Bitsy went on, not at all reassured, "But I left the renovation before she did. The discussion was getting needlessly ugly and I thought there was nothing else productive to say, so I left the house, meaning to come back and lock up after everyone had gone. Surely someone saw me leaving, or knew I'd gone while she was still standing in the yard yelling at me as I drove off. I'm sure everybody was gawking and eavesdropping. Some of the workers really disliked her. But I was too

upset by the confrontation to remember to go back and lock up when she was gone."

"Then everything should be okay," Jane said, "if you have witnesses."

"Half a dozen, at least. Everyone was upstairs still working and Sandy was screaming so loudly, I'm sure they heard it. Your detective did ask for everyone's names and addresses."

My detective, Jane thought. It made him sound like her personal bodyguard.

Jane immediately called Shelley. "Are you finished with dinner? I just got a hysterical call from Bitsy."

"I have to supervise some homework first. It'll be about a half-hour."

Jane's own supervision consisted of looking into Todd's bedroom door, where she could see the screen of his computer. He was obviously constructing grids for his prime number project. Katie was on the other phone line, giggling.

"Time to hang up and get your homework done," Jane said.

"I don't have any, and Jenny and I are making plans for next weekend," she said.

"Be sure to clear them with me," Jane warned as she went back downstairs to load the dishwasher.