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required regardless. From your description of Mrs. Reece, chances are she’s demanding the experts — and that’s fine.”
    Much as he loved his daughter, he knew not to say too much. News travels fast in Loon Lake and gossip always trumps facts.
    Erin cocked an eyebrow. “I get the message, Dad. But be sure to look around while you’re out there — I want a-a-l-l the details.”
    Bubbling on, she followed him through the living room as he headed for the front door. “Y’know a friend of Mark’s did the stonework out there — he swears they put at least fifteen million into that property. Of course, that’s easy to do when you sell the family business for a billion — give or take a few bucks. So, Dad,” she called after him as he ran down the porch steps, “remember — you have got to tell me what that place looks like.”
    “I doubt I’ll be looking at architecture,” said Osborne. He paused as he reached the sidewalk. “Erin, honey, I’m sorry but I just realized there is no way I can make it back here in an hour.”
    “That’s okay, Dad. We’ll have plenty of leftovers. “Just stop by when you’re done.”
    “Thanks, sweetheart, but that won’t be necessary,” he said, opening the car door. “Lew’s invited me to her place for dinner at five. I’ll get plenty to eat.”
    “D-a-a-d, you didn’t tell me. You were going to eat two Thanksgiving dinners?”
    “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
    “Get outta here — love you!” She waved as he drove off.
    • • •
    To Osborne’s relief there was no white Lexus in his driveway. Kathleen and Fred must have left early. After letting Mike into the backyard and making sure the dog had water, he hurried through the kitchen to the den where he had to move a rack of fly rods that Fred had set in front of the cabinet where he kept his medical bag. Reaching for the bag, he heard a sound behind him.
    Kathleen was in the doorway, her pug face pickled in cheeriness. “Paul,” she said in a soft, eager voice, “we have to talk.” Her conspiratorial tone prompted a flash of dread — was the house delayed another month?
    “Not now, Kathleen, Chief Ferris just called me in on an emergency and.” Osborne started towards the doorway but Kathleen refused to move. “Excuse me,” he said, angling one shoulder to slip past her. But the woman didn’t budge. Instead she reached up to grasp his shoulders.
    “This will only take a moment, Paul. Fred and I are leaving.”
    That was such good news, Osborne decided he could spare a moment to be gracious. “Oh, is the house ready? Isn’t that a nice surprise.” He waited for her to let go but instead she tightened her grip.
    “No, Paul,” she said, “the house isn’t ready but Fred has a problem.”
    “He does?” Osborne turned back towards the den as if he might find Fred’s problem in the piles of tools and materials still scattered around the room. As he turned, he pulled away, forcing Kathleen to drop her hands.
    “He thinks we’re having an affair.”
    “What?!” Osborne was stunned. “That’s awful — how could he possibly think that? Oh, Kathleen — I am so sorry. You want me to talk to him?”
    She shook her head no, eyes half closed, then said, “I have a problem, too — Paul.” Her hesitation, her caress of his name. Osborne waited, disbelief and worry over what might happen next commingling in his gut. “I know you’re attracted to me and. Paul, dear heart, I feel the same for you.”
    Kathleen’s blue eyes, their lashes starched black with mascara, searched his. She took a step towards him. Osborne took two back, thinking hard. The woman was hallucinating. How could he save face for both of them?
    “Paul, when you talk to me, when you look at me — your emotions just pour through your eyes — ” She held her hands out, palms open in surrender.
    For one frantic moment, he hoped this was all a joke. “Oh, golly, Kathleen,” he said as he backed into the rack of