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“Is he closely related to the Shandys?” Mr. Starling seemed genuinely amazed. “Is he kidding?”

“There is aslightconnection,” Nora admitted.

Kingston murmured, “It’s a little more than a slight connection, my dear.”

My dear?

“Says the descendent of Thirza Sweeny!” exclaimed Mr. Starling.

“It was just the one time!” Nora protested.

“She founded the whole bloody line!”

“What ishappening?” Ellery asked. Watson wagged his tail.

Kingston explained, “In the 1790s Molly Shandy married Phineas Page, and they had three children: Alec, Quillan, and Minerva.”

“And so on and so forth,” Nora cut in. “Really, it was a long time ago. It has no bearing on our case.”

“If it was the 1790s, then I can’t see how that would affect Virgil—I mean Vernon or my aunt.”

Kingston opened his mouth, but Mrs. Nelson said, “There’s no point even bringing up Sabrina Page and Alden Shandy because their children died young. As did Sabrina.”

“Then why did you bring them up, dear?” Nora inquired with ferocious sweetness.

“Nora, I’d never have believed you were such a snob. I’m not suggesting Ellery get into bed with that family—”

“He’ll be the only Page who hasn’t.” Mr. Starling was sorting through the remaining cookies.

“That isnottrue,” Nora stated, and the others loudly agreed. Many disapproving looks were directed at Mr. Starling.

Mr. Starling snickered and selected a crispy oatmeal Johnnycake.

Ellery thought uneasily back to the beginning of the conversation. “Who were the parents of Oliver, Barry, Violet, Lowell, Sidney, Everett, Virgil, and Daisy?”

Everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to answer.

Kingston said, “In 1900, Samantha Page, who was Eudora’s great-aunt, married Hamilton Shandy, and they had eight children.”

Nora said, “Samantha wouldn’t have been Eudora’s great-aunt. She would be her great-cousin.”

“No, I believe—”

“But that’s the same thing as a first cousin once removed,” Mrs. Ferris said.

“I don’t see that it matters, dear.”

Neither did Ellery. He phoned for the island taxi, gathered up Watson, and departed.

The Silver Sleuths were still arguing over his familial connections when the brass bell chimed behind him.

“Gangland slaying,” Ezra Christmas was saying as Ellery and Watson climbed out of his taxi. “You see if I’m not right.”

“Was Tackle Shandy in a gang?” Ellery was being polite. He was pretty sure Tackle had not belonged to any gang. Unless you counted his family.

“Probably. Those Shandys are a bad lot.” Ezra beamed at the tip Ellery handed over. “The old girl is sure coming along.” He nodded toward Captain’s Seat, looking stately and ageless in the afternoon’s golden light. “Just like the old days.”

Ezra was elderly, but he couldn’t be old enough to remember Captain’s Seatolddays.