She took her spoon, stirred the broth once, and laid the spoon back on the paper napkin.

“Pete Higgins is eighty years old and minds everybody’s business but his own,” I said.

“It isn’t just Pete,” Claire said.

She nodded toward the register clerk, who was staring down at her receipt book instead of looking up.

“Daniel sells real estate to all these people.

He gave a speech at the Rotary Club last Tuesday.”

“A speech doesn’t change the truth,” I said.

“It changes what they say at the feed store,” Claire said.