husband witnessed the accident because he was traveling behind her in his own vehicle with his sister. According to the report, she wasn't survived by any other family members, just her husband and sister-in-law. The reporter tracked down a friend, Annie, who was reported as saying, "Sophie was my best friend through high school and college. She was always a careful driver and I'm heartbroken to hear about the accident." The friend added, "Sophie was such a joy to be around and had everything to live for. She will be dearly missed". Zach didn't provide any comment. The article ended after a brief list of Sophie's accomplishments: a teaching assistant role at a college, a peer-reviewed academic paper on art that was very well received, and an award for raising a sizable amount of money for a high-school classmate who suffered an accident during their senior year.
I sat back and contemplated everything I read. It seemed so sad that a young woman with so much potential could lose her life at so young an age. Now, Zach's anger made more sense; perhaps he simply misdirected his grief and possibly suffered from PTSD after witnessing his wife’s horrific death. Then I thought back to the frigid coldness I glimpsed in his eyes when he pushed me, and I wasn't so sure.
One crucial factor stood out: someone potentially knew both Sophies and Zach. I had to track her down.
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 giving those kind 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 occasion that expensive?"
"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