“How do you know all this stuff?" Jane asked, surprised, as she often was, by Shelley's memory for gossip. She supposed that came from having lived in the same place for so long. Jane had grown up a State Department brat, never living in one place for more than a year and often for less. When she married, she had been determined that her children would stay put and form the kind of lifelong friendships and connections that Shelley proved were possible.

“My mother was friends with Sarah and Grace's grandmother. Bridge club," Shelley explained.

“Seems to me that somebody mentioned the Bakers having lost a child, too," Suzie said.

“Yes, I've heard that, too," Shelley said. "But I don't know any of the details. One of my husband's sisters once missed a period and has carried on for years about her 'miscarriage' so I always take remarks like that with a grain of salt."

“Well, whatever their background, Conrad's certainly a good cook," Jane said. "He's been practicing for the opening and selling some of the stuff at cost to Mike. We had pastrami sandwiches last night that were fantastic. He's going to sell some of that trendy, healthy stuff — soyburgers and tofu chicken, which sounds revolting. But he's also got a gadget for making potato chips. Puts a little garlic sea‑ soning in the oil and they're wonderful."

“Grease, salt, and starch. What more could a person ask?" Suzie said with a laugh. "So the handsome jogger was the one leading the fight against opening this heavenly place? Why would he care?"

“Because he paid far too much for his house and now he's trying to drag the neighborhood up to his standards?" Shelley said. "His wife, Rhonda, told me.