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“It was the kind of send-off Daniel Matherly merited, I suppose. I’m just glad it’s over. Now the rest of us can stop applauding his life and resume living our own.”
“Ordinarily you enjoy being in the limelight. I thought the role of loyal and bereaved son-in-law would have appealed to you.”
He laid his hand over his heart. “I did my best.” Their martinis arrived. They clinked glasses, sipped. “Actually, it wasn’t all that bad, except for having to keep Maris’s hysteria at bay.”
“Wasn’t it natural for her to be upset?”
“Her behavior went beyond normal grief.” She gave up her study of the feathers and looked at him. “My wife got the harebrained notion that I was responsible for her father’s fall.” He peered past the veil into Nadia’s eyes. “Can you imagine that?”
She raised the martini glass to her lips. “Yes. I can.”
The steadiness of her gaze was a bit unnerving. He deliberately mistook her meaning. “Maris has always been excitable and reactionary, but this time she carried it to the extreme.”
“At the funeral, she seemed the picture of composure.”
“True. But once it was over, she lost all reason. She coerced the local police in Massachusetts to reinvestigate the fatal accident.”
“And?”
“Naturally they found nothing to substantiate her suspicions.”
“How lucky for you.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it, Nadia.”
“I’m sure that’s true.” She stared out over the crowd, speaking almost to herself. “If you had pushed the old gentleman down the staircase, you would be shrewd enough not to get caught.”
“I didn’t. But you’re right. I would be shrewd enough not to get caught. And that’s why you like me so well.”
She turned back to him. “True. I would never become involved with a loser. I wouldn’t hitch my wagon to a falling star. Only to one that’s ascending.”
“We’re so much alike it’s frightening.” Leaning closer to her, he added confidentially, “At least it should be frightening to everyone else.” Complacently he took another sip of his martini. “Anyhow, Daniel’s dead and buried. That’s the good news.”
“For God’s sake, Noah.” She glanced around as though fearing that he’d been overheard. “What’s the bad?”
“Not bad, darling. Better. His death was the final nail in the coffin of my marriage. It is now beyond repair.”
She raised her glass to toast him. “Congratulations or condolences?”
“Definitely the former. Because I have even better news than that.”
“I can hardly wait.”
“Are you sure you want me to tell you here and now? It may bring on an orgasm.”
“Have you ever known me to turn down an opportunity like that?”
His smile widened. “Before his accid
ental fall, I persuaded Daniel to sign an important power-of-attorney document. It enables me to sell Matherly Press to WorldView, and Maris can’t do a damn thing about it.”
Nadia’s eyes went wide with bewilderment. “But Matherly Press isn’t yours to sell.”
“Nadia! There you are!” Morris Blume suddenly materialized on the other side of the table.
Noah hadn’t noticed his approach, and he didn’t welcome the intrusion. His plan for this evening had been to wine, dine, and romance Nadia back into his good graces. Before proceeding with WorldView, he wanted her well entrenched in his cheering section. He needed good press, and no one could provide that better than Nadia.
Of all the damn luck, running into Morris Blume. WorldView’s CEO looked as colorless as ever in a gray suit, gray shirt, silver tie. To Noah, even his teeth and gums looked unhealthily gray as he smiled down at them.
