Nora slipped away while everyone argued about the trust.
She knew she probably shouldn't.
Security had ordered guests to remain where they were.
But nobody was watching the staff.
That was one advantage of being invisible.
She crossed behind the head table and moved along the wall.
The man was gone.
Nora scanned the guests.
Nothing.
"Looking for someone?"
She nearly jumped.
Ethan stood behind her.
"You shouldn't sneak up on people."
"You shouldn't wander around an active crime scene."
"Is it officially a crime scene now?"
"My father nearly drank something his fiancée secretly poured into his wine. What would you call it?"
"A very bad engagement."
For the first time, Ethan almost smiled.
Almost.
Then his expression returned to normal.
"Who were you looking for?"
Nora considered lying.
Instead, she pointed toward the orchestra.
"There was a man standing there."
"There are seventy men standing in this room."
"This one was watching Celeste."
"So?"
"She kept looking at him."
Ethan glanced toward Celeste.
"She looked at him after your father asked what she put in the wine. And again when Mr. Hale mentioned the trust."
That got his attention.
"What did he look like?"
Nora described him.
Ethan's face changed.
"You know him."
"Maybe."
"Who?"
Before Ethan could answer, a voice came from behind them.
"Mr. Whitmore."
A security guard approached.
"We have a problem."
"What?"
"One of the service exits was opened after the lockdown."
Ethan's eyes sharpened.
"When?"
"Approximately four minutes ago."
"Who used it?"
"We're checking cameras."
Nora looked back toward the corner.
The man was definitely gone.
Ethan turned to the guard.
"Find him."
The guard left.
Nora crossed her arms.
"Still think I'm imagining things?"
"I never said that."
"You implied worse."
Ethan exhaled.
"My father has enemies."
"So does every billionaire."
"My father has enemies who can afford to make people disappear."
That wiped away her sarcasm.
Ethan looked at her.
"You should leave when security clears you."
"You locked the doors."
"You know what I mean."
"And Celeste?"
"Not your problem."
"She became my problem when she tried to poison a man three feet away from me."
"We don't know that it was poison."
"Fine. Secret mystery liquid. Much better."
Ethan studied her.
"You're not afraid enough."
Nora gave him a tired smile.
"You don't know enough about my life to decide what should scare me."
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then a security guard shouted from across the ballroom.
Everyone turned.
A waiter had collapsed near the service entrance.
Nora recognized him.
Daniel Cross.
The bartender who had prepared Adrian's wine.
She ran.
Ethan followed.
Daniel lay on his side, gasping.
His hand clenched around something.
Nora crouched.
"Daniel?"
His eyes found hers.
He tried to speak.
"What happened?"
His fingers opened.
A small brass key fell onto the carpet.
Then he whispered two words.
"Wine cellar."
His eyes closed.
Someone screamed.
Ethan grabbed Nora's shoulder.
"Don't touch anything."
She looked at the key.
Then at him.
"What's in the wine cellar?"
Ethan's expression told her he already knew the answer.
"My father's private safe."
