Spencerville

Zack watched them go, then leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial tone, "I heard he fooled around. They had some woman up there in the church, and brazen as can be she told everybody she and Cliff Baxter was up to somethin'."

Aunt Betty asked, "Does anyone want seconds?"

Harriet turned to Keith and asked him, "Have you seen Annie since college?"

"No."

Fred said, "I hear there was another woman up there, Mary Aries, and she and her husband, Bob, own that gas station on 22, and she told how Cliff Baxter would help himself to things in their convenience store, then make her put the charge on the town gas bill."

Harriet said, "My sister was at that meeting, and what she heard about her son-in-law's fooling around made her sick." She looked at Keith.

Keith listened to the conversation, noting that Fred and Zack were more concerned about the police chief's financial misdeeds than his marital transgressions, while Lilly and Harriet were fixated on the sanctity of marriage.

Lilly said, "If I heard that my husband was fooling around, I'd kick him out without another thought."

Fred didn't look like the type who would or could fool around, Keith thought, but having been forewarned, he looked almost chastised.

Aunt Betty said, "There's plenty more in the kitchen."

Harriet said to Keith, "I wouldn't be surprised if she walked out on him."

"Who?"

"Annie."

"Oh... right. The spouse is usually the last to know."

"My niece is a saint," Harriet said. "She raised two fine children and keeps that house like a showcase for him. She deserves better."

Lilly said to her mother, "Someone should let her know, in case she doesn't know. If it was my husband doing that, and no one told me, they wouldn't be my friend, I'll tell you that." She looked at Fred, whom Keith was beginning to suspect of adultery.

Harriet came to the defense of her son-in-law and said, "Fred wouldn't even think of fooling around."

People liked the topic of adultery, Keith had discovered, here or in Washington, Rome, Paris, Moscow, everywhere. But as interesting as it was in the abstract, or in specific cases at hand, it always got touchy and too close for comfort, and so, though everyone at that table was free of sin — except for himself — the topic was dropped. Harriet said to Keith, "I'll tell Annie I saw you. I'm sure she'd tell me to say hello to you."

"Thank you. Please send her my best regards."

"I certainly will. Maybe you'll run into her someday."

"You never know." Keith made a mental note to tell Annie to send Harriet a postcard from Rome.

Aunt Betty announced, "We have lime gelatin with marshmallows for dessert. Does anyone want coffee? I have instant, decaffeinated. I can boil water."

Keith stood. "I hate to eat and run, Aunt Betty, but I promised someone I'd meet them at five."

"It's only a quarter to. Have some dessert first."

Keith recalled that Aunt Betty always had some problems with chronological reasoning, so he said, "I like to drive slow. Thank you, it was a terrific meal." He kissed her and shook hands all around, saying to Fred, "Stay out of trouble," and to Harriet, "My best regards to your sister and to Mr. Prentis."

"They'll be thrilled."

"I hope so."

He left, said goodbye to the boys, who were throwing a football around, and got into his car.

On the way home, he replayed parts of the conversation. What interested him was not what was said about Cliff Baxter, or Annie Baxter, but that good old Harriet was playing Cupid. Keith laughed. There were people, he thought, who, no matter how old they were or how they were raised, had romance in their hearts. Poor Lilly and Fred had no spark of it and probably never did, and neither did Aunt Betty. But old Zack and Harriet still looked at each other with a gleam in their eyes. Lovers, Keith decided, were special people, and all lovers recognized other lovers, so he knew that Harriet heard his heart beat every time she mentioned Annie.

* * *

The next three days, Monday to Wednesday, Keith spent at home. He did not want to risk even one foray away from the farm, not one incident or confrontation with Baxter or his men. He was too close to the goal line, to use football analogy, the clock was ticking, and it was no time for anything fancy or risky. The last play would be a running play.