At 6:30 the doorbell rang and six women filed in, including June Aldrich, who caught my eye and winked as I took her coat.

Melissa launched her tour. “We bought at exactly the right time,” she announced. “Six hundred thousand. Derek has such vision for the expansion. We’re tearing out those ugly old rose bushes for a sunken fire pit.”

One of the church ladies smiled uncertainly. “I always see Derek’s mother out front watering those roses. Does she live with you?”

Melissa laughed her practiced laugh. “Oh, yes. We took Ellen in. She loves helping out. It keeps her young. She’s practically family staff.”

Family staff.

June set her teacup down hard enough to rattle it and stared at Melissa with open disgust. Sandra, three glasses into the Pinot Grigio, doubled down. “Family looks after family.