intents and purposes, the party’s over.”
“I suppose,” Liza said dismally. “Can you imagine what the coverage will be like in tomorrow’s paper once the reporters get wind of this? I’m surprised the place isn’t overrun already.”
“It is,” Michael told them. “The police are keeping them at bay. I’ll see if we can’t slip out to the parking lot via the south access road, rather than going through the front door. We should be able to evade the bulk of them that way.”
While he went off to have one last conversation with Detective Abrams and the other investigating officers, Molly regarded Liza with concern. “I’m sorry I gave you such a rough time earlier, but I’m worried about you. Are you really okay?”
“Okay?” Liza said, a hysterical note in her voice that Molly had never heard before from a woman who climbed mountains and trekked through rain forests without a qualm. “Of course I’m not okay. I might have hated Tessa but I didn’t want to see her murdered and I especially didn’t want her to die in the middle of a party that meant a lot to all these environmental projects she championed. Do you know what it’ll be like to get someone to chair the next event after this?”
“That reminds me,” Molly said, hoping to put things into perspective for Liza. The evening might have turned bleak, but the future held brighter potential. “You obviously made quite an impression on Jason Jeffries. He said he would underwrite the next fund-raiser, if you’ll chair it. He suggested next winter, when Miami is packed with wealthy snowbirds. He doesn’t seem worried that you’ll have any problem surpassing the success of this event.”
“What success?” Liza moaned. “Our profits are probably nil. The guests are all being detained as murder suspects. My best friend thinks I could be a killer. And the caterer will probably sue because his antique silver candlestick is missing. Neville charges for every damned napkin. God knows what price tag he’ll put on that candlestick.”
“Liza, I do not think you’re a killer,” Molly said indignantly, though she had to admit she could see where Liza might have gotten that idea.
“You may not
want
to think that, but you’ve definitely considered the possibility. You’ve gone into that same mother-hen mode you adopt when your son has done something wrong, but you’re determined to present the best possible side of things to anyone who might attack him for it.”
“I know you did not kill Tessa Lafferty,” Molly said with more conviction. “But I do think that you’re high on the list of suspects, especially if you refuse to explain where you disappeared to in the middle of the party. Let me help.”
“I’m not worried for myself, dammit. I’m worried about what will happen to the environmental coalition I worked so damned hard to form. Now everyone will want to go back to their own narrow interests and that’s no way to impact legislation.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about that. Not really,” Molly insisted. Michael’s earlier assessment had come to the same conclusion. At the time she had vehemently disagreed, but now she could see how all the attention could be turned into a public relations coup if it were managed properly. “This party will be the talk of the town tomorrow,” she promised.
Liza regarded her with a wry expression. “You’re certainly right about that, but it won’t be the sort of talk likely to advance our cause. If the killer’s goal was to divide us all, he couldn’t have picked a better way to do it. No one will want to be affiliated with a coalition when its board members are being killed off.”
“Not necessarily. Why don’t we find Caroline Viera and get some advice on how to handle this with the press? We’ll need a plan if we run into any stray reporters on the way out.”
They found a stoic, somber Caroline Viera at her husband’s side. Normally charming and outgoing,
“I suppose,” Liza said dismally. “Can you imagine what the coverage will be like in tomorrow’s paper once the reporters get wind of this? I’m surprised the place isn’t overrun already.”
“It is,” Michael told them. “The police are keeping them at bay. I’ll see if we can’t slip out to the parking lot via the south access road, rather than going through the front door. We should be able to evade the bulk of them that way.”
While he went off to have one last conversation with Detective Abrams and the other investigating officers, Molly regarded Liza with concern. “I’m sorry I gave you such a rough time earlier, but I’m worried about you. Are you really okay?”
“Okay?” Liza said, a hysterical note in her voice that Molly had never heard before from a woman who climbed mountains and trekked through rain forests without a qualm. “Of course I’m not okay. I might have hated Tessa but I didn’t want to see her murdered and I especially didn’t want her to die in the middle of a party that meant a lot to all these environmental projects she championed. Do you know what it’ll be like to get someone to chair the next event after this?”
“That reminds me,” Molly said, hoping to put things into perspective for Liza. The evening might have turned bleak, but the future held brighter potential. “You obviously made quite an impression on Jason Jeffries. He said he would underwrite the next fund-raiser, if you’ll chair it. He suggested next winter, when Miami is packed with wealthy snowbirds. He doesn’t seem worried that you’ll have any problem surpassing the success of this event.”
“What success?” Liza moaned. “Our profits are probably nil. The guests are all being detained as murder suspects. My best friend thinks I could be a killer. And the caterer will probably sue because his antique silver candlestick is missing. Neville charges for every damned napkin. God knows what price tag he’ll put on that candlestick.”
“Liza, I do not think you’re a killer,” Molly said indignantly, though she had to admit she could see where Liza might have gotten that idea.
“You may not
want
to think that, but you’ve definitely considered the possibility. You’ve gone into that same mother-hen mode you adopt when your son has done something wrong, but you’re determined to present the best possible side of things to anyone who might attack him for it.”
“I know you did not kill Tessa Lafferty,” Molly said with more conviction. “But I do think that you’re high on the list of suspects, especially if you refuse to explain where you disappeared to in the middle of the party. Let me help.”
“I’m not worried for myself, dammit. I’m worried about what will happen to the environmental coalition I worked so damned hard to form. Now everyone will want to go back to their own narrow interests and that’s no way to impact legislation.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about that. Not really,” Molly insisted. Michael’s earlier assessment had come to the same conclusion. At the time she had vehemently disagreed, but now she could see how all the attention could be turned into a public relations coup if it were managed properly. “This party will be the talk of the town tomorrow,” she promised.
Liza regarded her with a wry expression. “You’re certainly right about that, but it won’t be the sort of talk likely to advance our cause. If the killer’s goal was to divide us all, he couldn’t have picked a better way to do it. No one will want to be affiliated with a coalition when its board members are being killed off.”
“Not necessarily. Why don’t we find Caroline Viera and get some advice on how to handle this with the press? We’ll need a plan if we run into any stray reporters on the way out.”
They found a stoic, somber Caroline Viera at her husband’s side. Normally charming and outgoing,
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