headed for the giant short-faced bear exhibit. She sat down on its platform, set down her plate and glass, and took up the sandwich. Just when she thought she had picked a secluded spot without leaving the party completely, she saw Signy, like a red beacon, gliding toward her, a bright smile on her face and wine in hand.
“Diane. I’m glad you’re alone. The party’s great, but I’ll bet you’re frazzled.”
It would have been rude to tie her to the bear and stuff an apple in her mouth, so Diane gave her the best smile she could manage.
“I’m holding up. I hope Mark had a chance to enjoy the exhibits before he had to leave.” Diane took a bite of sandwich.
“Oh, he loved them.” Signy sat down and nearly tipped her wine onto the platform, spilling a few drops, which started to run toward the middle of the exhibit. “Oops, good save,” she said, giggling, catching it before losing the whole glass.
Diane wiped up the running spill with her napkin as Signy moved her China plate and wineglass. Diane was wondering if she should have closed down the wine bar. She looked up, wine-stained napkin in hand, as Alix and Melissa approached, offering fresh napkins.
“Dr. Fallon, Mrs. Grayson. You’re just the two we need to see.”
Diane nodded a thank you and finished the cleanup. The two musicians began a two-pronged conversation with her and Signy. Melissa asked about playing at a Junior League function of which Signy was an officer, and Alix seemed to be inquiring about a summer job.
Diane was grateful to have Signy Grayson’s attention diverted from what she knew was going to be a pitch for her husband. As Melissa talked to Signy, Alix picked up Diane’s plate and wineglass and handed them to her as the violinist sat down on the exhibit platform opposite Diane.
“We’ve both had experience working at Disney World.” She launched into an animated Disney World greeting, and Diane laughed. “They teach you to be very friendly,” said Alix. “Melissa and I would really like to do something with the children’s programs at the museum.”
“Why don’t you and Melissa bring your resumes by this week and leave them with Andie? Disney World has pretty tough standards-that’s certainly in your favor-and we’re looking for assistants for our docents, the tour guides. With your qualifications, there shouldn’t be a problem. You will have to put in some time learning the exhibits.”
“Great! You’ll have our resumes tomorrow morning.”
“It looks like with your music and a job at the museum, the two of you are going to be busy.”
“Daddy always said that all play and no work makes one very poor.” Alix rose and shook Diane’s hand. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for us. Melissa, I think we’d better get back to our violins.”
“Well,” said Signy, watching the girls’ retreating backs and retrieving her glass of wine, “they are certainly an energetic pair.”
“Youth,” said Diane.
Signy frowned, as if she’d been insulted, but after a moment her face brightened. “Diane, I wanted to give you a word to the wise. I really think you should give Mark’s ideas some thought.”
“Signy, do you really think Milo went forward with his plans”-Diane gestured, taking in the room-“without giving considerable thought to the alternatives? He looked into several possibilities before deciding to renovate this location. He considered it to be by far the best, and I agree.”
“I’m just asking you to give it some more thought,” said Signy. “Mark will win. He always does. That’s all I’m going to say on the matter.” She smiled and sipped her wine.
When everyone had gone and only Leonard, the night guard, and the cleaning crew remained in the museum, Diane climbed into her car, almost too tired to drive home. Despite her exhaustion, she made it home without running her car into a tree, and went straight to bed without even expending the energy to take off her makeup. Cold crisp sheets on bare skin-it felt good. She slept until 7:30 in the morning-when the phone rang.
Chapter 7
“Did I wake you?” Frank’s voice sounded like a rasp on sandstone.
“Frank, are you all right?” Diane asked.
“Can I come over?”
Diane hesitated a moment, filled with dread about hearing details of murder. But these were Frank’s friends. And so was she. “Sure. I’ll fix you breakfast,” she said.
“I’ll bring it. It’s the least I can do for waking you up.”
Diane jumped out of bed and into the shower. She had just pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt when the door- bell rang. After slicking her wet hair back with a comb, she opened the door.
Frank was in running sweats, but she could tell from the smell of shampoo that he hadn’t been running. He set two sacks on the table. The bulky one was filled with doughnuts; the other with cups of coffee from Vance’s Cafe.
“I’ll make us some bacon and scrambled eggs to go with the doughnuts,” she said.
She also put on a pot of coffee. Why Frank liked Vance’s coffee was a mystery. To say it tasted like dredge from the Chattahoochee River was giving it flattery it didn’t deserve.
Diane microwaved strips of bacon while she scrambled three eggs. Frank stood in the doorway of the narrow efficiency kitchen as she worked. “Kevin had a great time last night. It was good of you to let him and his mother come.”
“No problem.” She took down a couple of plates from the cabinet and warmed them in the oven. She felt awkward, like he had brought a huge gorilla in with him that neither of them wanted to mention, yet it was taking up so much space.
“I think Cindy’s husband, David, was the one who wanted to come, to rub elbows with some of the big guys.”
“And did he?” Diane asked.
“Must have. Cindy said she wants to invite us over for supper next week.”
“Us?”
“You and me.”
Diane looked over at Frank through narrowed eyes.
“She’s not matchmaking.”
“No. I don’t think she is. I think Mark Grayson is using David to try and talk me into selling the museum property.”
“What’s that about?”
“Grayson hopes to make a killing on a big real estate sale he’s cooking up involving the museum. I imagine he wants to buy it himself and sell it for a heck of a lot more than he would pay for it.” Diane divided the scrambled eggs and slices of bacon-two-thirds on Frank’s plate and one-third on hers. “It’s all rather complicated, and I’m not sure how he plans to accomplish it without gutting the museum’s holdings. He’s been trying to push the old Vista Building on me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he holds an interest in that.”
“Why is he after you and not the board?” Frank took a plate from her cupboard and stacked the doughnuts on it.
“Oh, he’s after them all right-to put pressure on me. But even if he gets every member of the board to sign off on it, he still has to convince me.”
“You have that much power?”
“I certainly do, thanks to Milo.” Diane stood with the plates in her hand, staring at the pyramid of assorted doughnuts. “Were you expecting an army of policemen?”
