“Where did Sam rush off to?” Dottie asked after a rather long silence.

“He… well, to be truthful, he went back to the store to wait for an old friend who’s arriving on the island sometime this afternoon.” Josie didn’t see any reason to mention the sex of this old friend or to change the phrase “old friend” to something more appropriate, like “old flame.” She frowned.

“Someone you don’t like?” Jill asked.

“Someone I don’t know,” Josie replied honestly.

“Maybe you can get away while we’re being interviewed and meet him,” Annette suggested.

“Maybe. But it’s time we got to work. I do need to talk to you all. I was going to speak with Annette privately, but I think this could concern all of you.

“The couple next door complained to me this morning that Annette and Chad were on their property-”

“We weren’t!” Annette protested. “I know better than to trespass on anyone’s private property!”

“I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just telling you what they told me.” God, she really was beginning to sound like her mother.

“They told you that Chad and I walked on their property? When? Did they accuse us of leaping over the split-rail fence that divides their property from this one?”

“No, they didn’t say anything like that. If you must know, they accused you and Chad of making out on their property. It’s your business what the two of you do, and I know you’re a hard worker and probably were with Chad during a break, but-”

“But they were lying.”

“I…” Josie looked at Annette. She was obviously indignant. Could she be telling the truth? “Really? Why would they lie?”

“I have no idea. But Chad and I were never on their property. And we weren’t necking-or anything like that-on their property or on this one.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. We are… well, we do like each other, but we’re not kids! We’re not necking in the bushes, for heaven’s sake. We both have our own places to live. Jill and I share a place and Chad has his own apartment over a garage. It’s big and private and… everything.”

“Look, I believe you.” What Annette said made sense. “But-”

“But what?”

“But why would they make something like this up?”

“They’re nuts.” Dottie interjected her opinion. “They’re always peering over that stupid bayberry hedge at the end of the property to see what’s going on.”

“Really? Maybe they’re interested in our work. Or in possibly hiring Island Contracting in the future. I probably should have been nicer,” Josie said.

“They’re not interested in Island Contracting for any reason,” Dottie said. “They’re fascinated by the TV people. They watched and watched and thought of excuses to come over here while Courtney was around, but now they’ve lost interest.”

“Unless…” Josie began slowly.

“Unless what?” Jill asked quickly.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Well, Chad and I didn’t do anything improper, and even if we had, we sure wouldn’t have gone next door to do it,” Annette repeated. “And I’d be happy to go over there and tell them that if you want.”

“No. Let’s just leave it be and get to work. We’re going to fall behind if we don’t watch out.”

They all knew what to do and Josie was relieved when the work resumed and she could take some time to think. She didn’t understand what was going on. She hadn’t known Annette for long, but the young woman’s argument made sense. Why would she and Chad be necking, here or next door, when they both had places where they could be alone together? On the other hand, why would Cheryl and Howard lie about it? Could it be that they had mistaken two other people for Annette and Chad? It was the only possible answer. She decided to worry about something else.

Naturally, the first thought she had was of the woman now, presumably, on her way to see Sam. Sondra. Blond, she decided. Slim, of course. (They all were.) Well educated and well connected. (She was, after all, working in a very competitive medium.) Well coiffed, well dressed, skin that looked as though it lived in a spa and was only taken out and worn on special occasions. Josie was becoming seriously depressed. Because even if Sam actually believed this woman’s story that she was coming to the shore and would find it convenient to drop off the tapes, to Josie it sounded like an excuse to renew an old acquaintance-and possibly to kindle an old flame.

It’s dangerous to stop paying attention to what you’re doing when you work with heavy equipment. Josie picked up a piece of molding and slid it against the back of the table saw but didn’t hold on tightly enough as she lowered the blade. The wood shattered and pieces flew in all directions. A splinter slit her left wrist. She turned off the saw and leaned back. She was lucky she hadn’t been seriously injured. But the molding had been a special order and would be expensive to replace. Damn, damn, and triple damn. Nothing was going well today!

She straightened, kicked the lumber aside, and slapped her hands together. She had the supplier’s number back at the office. The sooner she replaced this piece, the better. She stuck her head out the back door. “I’ve got to go back to the office for a few minutes. Anyone need anything there or on the way?”

“We were just talking about ordering some lunch,” Jill said.

Josie realized they were reluctant to ask their boss to run errands for them. “If you get something from the Deli Delight, they would have it ready and waiting for me to pick up in less than half an hour. I know it’s early for lunch, but it would save time later in the day.”

“We’ll order stuff that can wait around for a bit,” Dottie promised.

“Good. Then an Italian hoagie with the works for me and tell them I’ll be by to pick up the order in about twenty minutes. See you.”

Howard and Cheryl were entertaining Bobby Valentine on their front deck. Josie assumed they were regaling him with the tale of Chad and Annette’s misdeeds. She walked faster, hoping they either wouldn’t see her or would ignore her presence. No such luck.

“Josie! Ms. Pigeon. Did that young woman tell you we want to interview your carpenters this afternoon?” Bobby Valentine called out.

“Yeah. It’s fine with me. Gotta run.” Josie waved and dug around in her pockets for the keys to her truck. For once, they were where she thought she had left them. She hopped in the truck, started the engine, and roared off down the road. She’d go to the office and then pick up their food at Deli Delight for lunch and be back in no time at all.

And, surprisingly, everything worked out the way she expected it to. Except she returned to work with more to think about. Next door to Deli Delight was Le Château, the only French restaurant open for lunch on the island. And there, going into the front door of Le Château, were Sam and a woman who could only be Sondra. Josie had been wrong. She wasn’t tall, thin, blond, and chic. She was tall, thin, brunette, and definitely chic, wearing clothing Josie couldn’t find in a store, couldn’t afford if she did, and wouldn’t look good in anyway.

She spent the rest of the afternoon depressed.