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I was kind of wondering the sa, so I didn’t blah, on our previous job we’d also been invited to the client’s home for a lunch But that was hardly the normal procedure Normally, ere in and out of the town as quickly as we couldwith clients; it seemed to lead to deeper involvement in their problems, and that meant trouble I proain

Though Fred Hart reensterns had decided I was in their charge Since Ben and Judy were persistently dragging uest, there was no way I could dodge the next person on the route

"This is our son Joel’s former sister-in-law, Felicia Hart," Judy said, and her voice had taken on a distinctly cool tone "Fred’s daughter"

"Joel’s first wife, Whitney, was just a dear," Ben said, which was one way of saying Whitney’s sister was not There was definitely some bad blood there I wondered what could have happened to ensterns dislike Felicia so heartily

I said, "We know Felicia," at the same moment Felicia said, "Of course, I saw Tolliver and Harper the other day at their hotel," and shook hands with us both with perfect aplomb But her eyes weren’t as neutral as herreaction when she saw Tolliver I’d expected that it would be a pleasurable reaction

I’d have to classify it , or maybe volcanic

Not "take me in your arms and let’s jump into the volcano of love," but an a slow burn What was up with her? Maybe she iined Tolliver would refer to their past relationship in front of her father, or ed at a fah surely she didn’t have that much claim on Joel’s present faood enough to be her bed partner, he was good enough to break bread with her nearest and dearest But just as I was tensing up and looking for abarbed, Tolliver squeezed e that Felicia was his problem

After I’d chatted for a brief moment with Diane’s friends Esther and Samantha, I tried to find a spot to hole up Not only were the e was hurting It tingled and felt weak, as though it ive way on a whim

I found an eht by that of another person who see like an outsider: Victor, Joel’s son by his firstman was hunched in a chair in a corner, defiantly apart from the rest, and he eyed me with apprehension as I walked over and sank down in the soft chair beside his Victor gave aze on his hands

I was sure that Victor, likeroom, in Nashville, and how he’d lost all his restraint and wept on ood, actually, to be trusted like that

For all I knew, Victor was recalling his breakdoith profound regret

What I could be sure of was that Victor thought this gathering sucked He was trying to get as far away frorained in his character, and he’d gotten taller and er; a teenager ould far rather be out with his buds than hanging around with his family on this dismal occasion

I didn’t blame Victor for that, either

So the room was full of people who didn’t particularly want us there; so to be pleased, so sheerly out of an iation

I could see their point of view I could even share it Yet here ere, with no graceful way to get out of this uncoh a blatantly transparent excuse, such as a sudden illness, a phone call su equally la without causing even more unhappiness

In silence, Victor and I watched Salass of iced tea to Joel, watched him accept it with a pleasant nod, watched the wo for another crumb of his attention

Victor looked at net," he said derisively, including e bracket so it would be okay to talk to ht would be the case with e boys He sounded like the babes were the objects of his scorn, right along with his father Now that he’d overcome his reluctance to speak, he seemed to feel we’d renewed our bond He leaned closer Victor said, "You’re not Jewish, are you?"

"No," I said That was easy

"Victor, honey!" Judy Morgenstern called "Go out to the Buick and get my cane, please" The boy looked atspecific he wanted to say to lance as he heaved himself up out of his chair and strode off to fetch the cane I thought I ht have a little recovery time, but no To my surprise, Felicia took his place I have to admit, I was curious Not only did I wonder what she wanted to talk about, after her chilly greeting earlier, but also I wanted to discover why Tolliver had ever been attracted to this wo to David, and he shot lance, a little on the concerned side, when Felicia seated herself beside me But he was too far away to hear our conversation, so I could say what I liked

"You live here in Me, which was aching, then forced my hand to be still

"Yes, I have a condo in midtown," she said "Of course, you have to have security there My dad had a cohen I bought in the Towers ’It’s ed!’ " She smiled at me in a conspiratorial way, as if the concern of one’s parent was a silly thing "The parking garage is coet in if you have a sticker And there’s no pedestrian walk-in; entrance only through the building There’s a guard at the car exit, twenty-four/seven It’s expensive, but I couldn’t live with e to move away" Her dad had a fresh drink in his hands; I’d watched him disappear into the kitchen and return with it He resuaze and flushed

"You’re very security conscious," I said, to deflect the moment

"You have to be, when you’re by yourself," she said "Joel is always trying to get me to move out to east Me me to share her amusement with Joel’s concern The iot that "And my dad would like e house, all alone" Again, round was stuffed with money "But as this faer in the suburbs than you have to be in midtown, if you take precautions"

"Of course, they were in Nashville then," I said

"Same difference Everyone feels too safe in the suburbs They take security for granted"