Page 16 of The Nature of Secrets

“Thank you.” Finley took the list and entered the conference room. “Jessica.” She reached across the table. “I’m Finley O’Sullivan. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.”

The other woman gave Finley’s hand a quick squeeze. “I’m happy to help. This is such a shocking tragedy.” She tilted her head, her long dark hair sliding over her shoulder, and made a sad face. “I still can’t believe it.”

Finley wondered if she meant the missing money or the murder. She retrieved her notepad and pen from her bag. “How long have youworked with Ellen?” Everyone here seemed to use first names. Might as well go with the flow.

“From the beginning.”

Lauder appeared to be in her late thirties, early forties. Finley was surprised she had been with the boss from day one.

“Then you know Ellen well.” This could prove problematic. Sometimes those closest to a person were less forthcoming in a foolish effort to be protective.

“We actually attended Emory together.” Lauder tucked an errant strand of dark hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture. A blush instantly tinged her cheeks. “I graduated high school at thirteen and advanced straight into my sophomore year at Emory. Ellen was a senior. I was very fortunate that she was chosen as my mentor.”

Made sense considering she looked about ten years younger than Winthrop. “When did Ellen meet Jarrod Grady?” Winthrop had answered many of these questions last night, but Finley wanted each interviewee’s take on those pivotal moments.

“In May—at her birthday party, actually.”

“He was a part of the catering service,” Finley said.

“Yes. It was the strangest thing.” Lauder shook her head. “The two of them met and sparks flew.” She shrugged, tapped her fingers on the notebook she’d been viewing. “Like everyone else,” she went on, “I had my doubts. Ellen and I have been friends for a very long time. She has never been the type to flip out over a guy. It was as if she took one look at him and decided he was hers.” Lauder laughed, the sound brittle. “You know, powerful men and women often come with that sort of reputation, but not Ellen. She is far too considerate to take advantage of anyone.” Another shrug. “So, believe it or not, whatever it was, it was real.”

Winthrop had a humanitarian reputation for sure, but that didn’t necessarily mean she couldn’t be ruthless when necessary. Few climbedto the top in their chosen careers without a cutthroat tactic or two and no doubt a skeleton or ten in their closets.

“What was the name of the catering service?” Finley prepared to make a note of it.

Lauder frowned. “I’m actually not sure. You might ask Tobye. I believe she finalized all the arrangements.”

“But you and”—Finley glanced at her list—“Vivian organized the birthday celebration, correct?” Vivian Ortez was the second name. Finley wondered if there was any sort of order to the list. Oldest friend first? Closest first? Certainly wasn’t in alphabetical order. Top of the food chain at the office first? Most likely to keep quiet first?

“That’s correct,” Lauder said. “Vivian and I basically sketched out what we wanted, and Tobye handled the details.”

Finley braced her forearms on the table. Who had planned her birthday party was just one of the many questions Winthrop had answered last night. The devil was always in the details, especially in a murder investigation, and the more often you asked the questions, the more details you learned.

“What did you think of Jarrod? Once you came to know him, I mean.”

Lauder reached for a bottle of water. Six bottles sat on the tray in the center of the table. “He was charming. Smart.” She made a surprised sound. “Smarter than I had expected.”

Finley waited, an unspoken nudge for her to go on.

Lauder downed a sip of water, screwed the top back into place as if buying time to gather her thoughts. “He appeared to genuinely care for Ellen. He was very attentive. Happy to do whatever she suggested.”

She stalled there. Waited for further instructions.

Smart. Finley would have chosen the same place to hesitate.

“Did you ever see or hear the two of them arguing? Did Ellen mention any issues between them? Disagreements? Disappointments?”

“That’s the really strange part,” Lauder said. She, too, braced her forearms on the table and leaned closer as if what she had to say next was for Finley’s ears only. “They never argued. Ever. Only a few weeks after they met, they were married. I’m confident the wedding would have happened sooner had Ellen been able to pull all the pieces together. Then on Friday she called us into her office for a private meeting.”

“Us?” Finley queried.

“Vivian Ortez, Daisy Adams, Liz—Elizabeth Everson—Joanna Reynolds, and myself.”

The five names on the list Tobye had given Finley.

“The five of you are ...?” Finley prompted.

“We’ve all been with Ellen from the beginning. We are her closest friends. Her most trusted partners.”

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