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By Root 1101 0

best pasture and feed-growing land is also the best land to grow grapes. Not to mention the problems with the property being reassessed once they grow grapes on it, which puts it in a higher tax bracket. Keeping Seven Sisters a horse-breeding ranch would definitely keep the property taxes down. That’s about all I know about it. Doesn’t seem like much of a motive for murder. They seem to be working it out okay, from what I’ve heard.” There was that little jibe that Giles made during Cappy’s toast, but that didn’t seem important enough to mention. And there was the comment JJ had made in my office about the winery causing a problem among the sisters, but no doubt he’d found that out when he questioned JJ.

“What about Etta and Giles? How did they get along?”

“I have no idea, Detective. I don’t really know the family well. I mean, our families have known each other for years, but we’re not intimate friends. We don’t run in the same social circle, if you know what I mean.”

He nodded. “I understand this Giles Norton comes from a pretty famous wine family up in Napa Valley.”

“I heard the same thing,” I said, leaving it at that.

He gazed over my shoulder to the saddle behind me, staring at it until I thought he would bore a hole in the thick leather. “Something’s not right with this whole scenario.”

“Oh?”

He turned his attention back from the saddle to me. “Don’t you find it all just a little too . . . neat and organized?”

I sat back in my chair, a bit confused. “Organized? I don’t know what you mean.”

He gave his head a small shake, reminding me of Cappy’s horses. “Never mind, just some ramblings of a suspicious old Texan. Anything else significant you think I should know?”

I hesitated, then said, “I did overhear an argument, but I’m sure it’s nothing.”

He nodded at me to continue, and I told him what I’d heard outside the bathroom.

He asked, “You’re sure you couldn’t recognize the female voice?”

“I told you, it could have been Cappy or either of her sisters. Have you heard their voices? They all sound alike. Besides, I was just passing by and only caught a bit of their conversation. I didn’t actually stop and . . . ” I paused, realizing I’d just begun a lie.

He grinned, as if he could see the moral struggle inside my head. “So maybe you had to tie your shoe or something,” he said, looking down at my pull-on boots. “Happens to me all the time. Then you just happened to overhear a little more . . . ”

“That’s all I heard,” I snapped, embarrassed.

He uncrossed his legs, his face suddenly serious. “I’ll be in touch if I need to ask you anything else.”

“One more thing,” he said when I reached the office door.

I turned around, waiting.

“If you hear anything or someone inadvertently drops a remark about this situation . . . or you remember something else about that accidently overheard conversation, you will give me a call.”

His face was open and friendly, but his voice had taken on a definite authoritarian tone I recognized. Cops. When they’re sworn in I think they’re given a transfusion of dictators’ blood.

“I always cooperate with the authorities,” I answered.

I waited for Gabe on the porch with Lydia and Sam, who’d already been questioned. While we were waiting, a man with a leather medical bag arrived. The family doctor had come to see Arcadia, who was understandably in bad shape. I guess when you were high up enough on society’s ladder, doctors still made house calls.

“Why don’t you call in sick tomorrow?” Gabe said to Bliss as we walked down the gravel driveway to our cars.

She stood a little straighter. “I’m fine, sir. I’ll be at work as usual.”

“Maybe it would be better . . . ” Gabe started.

“He’s right,” Sam said. “You should stay home and rest.”

“I said I’m fine.” Her voice had an edge to it.

“Bliss,” Gabe said, his voice taking on his no compromising el patron tone. “I really think . . . ”

“Hey, guys,” I said, interrupting. “She knows how she feels.”

Gabe and Sam shot me an almost identical frown.

“Benni’s right,” Lydia said. “And so is Bliss. Let her decide if she feels well enough to work.