The words stung but Nancy decided to ignore them. "Lovely morning, isn't it?"

Mrs. Hunter was too grandly glum to be deterred. "That's what he always used to say." She gimped close to the hedge that separated the two driveways, her eyes gleaming dull agates. "That's when I knew he was covering up." A dry laugh wheezed out of the old woman. "Oh, didn't he think he was clever, but I always knew. I always knew."

"Really?"

"He couldn't fool me. I knew. When the policeman came and knocked on the door and told me, I knew. I knew what he was doing in that Optimo cigar store when he died. I knew."

"What?" Nancy was completely mystified by the old woman's smug speech.

"Buying a cigar." Mrs. Hunter said it slowly as if she were talking to a child.

"So?" Nancy cocked her lovely head, her long raven hair sliding silently and hiding half her face.

"Well. You don't suppose I let him smoke, do you?" She looked like a wrinkled bandy rooster as she strutted behind the hedge. "I didn't let him smoke! No sir!"

"Oh." Nancy turned away to hide her smile. "That was certainly thoughtful of you."

"He smoked when he stayed out. I knew. I could smell it on him. He smoked and…" she leaned forward, whispering loudly, "and other things."

"Oh."

"Like staying out all night and then coming home with some kind of story." The old woman eyed Nancy in an accusing way.

Nancy hated her neighbor at the moment, but felt compelled to offer up an excuse for coming home so early. After all, she was guilty. "I… I had to go over to my parents. My… my father isn't feeling at all well." She stood in the driveway, biting her delicate lip, hating Mrs. Hunter and hating herself for using her father as an excuse.

"Mmmmmmm. Gone all night?"

A lie, once told, has to be embellished. "Yes, it got so late, I decided to spend the night."

"And how is he feeling this morning?"