Deborah sat at a table on the patio absently twirling a straw in her soft drink. Three other people were sprawled around on lounges and the thermometer on the wall registered ninety-seven degrees. Frank Sinatra crooned about the summer wind, from a patio speaker.

A woman emerged from one of the poolside rooms and waddled, in an ill-advised bikini outfit, into the shallow end of the pool, setting her hat on her head, glasses over her eyes and a pocketbook wrapped in saran.

Gordon looked down from his upstairs den and wondered about Deborah. Since a recent meeting with Grace she had been withdrawn and somewhat sad and he couldn't determine why. He finished what he was doing and went down to the office, giving her another look before getting on the phone and calling the Chamber of Commerce.

"Roger Dortmund."

"Roger, it's Gordon Hardy. I was wondering what the arrangement was now for hotel owner meetings and Chamber business. Are you the man to see now?"

"Do you have a problem?"

"My questions should have answered that, Roger."

"Right. Well- temporarily we are running the Chamber by committee."

"So that means you are making all the decisions."

There was a pause and Gordon swore he could hear Roger's chest swelling.

"The others never have contributed much, as you know."

"Okay then, you're the go to guy if I need information."

"I will try to accommodate any inquiries to the Chamber with dispatch."

"Super, Roger. Just wanted to know the lay of the land. Uhm- heard anything about Jeannette?"

"Nothing good, but I won't say more. I think Mrs. Whyst has shot her bolt in Santa Gordo business and society in general."

"Okay. Thanks, Roger. Talk to you later."

He looked out the window and Deborah was putting her drink can in the waste container and ambling slowly back to the office.

"Doing the deep think out there?" He chuckled lightly.

"I don't know what to think. It seems everything has been turned inside out since that Mindy arrived and now that she's gone, there's a huge void in my life."

"Oh come now, you weren't even close to her."

"I didn't mean it that way. I- oh what's the use."

"I don't understand this void bit."

"I spoke to Grace and she tells me that Lolly and Torri are being singled out for snubbing by the other women because they were members of Jeannette's, CWSG and they are also spending a lot of time at the Palm with Jeannette."

"Her what?"

"Concerned Women of Santa Gordo."

"The con-what--" Gordon laughed aloud. "What the hell is that?"

Jeannette built a network of women in the town who held various positions in strategic places. They used their advantages to advance the cause of the group. Three of them were on the council. Lolly, Torri and another woman, Elaine somebody. They vetoed the Mayor's first proposal and that led to his ultimate demise."

"So your friends are persona non grata with the unconcerned women of Santa Gordo now?"

"I don't even know if they were really friends, Gordon, that's the void I'm talking about. Grace is the only woman I trust any more . . . maybe Kit."

"They didn't do anything to you did they?"

"No."

"So?"

"Gordon we used to all talk about- about the different men in our lives--" She saw his face change and hurried on. "They were all having affairs and it seemed- well I didn't think it was right but I was with uh- Grace . . ." She waved an explanatory hand. "And so I just assumed it was recreational."

"Recreational." Gordon chewed his upper lip.

"But it wasn't. They had agendas. These were deliberately planned with men in the town who could be manipulated when needed."

He stared at her for a long time and she sagged against the wall. Deborah had confessed her time with Grace already so that wasn't anything new. It was just the idea of the 'girls', all sitting around and comparing conquests. That was supposed to be a guy thing!

"So now they're getting their comeuppance."

"Grace tells me that they are spending a lot of time with Jeannette at the hotel."

"Well, birds of a feather, eh?"

"There's another rumour that Jeannette's suite is also being used to entertain Clifford's cronies."

Gordon pulled a face and blew out a long breath. "That was the inference I got from the committee that came here about Mindy. It sounds like old Clifford is exacting his revenge very poetically."

"And they are all in on it. Those smug members of council are all lined up against her."

"Still?"

Deborah's face darkened and she bared her little teeth.

"It was joke. That's their choice, Deb. Get past it. Obviously they never really were friends in the strict sense." He was about to continue when the front gate opened and a couple came through carrying a couple of suitcases.

Deborah disappeared inside and Gordon got up and opened the office door.

"Hi, you folks must be the Kramers."

"Howard and this is my wife Xena."

"Like the heroine." Gordon chuckled.

"We get that a lot." Howard said flatly.

"Right. Let me take your bags and I'll show you the room then you can come back and register."

"Do we have a view?" Xena squeaked as she made her way around the lounges.

Gordon stopped and set the bags down. "Look behind you."

They did and Gordon beamed at the expression on their faces as the took in the splendor of the Santa Gordo Mountains against a bright blue sky.

"Will that do?"

"Oh my God, Howie, it's spectacular."

"Like you, babe." Howie slipped a brazen hand onto his wife's rump. "Let's get to the room."

Gordon opened the room and set the bags on the floor by the bed then turned and watched them admire the room.

"Okay if you want to come up and sign in we can give you the key and let you enjoy—" His words ended as Howard grabbed his wife and toppled her onto the bed, muttering that he would be up later. Gordon backed out of the room and closed the door against the shrill moan of Xena.

"Christ, we just took in an overheated couple if I ever saw one!"

Deborah stood in the office doorway and listened to his description. She shook her head and leaned on the desk next to him.

"Is that what it's all about, Gordon?"

"What what's all about?"

"People. Couples. Is it just sex? They're just stray dogs."

"Heck no. Look at us." His eyes twinkled and he saw her face morph from sad to mad in a heartbeat. "Hey, I'm kidding. You and I have a perfectly balanced relationship."

"Do we? Really?"

"Well, a little more sex wouldn't be amiss." He took her hands and pulled her around onto his lap.

"People can see." She complained weakly.

"Isn't that a bonus, imagine if you couldn't."

"Gordon, don't be smartass."

"Ah, Deborah, I'll leave that to you. That Kramer couple have infected me suddenly."

"Find another cure." She popped up and stood in the doorway. "I'll fix some lunch."