Page 10 of The Price of Honey

For a confused moment Honey thinks they are talking about her, but then she sees they are looking past her at Luisa Long, who is hurrying behind the police, pulling on one arm of her coat while talking urgently on her phone.

“Those boys would never have achieved anything without her,” says Rita. She holds out her glass to a passing waiter. “Oh, yes, please, just a little top-up.”

Luisa Long abruptly stops at the exit as if sensing their scrutiny. She looks back at them, her phone by her side. Honey wonders how that endlessly diligent woman will fix an error of this magnitude. Surely it won’t be possible. It’s acatastrophicerror.

She thinks:But Luisa Long checks every detail.

She turns in time to see Rita’s eyes widen with the same revelation. She hears Meredith’s inhalation and feels Svetlana’s sudden clutch of her arm.

“Mac told me he’s been asked to step aside,” says Meredith. “‘Irregularities’ have come to light.”

Honey says, “So do we think Luisa Long is—”

Svetlana sighs with pleasure. “Taking over the whole damned—”

“Yes,” says Rita. “Yes.”

Together, as one, the wives lift their glasses high. Luisa nods. Just once. Then she’s gone.