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Filet mignon. Fork-tender. It literally melted in her mouth.
    She’d just swallowed the first scrumptious bite when Ross warned in a whisper, “Don’t look now, but I think—yes. She’s spotted us.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œLily Mae Wheeler. She’s headed our way. I’ll give you a little free legal advice.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œDon’t tell her anything, unless you want the whole town to know.”
    Lynn had no time to reply. Lily Mae was upon them. “My Lord, Lynn Taylor! Honey, I hardly did recognize you.” Lynn smiled gamely up at Whitehorn’s most notorious gossip. “You look sweet as a heifer in a field of new clover. I love your hair.” Copper bracelets jangling, Lily Mae patted her own teased and heavily sprayed coiffure, which was auburn at the moment. “Maybe I should try blond again. What do you think?”
    â€œI do like the auburn,” Lynn said judiciously.
    Lily Mae left off patting her hair and patted Lynn’s shoulder instead. “Sweet, sweet girl. You always say just the right thing.” False eyelashes batted Ross’s way. “And hello, Mr. Garrison. How are you this brisk October evening?”
    â€œI’m just fine, Mrs. Wheeler.”
    â€œEnjoying that beautiful new house of yours?”
    â€œI am. Very much.”
    â€œIt’s up along Route 17, isn’t it? On Black Bear Lake.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI confess, Winona Cobbs has told me all about it. She has to drive by there to get into town.” Winona Cobbs lived in a trailer out at the end of Route 17. She ran her own peculiar enterprise there known as the Stop ’n Swap. She kept bees and was considered by many to possess psychic powers. She was also almost as big a gossip as Lily Mae.
    Lily Mae forged on. “And I heard you’ve been hired by the Kincaid estate.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Ross said.
    Lily Mae clucked her tongue. “Wasn’t that just a terrible shame—about Wendell? There are many who don’t believe it now, but once, Wendell Hargrove was an honorable man. It was after his dear wife, Alice, died that the trouble started. He just couldn’t cope with the loss. He developed that gambling problem. And then he—well, I suppose you know all of this.”
    â€œI’ve heard the facts, yes.”
    â€œAnd now you’re representing our Jenny.”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œYou do a good job for her, now.”
    â€œI will, Mrs. Wheeler. I promise you.”
    Lily Mae turned on Lynn again. “Hon, I mean it. Your face. Your hair. That gorgeous dress. I do truly love to see a woman make the most of what she’s got. And when that woman is you, well, all I can say is, it is about time.”
    Lynn murmured a thank-you; it seemed the safest way to go.
    Lily Mae spotted the ice bucket and the bottle nestled in it. “And what’s this? Champagne?” Her painted-on brows went so high, they threatened tovanish beneath the hard fringe of hair on her forehead. “A special occasion?” She waved a carmine-tipped hand, causing more clattering. “Never mind. Of course it is. It’s always a special occasion when an eligible man and a beautiful single woman enjoy a fine meal together…although I must admit, I had thought—” Lily Mae actually cut herself off. “But never mind about that.”
    â€œAbout what?” Lynn asked, regretting the question immediately.
    But Lily Mae surprised her. “Oh, nothing.”
    It wasn’t nothing, and Lynn knew it. She could see the truth in Lily Mae’s over-made-up eyes. The sweet-hearted gossip knew that Trish was after Ross. How could she not know? Who other than Lily Mae would Trish have been pumping for information about the new lawyer in town?
    â€œReally, hon. It was nothing at all,” Lily Mae repeated. “Sometimes I do run on, and that is a plain fact.” Then