The Golden Chance by Jayne Ann Krentz

hell while she was here.”
    “It's wasn't Crissie's fault Burke Castleton cheated on his wife twenty-six years ago.”
    “You're absolutely right, of course,” said a new voice from behind Phila. The newcomer spoke with a hint of a New England accent. “It was not her fault at all. But don't expect Eleanor Castleton to ever admit it. She's put a lot of effort into polishing the Castleton image.”
    Phila knew who the speaker was without being told. When she turned around she was not surprised to see a sleek thoroughbred of a woman with chestnut-red hair and emerald-green eyes. She was dressed in beautifully cut camel-colored trousers that emphasized her long legs and an off-white silk blouse, an elegant outfit that perfectly complemented her features. She wore a gold wedding ring on her left hand.
    “Hello,” Phila said.
    “Hello, Phila. I'm Hilary Lightfoot.” Hilary put out a perfectly manicured hand. “I want to tell you how sorry I am about Crissie. She was a fascinating creature, bright and full of life. I miss her.”
    Phila accepted the long-fingered, long-nailed hand. “Thank you, Mrs. Lightfoot. It's a pleasure to meet you. Crissie liked you.” This was the only member of the clan Crissie had liked, Phila recalled, and because Crissie had liked her, Phila was prepared to like Hilary Lightfoot, also.
    “Call me Hilary.” She withdrew her hand from Phila's and turned to Nick, who was munching potato salad. Her expression was serene but oddly unreadable. “Hello, Nick.”
    Nick nodded once. He did not offer his hand. “Hilary.”
    “I was surprised to hear you had decided to return.”
    “Were you?” Nick bit into a pickle and glanced out over the throng. “Quite a crowd this year.”
    “It gets bigger every year. One of these days we may have to start limiting the invitations to just friends of the families.” Hilary followed his gaze. “This business of inviting the whole town is getting awkward, not to mention expensive.”
    “Castleton & Lightfoot can afford it.” Nick's voice was neutral, but Phila thought she detected an undertone of annoyance.
    “True, but it's hardly worthwhile.”
    “The Fourth of July picnic is a Castleton & Lightfoot tradition. I don't see Dad ever giving it up.” Nick took a sizable bite out of his hamburger, his eyes still on the crowd.
    “Reed is leaving more and more of the important decisions in my hands these days,” Hilary told him quietly. “In fact, you might be interested to know that at last year's annual meeting he turned both his shares and yours over to me to vote. He trusts me to do what's best for the firm.”
    “He's always trusted you, hasn't he, Hilary?”
    “Why shouldn't he trust me? I've always had the best interests of C&L at heart, unlike you.”
    Phila edged closer to the relish tray and concentrated on slathering her hamburger bun with mustard and pickles. She could feel the eerie crackle of emotional tension around these two and it sent shivers down her spine. It also raised a few interesting questions. She wondered just what Nick's relationship with Hilary had been. It was obvious he hadn't wasted any money on Mother's Day cards for his father's wife during the past few years.
    Darren wandered over, a couple of cans of beer in his hands. He handed one to Nick as Hilary nodded at Phila and moved off into the crowd.
    “Here,” Darren said. “Figured you could use one of these.”
    “You figured right.” Nick took the can and popped the tab.
    “Since you're here,” Darren said easily, “you can give us a hand with the fireworks later.”
    “Sure. Why not?”
    “I knew there would be fireworks,” Phila said under her breath.
    Nick looked at her. “I've got a feeling the ones tonight are only the beginning.”
     
    The first crackling display of pyrotecnics lit up the evening sky at precisely ten o'clock that night. Phila sat cross-legged on the lawn in front of one of the colonnaded porticos to watch. She was surrounded by