As she sat on a teak bench, sipping from a glass of pinotage, she reminisced with one of the first guests to arrive at the birthday party, a woman who had worked on her dad’s gubernatorial campaign last fall, and in the process become a friend. Above their heads, paper-thin yellow and black Chinese lanterns glowed in the deepening twilight. If Jane had been allowed to put in an order with the universe, she couldn’t have asked for a more perfect night. “Hey, Janey,” called Mel from the porch door, waving the cordless phone. “It’s Nolan.” She excused herself, cut across the grass, and went inside. Mel, looking festive in the jade green mandarin jacket Cordelia had bought her for the occasion, handed over the phone, then hoisted Hattie into her arms and carried her off into the dining room. The kitchen was humming with activity, so Jane retreated down the rear hall to her study and closed the door. “Hi,” said Jane. “You got my message.” After returning to the house with Hattie, Jane had given Nolan, her PI buddy, a call.
