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sure, I watch television,” Louise had confessed to the woman. “I watch everything, just to see what’s being offered to the public.”
    “Wouldn’t it be better to spend your time on more serious pursuits?” Fiona had asked.
    The conversation, Louise realized now, had been like a boxing match. Why hadn’t she just sat there and listened, instead of arguing every point?
    Now Fiona concluded her little speech: “So I made a chance for myself and I didn’t muff it. And that’s what we do for these kids: We allow them to have a chance. Then, if they blow it, it’s blown. There’s no room for—”
    “Failures,” finished Louise.
    “Yes, failures,” said Fiona coolly. Then, with a lift of her magnificent chin, the woman signified she was done. Frank picked up the promotional pitch again, talking about their plans for a fourth school. Putting on her most interested face, Louise let her attention wander to the riveting discussion at the next table.
    In a quick, sideways glance, she saw three dominant faces, highlighted by the hurricane lamp as if in a picture by Rembrandt. Barbara Seymour looked serene and happy: Tonight, she must be particularly grateful just to be alive.The light touched dramatically on Jim’s angular features and Neil Landry’s bland countenance and perfect hair. Stephanie Landry and Grace Cooley were leaning back in their chairs, their faces outside the halo of light.
    The conversation was a verbal thrust and parry: the two men and the timid Stephanie against Barbara Seymour. Grace was silent. Louise heard something, about a development. Something about how the waterfall would enhance the property so that profits would be “at the maximum.” Something about acting “
now
,”
    “…an idea we’re throwing out for discussion, but with a pressing time frame …” Jim was saying.
    “…a plan Stephanie and Jim and I have developed over the years, when you no longer want to go to all the trouble to run this place,” said Neil.
    “…no terrible need for new housing that
I’ve seen
” she heard Barbara reply.
    “… perfect for when you need to quit all this work … and one of the homes, a prime home, just for you,” said Stephanie.
    “… still thinking of turning it over to the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation,” said Barbara.
    Dead silence from the others.
    Louise didn’t need much more to realize that this property, with its magnificent acreage, was being discussed as a site for a new housing development—or, alternatively, for remanding to the state of Connecticut. It was quite apparent that Jim Cooley, as well as Neil and Stephanie, favored development over deeding the property to the state government—prosperity over posterity. She hadn’t heard Grace utter an opinion, one way or the other.
    No one but an aging woman stood between these heirs and a rich haul of money.
    Now the niggly little suspicion in Louise’s mind had substance: There was a motive for that stair carpet to have been loosened with malicious forethought. And sincethe incident, Jim Cooley had treated Neil like a misbehaving schoolboy. But now Neil was back in the bosom of the family. Maybe Jim simply needed Neil to be on his side in this debate over the disposition of the mansion. It sounded like a moment when all family votes would be counted, from good guys and from guys who weren’t so good.

Chapter 6

    L OUISE BIT INTO AN AFTER-DINNER mint, and savored the cool rush inside her mouth. Why was she fussing about a family con job on a wealthy old woman? It happened every day, she was sure, somewhere in America. But it was depressing to see it close-up. On the eve of a difficult location shoot, where they would be short-staffed, and she would have more responsibility than usual, the last thing she needed was to be depressed. For the camera never lied: Either she would come across as alert, focused, and prepared, or not.No sense in getting bogged down in someone else’s problems.
    Resolutely,