Maggie called her to say the money from the insurance company had been deposited in Clare’s checking account, so Clare asked Maggie to meet her for a glass of wine after work to celebrate. Then she called and invited Sarah to join them. And then she agreed to go out to dinner with Sam.The Fireside was one of the few fine dining restaurants in Breckenridge, so named because of the strategically placed fireplaces in the restaurant and lounge. It was one of the McCarthy sisters’ favorite places to meet for a drink, especially once the weather cooled and the hearths were ablaze.It was only six when Clare arrived at the restaurant, but already it was dark outside. The late-September evening was cold, promising that in a few weeks the kids would be trick-or-treating with jackets and snowsuits under their costumes.She checked her coat and looked around for her sisters. She had assumed she would be first to arrive. Maggie was always delayed by some legal business and Sarah, well Sarah could get so easily absorbed in a work of art that time would elude her.
