again,” Ryland said. “But obviously in the end her illness overwhelmed her.”
“It doesn’t look like she OD’d on street drugs.” Sam frowned. “The bottle we found on the table is a legitimate prescription. I’ve got a call in to the doctor who wrote it.”
Ryland nodded. “That would be Dr. Warren. Worked with Pamela for quite a while.
This isn’t his fault. I’m sure he never realized that she was planning to kill herself.”
The harried-looking man with the briefcase ended his call and hurried toward Ryland.
“Sorry to interrupt, sir, but I just spoke with the people who are handling the funeral arrangements. They picked up your daughter’s body at the hospital morgue a few minutes ago and are on their way back to San Francisco. We should be going, too.
It won’t be much longer before the media gets wind of the tragedy. We need to have a statement ready.”
“Yes, of course, Hoyt,” Ryland said. “I’ll talk to you later, Sam.”
“Sure,” Sam said.
Irene stepped directly into Ryland’s path. “Senator Webb, I’m Irene Stenson.
Remember me? I was a friend of Pamela’s in the old days here in Dunsley.”
Ryland looked startled. But his expression quickly turned warm and polite. “Irene, my dear. Of course I remember you. It has been a very long time. You’ve certainly changed. I almost didn’t recognize you.” His expression grew somber. “Sam says you were the one who found Pamela last night.”
That was his cue, Luke thought. “She wasn’t alone,” he said. “I was with her. Luke Danner.”
“Danner.” Ryland’s eyes tightened a little at the corners. “Sam mentioned that the new owner of th odge was also on the scene.” He indicated the woman at his side. “Luke, Irene, allow me to introduc y fiancee, Alexa Douglass.”
“How do you do?” Alexa inclined her head in graceful acknowledgment of the introduction. “I’m so sorry that we are meeting under such sad circumstances.”
“Excuse me, sir,” Hoyt muttered. “We really do have to leave.”
“Yes, Hoyt,” Ryland said. He looked apologetic. “Irene, Luke, this is my aide, Hoyt Egan. He’s in charge of keeping me on schedule. This is a very busy time for me, as I’m sure you’re well aware. I’ve got back-to-back fund-raisers lined up for the next two months. And now I’ve got Pamela’s funeral to worry about.”
“Gosh, just think, a fund-raiser and your daughter’s funeral in the same time slot,”
Irene murmured. “Which will it be? Choices, choices.”
There was a short, stunned silence. Luke watched every jaw in the room except his own drop so har t was a wonder they didn’t all crack on the floor.
Ryland recovered first. Dismissing Irene, he fixed his attention on Luke. “I’m not entirely clear on why the two of you went to see Pamela last night.”
“It’s complicated,” Luke said.
Irene took the recorder out of her pocket and clipped it to the strap of her shoulder bag. She reached into another pocket and removed a pen and a notepad.
“Senator Webb, I’m with the
Glaston Cove Beacon.
As you may or may not know, we announced your daughter’s death in today’s edition.”
“That’s impossible,” Hoyt snapped. “None of the media even know about Pamela’s death yet.”
“I just told you, I’m a reporter,” Irene said patiently. “The story ran this morning.
You can also find it at the
Beacons
online site.” She turned back to Ryland. “Can you tell us if there will be an autopsy performed on your daughter to determine cause of death?”
Anger flashed across Ryland’s face, but only for a split second. He veiled it almost instantly. “I realiz hat finding Pamela’s body last night must have been a terrible shock for you, Irene.
But I must make it clear that I have no intention of discussing the details of my daughter’s death with any member of the press, not even you. This is an intensely personal matter as I’m sure you, of all people,
“It doesn’t look like she OD’d on street drugs.” Sam frowned. “The bottle we found on the table is a legitimate prescription. I’ve got a call in to the doctor who wrote it.”
Ryland nodded. “That would be Dr. Warren. Worked with Pamela for quite a while.
This isn’t his fault. I’m sure he never realized that she was planning to kill herself.”
The harried-looking man with the briefcase ended his call and hurried toward Ryland.
“Sorry to interrupt, sir, but I just spoke with the people who are handling the funeral arrangements. They picked up your daughter’s body at the hospital morgue a few minutes ago and are on their way back to San Francisco. We should be going, too.
It won’t be much longer before the media gets wind of the tragedy. We need to have a statement ready.”
“Yes, of course, Hoyt,” Ryland said. “I’ll talk to you later, Sam.”
“Sure,” Sam said.
Irene stepped directly into Ryland’s path. “Senator Webb, I’m Irene Stenson.
Remember me? I was a friend of Pamela’s in the old days here in Dunsley.”
Ryland looked startled. But his expression quickly turned warm and polite. “Irene, my dear. Of course I remember you. It has been a very long time. You’ve certainly changed. I almost didn’t recognize you.” His expression grew somber. “Sam says you were the one who found Pamela last night.”
That was his cue, Luke thought. “She wasn’t alone,” he said. “I was with her. Luke Danner.”
“Danner.” Ryland’s eyes tightened a little at the corners. “Sam mentioned that the new owner of th odge was also on the scene.” He indicated the woman at his side. “Luke, Irene, allow me to introduc y fiancee, Alexa Douglass.”
“How do you do?” Alexa inclined her head in graceful acknowledgment of the introduction. “I’m so sorry that we are meeting under such sad circumstances.”
“Excuse me, sir,” Hoyt muttered. “We really do have to leave.”
“Yes, Hoyt,” Ryland said. He looked apologetic. “Irene, Luke, this is my aide, Hoyt Egan. He’s in charge of keeping me on schedule. This is a very busy time for me, as I’m sure you’re well aware. I’ve got back-to-back fund-raisers lined up for the next two months. And now I’ve got Pamela’s funeral to worry about.”
“Gosh, just think, a fund-raiser and your daughter’s funeral in the same time slot,”
Irene murmured. “Which will it be? Choices, choices.”
There was a short, stunned silence. Luke watched every jaw in the room except his own drop so har t was a wonder they didn’t all crack on the floor.
Ryland recovered first. Dismissing Irene, he fixed his attention on Luke. “I’m not entirely clear on why the two of you went to see Pamela last night.”
“It’s complicated,” Luke said.
Irene took the recorder out of her pocket and clipped it to the strap of her shoulder bag. She reached into another pocket and removed a pen and a notepad.
“Senator Webb, I’m with the
Glaston Cove Beacon.
As you may or may not know, we announced your daughter’s death in today’s edition.”
“That’s impossible,” Hoyt snapped. “None of the media even know about Pamela’s death yet.”
“I just told you, I’m a reporter,” Irene said patiently. “The story ran this morning.
You can also find it at the
Beacons
online site.” She turned back to Ryland. “Can you tell us if there will be an autopsy performed on your daughter to determine cause of death?”
Anger flashed across Ryland’s face, but only for a split second. He veiled it almost instantly. “I realiz hat finding Pamela’s body last night must have been a terrible shock for you, Irene.
But I must make it clear that I have no intention of discussing the details of my daughter’s death with any member of the press, not even you. This is an intensely personal matter as I’m sure you, of all people,
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