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although I’m not so sure about the other guy.”
    â€œIt seemed like a lot of blood. You think it was someone just passing through? Looking for some quick cash? No, that wouldn’t be right. Gail said the man asked about Granford records, so he must know the town.”
    Gail emerged from the bathroom and retrieved her bag from somewhere in the back of the building, and wordlessly handed the car keys to Meg. At least Meg knew the way to Gail’s house, so she didn’t have to give directions. Mostlythey were silent, until they neared the house. “What am I going to tell my husband?” Gail whispered.
    â€œWait until the kids are in bed, and tell him the truth. You can decide how to explain it to the kids in the morning.”
    â€œThere’s bound to be something in the news,” Gail protested. “If Art doesn’t find him tonight, they’ll have to put out a bulletin, won’t they?”
    â€œProbably. But I don’t think Art’s in any hurry to call the press. Let’s just take it one step at a time.”
    Meg pulled into Gail’s driveway. Before she got out of the car, Gail laid a hand on her arm. “Thanks, Meg. I’m glad you were there.”
    â€œWe’ll talk tomorrow.” Meg climbed out of the car and handed the keys back to Gail. She stood watching until Gail had let herself into the house, then turned and walked over to where Art was waiting in his car. Once she was settled, she asked, “Anything new?”
    â€œNope. So you just happened to walk into this scene?”
    â€œYes, Art, I did. Find the guy, will you? I know Gail doesn’t want you to find him dead, and neither do I.”
    â€œI’ll do my best, Meg.”
    Gail reappeared at the door, with a large brown paper bag. Art went to the door to take it from her, said something to her, then came back to the car to drive Meg back to the green.

4

    Meg finally made it home close to seven. “You’re late,” Bree said. “I cooked.”
    Meg didn’t want to discourage her orchard manager and housemate when she had made one of her rare efforts to cook. “Sorry. I meant to call, but things got a little complicated.” She hung up her jacket and dropped heavily into a chair at the kitchen table.
    Seth walked in through the outside door, took one look at her and said, “What’s wrong?”
    Bree turned around from the stove, startled by Seth’s question. “What? What’re you talking about?” She gave Meg a harder look. “Okay, what’s going on?”
    Am I really so easy to read?
Meg wondered. “I went to Gran’s this afternoon to talk with Nicky about plans for the wedding—I’ll fill you in later, Seth. After we were done there, I noticed the lights were on at the Historical Society, and I thought Gail might be there, so I went over to say hi.When I got there, she was there, but she was covered with blood, and it looked to me like she was in shock.”
    Seth sat down next to Meg and took her hand. “Is she all right?”
    Meg nodded. “The weird thing is, it wasn’t her blood. She said a man came in, and when he approached her and got too close, she grabbed the first thing she put her hand on, which happened to be a wickedly sharp antique chopper, and slashed at him. It looks like she connected, based on the blood all over her. She had to have hit something important, with that much spatter.”
    â€œIs the guy dead?” Bree asked.
    â€œWe don’t know—he left the way he came. We called Art, of course, and he and some of his men were looking for him, but it was already getting dark.”
    â€œI’m so sorry, Meg,” Seth said, and she gave him a grateful smile. “Did you see the man?”
    She shook her head. “No. I must have come out of Gran’s just after he left, because I didn’t see anyone at all on the green.”
    â€œDid Gail know