"She wouldn't have gotten anywhere with that," Jim said. Changing the subject, he asked, "So how are your folks doing in Denmark?"

"They must be fine," Jane said. "I haven't had an E-mail from them for the last week. This trip is just a vacation. Not a diplomacy job."

"Speaking of jobs, how are you filling your free time?" Jim asked.

Jane laughed. "You wouldn't believe what Shelley's trying to get us into. A feminist home renovation. Don't look at me like that, Uncle Jim. We haven't agreed to do it yet. Shelley's rewriting the contract they offered us and really jacking up the perks."

"What in the world do the two of you know about renovating?"

"We're just to be the decorators."

Jane explained about Bitsy and her influx of money. About Sandy. About Jack and Henry. With a couple of days of not thinking about it, it seemed outrageously funny even to her. But when she got to the story of the spoiled shrimp in the air ducts, Jim asked, "Did anyone 'fess up?"

"Nope. Not that I know of. The furnace guy who'd done the duct work was furious."

"Of course he was. Was it some idiot's idea of a joke or sabotage?" Jim asked.

"I don't know. Bitsy thinks her ex-husband is responsible. That must have been one of the nastiest divorces in history. Aside from a few of Henry the Eighth's that come to mind."

"I'd be careful of taking this job if I were you," Jim said. "I don't want to overstep my bounds, but that's my advice."

"I think I agree. The contract we were given wasn't even grammatical. And Shelley says it's outrageously stingy. But if she can put over the one she's working on, it could be fun for us and very profitable."

"I thought you were just talking about already being financially comfortable."