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say. Made Kane madder than hell, as you canimagine. He filed a whole blizzard of injunctions and whatnot, then topped it off with a whopping lawsuit that stopped the guy who owns this Berry Association in his tracks. Showed him there were folks in this town who didn’t care for his shady business practices. The very idea—canceling the private, funeral home–owned burial policies for old ladies so they have to depend on their kids to foot the bill when they die instead of the insurance they’ve been paying on most of their lives. Makes me so mad I could spit, and I’m not the only one. Yes, sir, Berry found out right quick that nobody here cares two bits for his money and power, not when it comes to right and wrong.”
    â€œSo it’s Kane, rather than his grandfather, who is pushing the suit?”
    â€œOh, I don’t know as I’d say that, exactly. I think Mr. Lewis looks on it as a matter of honor not to take this lying down. But Kane’s the man Berry and his raft of high-powered lawyers will have to beat in district court when push shortly comes to shove.”
    â€œYou think he has a chance, then?”
    â€œYou got me.” Betsy North shrugged, then her lips tightened. “All I know is, I’d sure hate to see Mr. Lewis done out of what belongs to him.”
    â€œHe seems like a nice man.”
    â€œOne from the old school, a real gentleman. Done a lot for this town over the years—scholarships, civic stuff, donating land for things like the nondenominational church and the new middle school. Why, I could tell you—But you don’t want to hear all that.”
    â€œYou’re related to him, too?”
    The woman’s rich chuckle broke out again. “You’dthink so, wouldn’t you? But no such thing. So, you gonna be around here long?”
    Regina wasn’t sure how to reply to that, even if she wanted to try. While she was making up her mind, a deep, masculine voice answered, “She’ll stay as long as we can keep her.”
    Betsy spun toward the man approaching from the doorway behind her. “Damn you, Kane, what do you mean slipping up on me like that?”
    â€œNot you,” he said with a lazy smile, “but your customer.” To Regina, he said a quiet good-morning, adding, “Mind if I join you?”
    She waved briefly at the chair across the table. Perhaps he could give her some idea of when his grandfather would see her again.
    A speculative look came into Betsy’s eyes as she watched Kane slide into the seat. She offered to bring him coffee. When he declined, she said with wry humor, “Fine, then. I can tell when I’m not wanted. I’ll check on you guys later.”
    As she moved away, Kane said, “So has Betsy been after your life story?”
    â€œWe hadn’t got that far,” Regina answered. The words were more abrupt than she intended. He was every bit as disturbing as she’d thought the day before, though casually dressed this morning in a knit shirt and pressed chinos. With his presence, the coffee shop seemed to take on new life: the sunshine through the windows was brighter, the decor livelier, the smells of coffee, bacon and maple syrup overlaid by frying onion actually becoming appetizing.
    â€œDon’t let it get to you,” he recommended. “She doesn’t mean anything by it.”
    â€œI’m aware of that.”
    A muscle tightened beside his jaw at her tone, but he let the subject drop. With a brief but intent glance at the bruise that still marked her temple, he asked, “How’s the head?”
    â€œAll right.” She sipped at the coffee she still held, but it was cold. She set the cup in its saucer with a clatter and pushed it aside.
    â€œNo pain or nausea?”
    His polite concern made her feel a little ungracious. She unbent enough to say, “I had a headache, but took something for it when I went to bed. It was gone this