JoBeth paused to catch her breath while shifting the towels from the washer to the dryer. Moving into a new city was a confusing whirlwind, with everything in different places in the new house, strange product brands at the grocery store, and all the phone numbers having new area codes.

And to top it off, there were all the visitors. It was like the realtor had sent out a public notice saying everyone come look at the new people! In only a week since moving into Lyon Estates, JoBeth and Ethan, together or separately, had been approached about Girl Scout cookies and Boy Scout BBQ chicken sales, pushed to buy decorative candles for the high school dance team fundraiser, briefed by the homeowners association about proper and improper garden choices, and visited by Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Mary Kay.

As she started the dryer, she heard a rapping from the front door. JoBeth frowned – why would anyone knock on the door instead of using the doorbell? And in the middle of the afternoon, at that. She paused at the hallway mirror to check her hair, then went to see.

The knockers were two women in severe business suits, both with the same brunette near-shoulder bob, each carrying a briefcase. “Good afternoon, miss.” They looked past JoBeth’s shoulders. “May we speak with you and your husband?”