One Grave Less

the nature of the scorpion to sting.”
    “Now, Diane,” clucked Laura.
    “Did she tell you I found her in the supply closet eavesdropping on my conversation with Martin?”
    The two of them raised their eyebrows. Laura had a drink halfway to her lips. Vanessa put her head in her hand and groaned.
    “What did she say to you exactly?” Diane asked them.
    “I don’t think that would help . . . ,” began Laura.
    Diane put a hand on her forearm. “It would help. This is my reputation, my career. I need to know the kind of life this rumor is taking on.” She looked directly in Laura’s eyes. “This can’t be smoothed over. It has to be dealt with.”
    “She’s right,” said Vanessa. She lifted a hand and waved for the waitress. “But let us order first. I’m very hungry.”
    Laura and Vanessa both ordered the salmon. Diane ordered a filet, rare. After the waitress brought the drinks, Diane looked at Laura.
    Laura sighed. “She said 48 Hours is looking to do an exposé on your drug dealings in South America.”
    Diane shook her head. “That’s not even the right media.” She told them about Martin Thormond’s call from Brian Mathews.
    “Brian Mathews is a travel reporter,” said Vanessa.
    “Yes, he is,” said Diane. “He is currently in Peru reporting.”
    “I don’t understand,” said Laura. “He called Martin from Peru? Why Martin? Why didn’t he call you? Or Vanessa? Or the police, even? I mean, if he heard some rumor in Peru?”
    “Why, indeed,” said Diane. “Of course, there is just the caller’s word that he was Brian Mathews.”
    “Oh,” said Laura. “Yes, I see. I didn’t think of that.”
    “Martin was rather furtive when he approached me as everyone was leaving. I know that Madge noticed him. I suspect she smelled a little gossip and hid in the closet . . . which has doors into the hallway and the boardroom. Apparently she did a little embellishing on the way to the restaurant.”
    “Apparently so,” said Vanessa.
    “Look,” said Diane, “I’ll take a hiatus until I figure . . .”
    Vanessa shook her head. “Every couple of months you offer to step down, whenever some drama happens. Stop it. I’ll have a long talk with Madge. She’ll listen to me.”
    Diane wasn’t so sure.
    “Why would someone do this?” asked Laura.
    “I don’t know,” said Diane. “But I will find out.”
    Their meals came and for a short while they concentrated on their food.
    “You know,” said Laura after a pause, “Thomas Barclay would be easier to get along with if you would ease up on him during meetings.”
    “I don’t know what you mean,” said Diane, cutting her steak and spearing the piece with her fork.
    “Yes, you do. You try to get under his skin,” said Laura. “He’s really not so bad.”
    “Perhaps. But from the board I need ideas and solutions. The first thing Thomas always wants to do is blame someone. That really doesn’t help. Now, Kenneth was helpful. But for someone whose job it is to keep track of the bottom line, Thomas was far off the mark wanting to close the night classes. But in the spirit of trying to get along with him, I’ll be glad to now have my wedding somewhere—”
    “Nice try, dear,” said Vanessa. “The invitations are out, we have your dress, everything is in play, as it were.”
    Diane sighed. “I hope it isn’t a white dress with a veil.” She had left all the wedding planning to Vanessa. “I’ve done the white dress thing.”
    “No, dear. No white dress, no veil,” said Vanessa.
    “I don’t want one of those floppy hats either . . . or a tiara . . . though I might be persuaded by a simple gold coronet.”
    Vanessa smiled. “I’m sorry, dear, I get to wear the coronet. You’ll have to wait to find out about the rest. We won’t embarrass you.”
    “You’ve seemed unsettled lately,” said Laura.
    “I’ve been thinking a lot about Ariel. And about Frank. Frank’s a good father. What he’s done with Star after her family was slaughtered is fantastic. And his son, Kevin, is a great kid. Ariel would have thrived in this environment,” said Diane. “I . . .”
    “Feel guilty about being happy,” said Laura.
    Diane shrugged. “Perhaps. It’s that terrible might-have-been that keeps after me.” She paused and pinched the bridge of her nose to keep herself from tearing up. “But this is what is. I’ll deal with it.”
    They ate in silence for several minutes.When they did speak it wasn’t about the museum