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on a weekly basis with my mother. If I didn't tell Penny, someone else would. "They're investigating the fire that killed John."
    "Investigating? Didn't they do that after he died?" When I didn't reply, she prompted, "Didn't they?"
    "Paul said the FBI was called in. They think John was involved in setting the fire."
    "John? That's ridiculous. Can't the local police handle it?"
    "I'm not sure. I'm meeting with Paul and Michael about it now."
    "This makes no sense whatsoever." Penny's emphatic voice was starting to echo my anger. "John was an exceptional fireman. Why would someone think he was involved in what happened? He didn't benefit from it. Good heavens, he died!"
    "Paul said someone would be investigating John's health, to see if there was any reason for him to want to kill himself." I hurried on, my words tumbling over each other. I didn't want to think about John's mental health on the day he died. "They're checking his finances, too. They wanted to see if I benefited from his death in any way, so they'll be subpoenaing my bank account information. Paul warned me."
    "Your bank accounts?" Penny was almost sputtering now. "You don't have any untapped wealth sitting there. That's insane. None of this makes any sense, Genny. Who gives anyone the right to do this?" She paused. "Wait a minute. You said you're meeting with them now?"
    "We're at the library. Paul wanted to meet to talk about it."
    "Then I'll let you go. Should I talk to Darryl Brody?"
    "Darryl who?" I nodded to Michael, who gestured, urging me forward.
    "He's the county attorney here in town. His father and your father used to play poker together. Maybe he can give us advice. I'll call him for you. I wonder if you can sue someone for slander." Mom hesitated. "Of course, Michael could tell you about that. But I'm not sure...Portia said she was worried about Michael. I'll call Darryl to be sure then I'll call you back later tonight or tomorrow. Maybe by then I'll know the results of Portia's blood tests. A dizzy spell isn't like her. Don't worry, dear. I'm sure this is all a big mistake."
    "I'm sure," I agreed lamely. "I'd better go, Mom. Michael and Paul are waiting."
    "Say hello for me."
    "Will do." I joined the two men and resumed my seat at the table, turning off the phone. "Sorry. Aunt Portia has been ill."
    Michael nodded sympathetically. "My mom mentioned something about that."
    "I didn't know you were in an investment club in town," I said, pulling my notebook toward me. I jotted a note to myself : Aunt Portia. Illness. Investments? Club? Land? I looked at Michael, who was staring at the notebook, a frown on his face. I jotted another note. Slander? "I'm going to Tangle Butte this week and staying through the weekend for the Fourth. Is there anything you want me to drop off for you at your Mom's?"
    He shook his head. "Nope. I'll probably get there sometime this summer. Genny, about this Dan Steele guy. How did you meet him?"
    "Completely by accident. He was at the cemetery, I was at the cemetery." I remembered Dan's T-shirt. "He belongs to the same gym as me, but I don't remember seeing him there when I've gone."
    "I didn't know you joined a gym," Michael said.
    "I joined Northwest Fitness a year ago."
    "Northwest?" Michael injected a wealth of disdain into the word. "Why not join Bally? It's got a better facility."
    "And it costs more. You forget I'm watching my budget." I almost bit my tongue when I said it, not wanting to rehash the same old argument with him. "Northwest is convenient for me. The Bally gym is miles out of my way, on the other side of town."
    "I still don't understand why you quit your job," Michael said. "You were making good money there."
    I didn't bother trying to explain again. When John died, I had to get away from the constant sympathy of my co-workers at Lerner Software, where I was a senior software designer. I quit within a few months of John's death and used his insurance money to pay off the mortgage on our house. I now