A centerpiece made up of pink roses and ferns from May’s cutting garden completed the setting. Skye brought out the cantaloupe bowls with fresh fruit and they began to eat.

“What does Prescott do for fun in the summer?” Skye asked Victoria.

“He’s taking golf and tennis lessons at the club.” Victoria spooned a melon ball into her mouth.

“Really? When did the rec club start that?”

Victoria laughed. “Not the rec club, the country club in Kankakee.”

Ginger frowned. “Wow, that must cost a pretty penny. How long have you and Hugo belonged?”

“Since just after we were married. Not that it’s any of your business.”

Gillian finished off her fifth mimosa. “Hugo must do pretty well selling cars. Or have you taken a job, Victoria?”

Victoria drained her glass. “As a matter of fact, I have.”

As she refilled everyone’s drink, Skye wondered if she would have to drive them all home. “Where are you working, Victoria?”

“That’s the wonderful thing about this job and really the only reason I agreed to take it, even though he begged me to.”

Skye put steaming pieces of quiche on everyone’s plate. “Don’t keep us in suspense. Tell us about this wonderful position.”

“I’m going to be the hostess for the new Castleview housing development.” Victoria stuck out her hand. “Mr. Castleview gave me this ring as a welcome aboard present.” She indicated the ruby Skye had noticed at her grandmother’s wake.

“The one over by the McDonald’s?” Ginger took a bite of her quiche.

“No, the brand new one. The one he’s going to build.” Victoria dabbed her mouth with her napkin.

“Where’s that one going to be?” Skye sat down to eat her own meal.

Victoria giggled. “I’m not allowed to tell.”

Skye raised her eyebrows but didn’t comment and they each dug into their food. No one spoke until they’d finished.

Finally, her words slurred, Ginger said, “What’s the big secret?”

They all looked at Victoria, who gazed back with a puzzled expression.

Skye rose and cleared the table. She came back with the lemon silk sherbet and dream bars. Conversation was suspended once again while Skye served dessert.

When she finished she took her place next to Victoria and patted her hand. “Victoria, we want to know why you can’t tell us the location of Castleview’s next housing development.”

“ ’Cause I’m not supposed to tell.”

“Why?”

Her brows drew together and she nibbled on a thumb-nail. “I’m not sure, but Hugo and Mr. Castleview said not to, and you can’t make me.”

CHAPTER 21

Seven, Eight, It’s Too Late

It was nearly five o’clock by the time Skye finished driving her tipsy cousins home and helping their husbands fetch the cars in which they had arrived. She couldn’t stop wondering just where the new Castleview development was going to be. Hugo had refused to comment, saying that Victoria tended to imagine things.

Skye had released Bingo from his confinement, cleared the great room, and was up to her elbows in soapy water when her phone rang.

After wiping her hands off with the kitchen towel, she grabbed the receiver. “Hello.”

“What took you so long to answer?” the voice at the other end demanded.

“Who is this?” Skye asked.

“It’s Aunt Mona.”

“Oh, hi. Is everything okay?”

Mona’s tone changed. “Everything is fine. I know it’s short notice, but Uncle Neal and I were wondering if you could come to dinner tomorrow night. We really haven’t had a chance to chat since you’ve been home.”

Dinner with her Aunt Mona and Uncle Neal-there was an appealing scenario. But it was a chance to ask them some questions about Grandma.

“Gee, Aunt Mona, that would be lovely. Can I bring anything?” Skye cradled the handset and went back to washing dishes.

“No, we’re just having a simple meal. How’s six o’clock for you?”

“Fine. You sure I can’t bring anything?”

“No, just yourself. We’ll see you at six then. Bye.”

There was something odd about the conversation. What was wrong with that picture?

Skye finished up at the sink and dried the counter with the towel. She glanced at the clock, and noticed she had less than fifteen minutes to freshen up and drive to Trixie’s.

Settling for a quick brush of her hair and some lipstick, Skye made it to her friend’s house with a minute to spare. Trixie was waiting on the front steps, and hopped into the car before it finished gliding to a stop.

Trixie and Skye talked about the brunch and what Victoria had revealed until they reached the drugstore.

“What’s your cousin’s name?” Skye asked as she pushed open the glass door.

The sleigh bells that warned the pharmacist of incoming customers almost drowned out Trixie’s answer. “Amy.”

A young woman in her late teens stood behind the drug counter in the back of the store. She waved at Trixie, who took Skye’s arm and guided her down the aisle.

“Good timing. Mr. Bates just left and there’s no one in the store.” Amy smiled at Trixie.

“This is my friend Skye. Skye, this is my cousin Amy,” Trixie said while fingering the products on the counter.

Skye held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Amy. I really appreciate this.”

Amy took three of Skye’s fingers for a brief shake. “No problem. Trixie explained everything.” Skye hated it when women didn’t know how to properly shake hands, but she swallowed the temptation to teach Amy the correct form and instead said, “My aunt’s name is Minnie Overby. Can you see if she filled a prescription for any type of tranquilizer or sleeping pill within the last month or so?”

“Easy as pie, now that we’re finally using the computer.” Amy tapped a few keys and waited.

Skye held her breath.

“No, no medication of any kind for Minnie Overby within the last six months.” Amy patted the machine. “That’s as far back as the records go.”

“Thanks.” That had been a waste. What did it prove? Nothing, except Minnie didn’t get her prescription filled in town. Skye’s shoulders drooped.

Suddenly she straightened. “Would you mind checking one more name for me?”

“Not at all.”

“Try the last name Leofanti and see what you get.” Skye wasn’t sure what she expected to find.

After a minute or two, Amy looked up from the screen. “I’ve got lots of Leofantis but only one with a tranq or sleeping pill.”

“Who?” Skye tried to see the monitor.

“Just an initial.” Amy frowned. “That’s unusual. We’re not supposed to accept anything but full names. No initials, no nicknames.”

“What letter?” Skye tried to keep the impatience from her voice.

“That explains it.” Amy went on as if she didn’t hear Skye. “This was filled on a day I was out sick, and Mr. Bates’s mother helped out.”

Trixie broke in. “Amy, honey, we’re dying of curiosity. What is the initial?”

“Oh, sorry. It’s M.”

Skye turned onto her back, trying desperately to fall asleep, but disturbing thoughts kept drifting through her subconscious. Was M. Leofanti the same as Minnie Overby? Where was Castleview building his next development, which was such a secret? What was she going to tell the superintendent?

When her alarm went off, Skye gratefully climbed out of bed and into the shower. She mentally reviewed her wardrobe. What was the appropriate clothing in which to be fired?

She finally threw on a pair of white slacks, striped T-shirt, and a navy blazer. After preparing breakfast for Bingo and herself, she grabbed the atlas and wrote out the directions to Miss Prynn’s while she drank her tea. Skye felt a little uneasy to be going there alone, but she could think of no one else who was available. Simon was certainly out of the question. A sense of loss suddenly nipped through her. Fighting that feeling, she forced herself to move from the table and prepare to leave.