From Here to Paternity

bingo as gambling, so we blithely went along for two years with the games until somebody complained.“
    “But there’s a state lottery,“ Shelley said. “I saw the tickets for sale at the airport.“
    “Yes, a state lottery, and some nonprofit organizations can play bingo to raise funds. Churches and fraternal organizations and things like that. But we didn’t qualify. It’s a shame. There could be gigantic profits on real gambling if it was allowed. People who normally wouldn’t even buy a lottery ticket at home will throw away all kinds of money when they’re on vacation. Anyway, I just wanted to say hello and see how you’re all getting along.“
    “Wonderfully well,“ Shelley said. “But you mustn’t worry about us. Is there anything we can do for you?“
    “No, not really. We’re doing fine. At least Aunt Joanna and I are. Pete’s in a terrible snit, though.“
    “Why is that?“ Jane asked bluntly.
    “Because, as it turns out, I’m cotrustee with Aunt Joanna of Bill’s estate. I was surprised, but Pete was horrified. He’s gone off in a huff someplace.“
    “I don’t mean to be grim, but are you sure he went off willingly?“ Shelley said, tactfully skimming the fact that Tenny had originally thought her uncle Bill had departed of his own volition.
    “Yes, I saw him drive off. In fact, he was yelling out the window at me as he went that he was going to find his own lawyer and get me replaced. Don’t worry. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. He’ll cool off and come back. And if he does follow through and succeed in getting rid of me, which he can’t, I’d be relieved.“
    “I talked to my husband very briefly,“ Shelley said, “and shared your concern about selling with a provision that your aunt could stay here, and he said it would be a breeze. In fact—“
    Jane excused herself, feeling that this was a business discussion that wasn’t any of her business. She was also wondering what had become of Mel. The last she’d seen of him, he’d volunteered to look for Katie and Denise in the crowd, just to make sure they were still safe and sound. She found him with two very attractive young women who had him more or less pinned in a corner. To give him credit, he didn’t look too happy with the arrangement.
    “Mel, did you find the girls?“ Jane asked.
    “Oh, no!“ the blond girl with the magnificently cantilevered bosom said. “I bet you’re his wife and I bet we’re not the girls you’re talking about, huh?!“
    Jane started to deny it, but Mel quickly said with dreadful heartiness, “She sure is, and I’m in trouble now. Come on, honey, let’s look for the kids!“
    “What an extraordinary thing to do,“ Jane said when he’d briskly steered her across the room and out the door into the hallway.
    “My God! They were so aggressive it even scared me. You would have been shocked to hear what they suggested the three of us do. Them and me, that is.“
    “I’d really rather not know,“ Jane said.
    “By the way, the girls are drinking ginger ale with a bunch of kids up next to the bandstand. I even contrived to ‘accidentally’ take a sip of Katie’s to make real sure it was ginger ale.“
    “I’ll bet you were very subtle about it,“ Jane said wryly.
    “I don’t think they noticed,“ Mel said, aggrieved.
    Jane laughed. “Mel, teenage girls are super-finely attuned to any infringement on their imagined adulthood. They can find evidence and take offense at being checked up on even when it’s not happening at all. But when it is, you might as well be wearing a sandwich board. Still, it was a nice thought.“
    He shrugged. “Well, I tried.“
    Jane slipped her arm around his waist and leaned against him. “It’s nice and cool and quiet out here. Let’s check on the boys and find some place to sit down for a while. I left Shelley talking business with Tenny. By the way, Tenny said she’s cotrustee with her aunt and Pete has gone berserk about it— apparently to the point that he’s threatening to get a lawyer to harass her.“
    “Not good,“ Mel said.
    “Tenny’s not too worried. And from the sound of it, I think the sale of the resort will probably go through anyway and Tenny will be relieved of the responsibility for running things.“ She explained to him about Tenny’s pottery and her desire to get on with her own life. She was tempted to speculate on Pete’s reaction, whereabouts, and the significance of both on his role as a suspect. But