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dog obeyed immediately, his eyes intently watching the visitor.
    'Mrs. Warwick?' The man looked surprised.
    'Yes. You're Mr. Brownley?'
    'Yes, I am. Sorry if I looked startled. I'm afraid I was expecting someone a little older; I understood that you were a widow. May I come in?' Brownley drew his wallet from his pocket, flipping it open. 'My identification.'
    Jenny took it and read the card. He looked very like his picture. She handed it back.
    'Your information’s correct, I am a widow. What can I do for you, Mr. Brownley?' she asked a couple of moments later when they were seated in the living room. Shasta kept watch as he lay at Jenny’s feet.
    'I'll come straight to the point. I represent the DEA the arm of Justice that investigates drug abuse in the United States. My particular area is marijuana in California. I'm sure you've read about the large areas under cultivation.'
    Jenny nodded. 'I thought it was mostly in Mendocino County, though.'
    'There’s a lot there, unfortunately. No sooner do we clear out a farm than another one pops up. Other areas, too. We've reason to suspect it’s being grown around here. Either on private land or in the El Dorado National Forest. What we want to do is infiltrate the area to try to pinpoint where it’s being grown and by whom.'
    'What do you expect from me? I don't know anyone growing marijuana. I don't even know what it looks like.'
    'Well, I'm glad to hear that.' He smiled briefly. 'Actually, the department would like to have one of our men here on site. What we need, however, is a cover. Small towns are notorious for being suspicious of newcomers. Rather than take years to build a background, to gain acceptance, we were hoping an established resident could provide the cover we need.'
    'Why me?'
    'Your house is rather isolated. Easier for our man to come and go as he pleases without nosy neighbors wondering what he's up to. You and your family have been residents of Palmer for generations, respected, well liked. Anyone you vouch for will be accepted.'
    She narrowed her eyes as she studied the man. It was all true. Should she cooperate? It was hard to imagine any of her neighbors involved in the drug trade. 'And the cover story?'
    Brownley looked at her for a long moment. 'A visiting cousin?'
    'I don't have any cousins. Everyone in town knows both my parents were only children. I'm an only child.' She thought a moment. 'Maybe a son of an old school-friend of my mom's. She has several friends from other areas of California. She's forever going visiting.' Jenny shook her head. 'I don't know, though. A friend's son would stay with Mom, not me.'
    'A cousin of your late husband?'
    Jenny considered that, then slowly nodded. 'Yes, Johnny's dad had several brothers and sisters that live elsewhere. He's dead now, too, and Johnny's mother went to live with her sister in Sacramento.' She looked at him. 'Why would he come to stay with me, though?'
    'He's a writer, needs a quiet place to work? Given to wandering around while thinking up a new plot?' Brownley suggested.
    Jenny shrugged. 'If you think it’ll work.’
    ‘We’ll fine-tune the story as we go. Maybe you could rent the room. You probably could used the money renting a room would bring.’
    She shook her head. ‘As an accountant, I need to project confidence in my clientele, which I would not do if I couldn’t manage my own finances.’
    ‘Then you’ll be helping out your husband’s cousin. It’s the peace and quiet he’s looking for,’ Brownley mused as he appeared to be talking to himself.
    ‘When would he arrive?’ she asked, wondering how dangerous it would be. If there were truly pot growers in the area, they could be ruthless. Would she get any fallout from harboring the DEA agent?
    ‘Actually, not for a few weeks. The reason I wanted to lay the groundwork is so you can start talking about your expected visitor. Springing to your friends would cause as much talk as if our agent just pitched a tent in the town