3

      “OKAY, MOTHER, LET’S HAVE IT.”

      Lorraine looked up from the stove where she was stirring something red in a skillet. “Have what?”

      “Chapter and verse about this latest problem with Luke’s mom.”

      Lorraine wrinkled her nose. “Oh, her. You know how Syl is.”

      “I also know how you are.” Thalia peeked into the skillet. It looked like sloppy joes for dinner. “It’s this Shangri-la thing, isn’t it?”

      Lorraine sighed. “I suppose so, but if it wasn’t this it would be something else. The thing is, the Daltons sold off that big chunk of land and construction was underway before anyone around here really knew what was happening.”

      “I’m sure the plans went through the city process just like everything else.”

      “Yes, but who was paying attention? And you know what else?”

      “What else?”

      “I think Sylvia did it deliberately to bug me. I mean, my property is already surrounded on three sides. And now they come along with Shangri-la number two, and if it goes through, that’ll block me off on the fourth side.”

      “You don’t even have a road over there,” Thalia pointed out. “You won’t be any worse off than you are now.”

      Bad tactic. Lorraine nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly—I’m already worse off and I resent it. That’s why I’ve vowed to stop the next phase of development.” She pointed to the Shangri-la It Ain’t lettering on her sweatshirt. “That’s why I’ve organized the opposition. This time they won’t sneak their sleazy plans through city hall, at least not without a fight.”

      Thalia groaned. “Are you sure you want to do this, Mother? I didn’t think the new houses were all that bad.” Not by California standards, anyway. The lots were a tad shy of personal space by Colorado standards, however.

      “Not bad!” Lorraine glared. “They’re awful.”

      “What’s the worst thing about them?”

      “Why, they’re—they’re new! I hate new things.” Which was obvious, since she lived in an old Victorian stuffed with antiques.

      “What about new people?”

      “Oh, the people are fine, but I want the town to stay the way it’s always been. Instead, it’s spreading out like a…like a malignant growth. That’s why I’ve made it my business to call a halt to this horror.”

      Thalia knew that tone. She’d seen her mother this way before. Like the time she led a protest against construction of a new elementary school in a location she deemed unacceptable, or the time she picketed city hall to halt a plan to sell off city land previously designated for a park.

      In each case, she’d won. But in neither case had she gone up against Sylvia Dalton, who was at least as stubborn, if not more.

      Thalia disliked the prospect of bloodshed. “I hope you don’t intend to get out there all alone and stand in front of a bulldozer or anything,” she said anxiously.

      Lorraine laughed. “Heavens, no. As it happens, the entire city agrees with me. We’re fully prepared to do whatever it takes to block this monstrosity, but there’s no need for you to worry about it. What do you care if Sylvia’s on her high horse?”

      Yes, indeed. Sylvia was Luke’s problem, after all, so Thalia just shrugged.

      Her mother gave her a knowing glance. “Unless you don’t want Luke all stressed-out.”

      “Luke is not my concern.”

      “I’m not so sure about that. The way he was looking at you—”

      “Stop, Mother. To Luke I’m just John’s annoying little sister.” Time to change the subject. “Where are the hamburger buns? That sloppy joe looks ready to me.”

      Lorraine laughed heartily. “This isn’t sloppy joe, it’s spaghetti sauce. But you can pull out a package of pasta from that cupboard over there, and then set the table. After we eat, I want to take you on a tour of the town and point out all the awful things growth has done.”

      And so she did.

      THALIA WENT TO EMILY the next day for the straight scoop about Shangri-la one and two. “Read all about it.” Emily handed over the local newspaper, the Shepherd’s Pass Review. Between customers, she added her interpretation.

      “The Daltons own the land, but the project is the brainchild of a Texas developer named Joe John Jeff Jordan, called Four-Jay by all,” she said. “He came in here and charmed everybody’s socks off, got the approvals he needed and went to work before anyone really knew what was going on.”

      “That’s pretty much what Mother and the newspaper say,” Thalia mused. “Does that mean the rest of what she said is also true—that everyone in town is against the next phase of the project?”

      “Hardly!” Emily laughed. “I’d say the town is split right down the middle. There’s stiff resistance, led by your mother, and equally stiff support, led by Four-Jay and Mrs. Dalton and Michael Forbes—you remember Mike, I’m sure. He graduated with your brother and Luke. He’s a real hotshot attorney now.”

      “I remember him vaguely.”

      “If you’d like to see them all in action, there’s a community meeting set for Wednesday night at seven at city hall. Nothing will be decided, but it would help you get up to speed on the subject.” Emily laughed. “That is, if you want to get up to speed.”

      Thalia grimaced. “Not really, but maybe I’d better since Mother’s leading the charge.” She cocked her head. “How about you, Emily? How do you stand on all this?”

      “I can see both sides,” Emily admitted. “I do think the houses are quite nice, and I understand the next phase will be even nicer—and more expensive. On the other hand, I hate to see things change in our little hometown.” She sighed. “It’s a puzzlement.”

      AND SO IT CERTAINLY SEEMED as Thalia made the rounds renewing old acquaintances. Emily was right—sentiment appeared to be very evenly split. She wondered how Luke felt about it, then realized he would surely back his mother. The Daltons, after all,