errands to run. That he wouldn’t be able to be here right when school let out. That’s why he wanted me to be Johnny-on-the-spot to meet Jenny.”

Moments later, Jim Bob loaded Jenny into his Honda Civic, and the two of them drove away. Unexpectedly relieved of her parental responsibilities for the evening, Joanna decided to stop by the department on her way back home. After all, it wouldn’t hurt for her to check out what had happened during her absence and try to get a head start on the next day’s business.

Pulling into her reserved parking place, Joanna noticed Dick Voland’s Bronco parked in its usual place. During her long talk with Marianne Maculyea, Joanna had neglected to mention her conflict with Dick Voland, and she wasn’t sure why. Maybe she was ashamed and worried that she herself had somehow, unwittingly, brought on the whole mess. Now, though, seeing his parked car, she knew she would have to face the music. She hadn’t brought the situation up in the privacy of Marianne’s living room. Now, though, she would have to do so in public.

She paused briefly at her private entrance and thought about letting herself into the office that way. Then she changed her mind. People might think she was so upset by her chief deputy’s sudden defection that she was sneaking in and out of her office in hopes of avoiding seeing anyone. No. The only way to handle this was to go in by way of the lobby entrance and simply brazen it out.

Dick had tendered his letter of resignation, and she had accepted. Period. That was all there was to it. And since his letter stated no specific reason for his departure, there was no reason for discussion on Joanna’s part, either.