Page 81 of Mission: Possible

Unfortunately, that wasn't an easy task. Annie Woodley was a popular name combination and I had to whittle my way through the results until I found one that lived in the right area and was the right age. A fundamental godsend was provided by a social media photo that featured a high school pennant in the background that I could easily cross-reference with the deceased Sophie's school. Lacking a phone number to contact her, I sent her an instant message and included my cellphone number, asking her to call me urgently.

While I waited, I browsed the internet. I started looking at dresses I wondered if I should buy and recipes I would never make. I still appreciated the mouth-watering pictures of the finished products. While I idly scrolled through pages that fit well into my fantasy lifestyle, I thought about Austen and Sophie’s serendipitous meeting at the theater. What were the chances of two people having such luck? Then I thought about the first time I saw Solomon, moodily waiting in the small room I was ushered into. Who knew I would end up where I was now thanks to that encounter? I wondered if Austen ever reflected on it. Out of sheer nosiness, I logged onto the The Playhouse's website and scrolled through their news blog. When I found the entries regarding the annual fundraiser, I blinked. Tickets cost two thousand dollars each!

"Hey," said Solomon, walking in. He rounded my desk and looked down at me, crossing his arms. "I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you would be working from home."

"I spoke to Austen and Lily dropped me off here."

"I can give you a ride home now, if you want?" Concern gripped his face as he watched me silently.

I shook my head and smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring manner. "I'm good for now. I'm just doing some research. Did you know tickets to fundraisers at The Playhouse cost two thousand dollars each?"

"Do you want tickets to an upcoming event?" asked Solomon.

"No, I was curious about the event where Austen met Sophie."

"Two thousand dollars is nothing for a man with Austen's bank balance."

"Sure, but what about Sophie? She couldn't afford that on a gift shop salary."

"Maybe someone gave it to her? Or she won it?"

"I guess. Quite a generous gift. Who would give someone a gift like that?"

"An employer?"

"Do you give your employees gifts like that?"

"No. I give bonuses for extra good work."

"Mmm. I like your bonuses," I said with a wink.

"I don't think you'd like me givingthosekind of bonuses to your colleagues."

I pulled a face. "Good point. Stick to cash. If you had a low salary, would you save up for an occasionthatexpensive?"

"Perhaps. If it were something I truly valued that I thought was worth the money it cost. Mostly, I'd focus on paying my bills, food and the basic necessities. Have you asked Austen?"

"I don't want to trouble him again today. There's no one else I can consult. I can't ask Zach because he's too scary and I can't call her former colleagues without appearing suspicious."

"Check her financial records."

"I already did. I would have noticed a withdrawal or a purchase of that size. She didn't have that kind of money. Have you ever been to one of their fundraisers?" I asked.

"I like the theater but not enough to plunk down two thousand dollars for one ticket."

"I was wondering more what kind of people attend those sorts of things."

"Have you ever considered asking your sister?"

"Serena? No. Why?"

"She tends to orbit esthetical affairs. If it's a pricey ticket, she might know something."

"Good idea," I decided. Not only did Serena like aspirational events, but she was also a happy social climber. Her ex-husband was the same, who unfortunately, happily decided to climb into bed with someone else. Despite having to endure the tragedy of a broken marriage, Serena knew he'd done her a huge favor.

Solomon said he had to make some calls and after he walked into his office, I checked my watch and called Serena. "Hello," she said. "I've been meaning to ask you for your pasta recipe. It was surprisingly good."

"Thanks!" I frowned, wondering what she was talking about. Then I realized. She was referring to my last-minute deli dash.