From Here to Paternity

blue is my favorite color.“
    “I have a set of six serving bowls to match being fired.“
    “Oh, stop. I’m going to start drooling in a minute.“
    Shelley had been listening quietly. “Tenny, I probably shouldn’t even be talking about this, but since you’ve brought up the pottery business—no, never mind.“
    “What?“
    “Well, you realize it’s my husband involved with the investors, and I don’t mean to jeopardize anybody’s position, so don’t answer if you don’t feel like it—but why are you talking like you can’t do your pottery? Doesn’t Joanna want to sell the resort? I don’t mean right away, understand—“
    Tenny took a long sip of her coffee and gestured at the remaining sandwiches. “Please finish these. I’m full.“ Then she said to Shelley, “I don’t mind answering that. It’s just my own guess, but I don’t think Aunt Joanna will want to sell now. She loathed Florida. Said it was too hot and buggy and full of old people. She’s lived all her married life right here, and the whole of her life within a couple miles. Frankly, I think she’ll find running the resort, even with advisors, a terrible burden, but it is her home. She only went along with the retirement idea because it was what Uncle Bill wanted. I don’t mean she was being spineless or martyred, but she really enjoyed making him happy, and getting away from here would have made him very happy.“
    Shelley thought for a moment, hesitated, then plunged forward. “Tenny, I can’t speak for the investors, you understand, only as a concerned friend. But it would seem quite possible that Joanna could at least try to sell the resort on condition that she could stay right where she is for as long as she wanted. Some sort of nominal rent could be computed into the deal, couldn’t it? I thought things like that were done all the time. And if it’s part of the contract, it would be a legal obligation that got passed right along even if the place were later sold to someone else.“
    For the first time since they had started talking, Tenny looked almost cheerful.
    “You could be right. That’s really worth looking into. Oh, I feel so guilty about this, but in the back of my mind I’ve been so upset—so selfishly upset— because Uncle Bill died before he could sell the place and relieve me of my responsibility to it. But if Aunt Joanna could stay and be happy, and if I could stay nearby and keep an eye on her, but live my own life—oh, that would really be wonderful! Do you think it would be appropriate for you to ask your husband if it’s a possibility?“
    “I’d be happy to,“ Shelley said. “I’ll be speaking to him later today when he gets home.“
    It had been Jane’s turn to keep quiet, and she’d been using the time to wolf down two of the little sandwich triangles, but she had a question bubbling up—well, two questions really, though asking for the recipe for the sandwich filling could wait. “Tenny, do you think other people knew about your aunt’s attitude? That she didn’t want to move away?“
    “Why do you ask?“
    “I was just thinking it might have something to do with your uncle’s death.“
    “You mean somebody killed him to keep the resort from being sold?“
    “Something like that.“
    Tenny thought for a minute. “I’m not sure. Pete should have known, if he ever paid attention to what other people think, but he doesn’t. If it doesn’t directly concern him, it just doesn’t seem to register. And I suppose all her old friends must have known.“
    “Friends in the tribe?“
    “Uh-huh. Mostly.“
    “Friends who might have told HawkHunter?“
    Tenny and Shelley both looked at her questioningly.
    “Do you mean you suspect HawkHunter of killing my uncle?“ Tenny asked.
    “Not really. I was just thinking out loud. The fact is, somebody killed your uncle. And it could have been almost anyone.“
    “But if he was killed out in those woods, it really could have been anyone at all. Some passing maniac,“ Tenny said. “Somebody who didn’t even know him.“
    “But how likely is that?“ Jane asked. “We’re hardly in the middle of an urban center. If he died near where he was found, it was a long way from the road. Your passing maniac would have to park the car, go around behind the resort, walk halfway up a long hill—“
    “My God!“ Tenny said. “I guess you’re right. I just haven’t had the time or wits to think this out properly. There aren’t people