"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.
"Almost tasted store-bought but of course, you wouldn't do that when the rest of the family made all their dishes from scratch."
"Of course not," I huffed as I rolled my eyes and mentally scrambled for a plausible lie. "I perfected the recipe over many hours of practice. Too bad it came from a printout I got on the internet and accidentally tossed into the trash."
"Oh. Never mind. Why are you calling?" she snipped.
"I can't call just to say hi to my sister?"
"Uh..." Serena paused and I imagined her mental cogs whirring. "That's sweet of you. I'm very busy. You could stop by for lunch this weekend."
"Thanks. Of course I know how busy you are and don't want to keep you," I said, smoothing my way into the question I wanted to ask. "I wondered if you knew anything about the annual fundraiser that’s held at The Playhouse?"
"Of course I do. I went to one with Ted years ago. We saw the show and they served an elegant dinner afterwards with a jazz band that featured the most sublime singer. Ted spent the whole night handing out his business cards and the next month playing golf with all the subsequent new contacts."
"So… they're like business networking things?"
"More like a gathering of Montgomery's 'movers and shakers'. They only have one fundraiser a year and everyone who's anyone vies for a ticket. Ted got ours because one of the senior partners at his firm couldn't make it after they bought a whole table. Why? Do you have a case involving the next one? I could help you navigate your way through it. You'll need a new dress to start."
"By movers and shakers, you mean...?"
"Rich people, Lexi. I'm surprised Solomon hasn't taken you there yet. I'm sure some of the attendees are theater fans but a lot of business deals get signed there. Contacts are made. Being seen with the right crowd is free PR, if you know what I mean."
"I do."
"The bidding is blind so that's easy too. I'm sure people write down any old number even if they don't want the item on offer just to look more generous, but at least it results in a big wad of cash for the theater."
"Bidding?"
"To win the donated prizes. The year Ted and I went there, one of the prizes was a week in Napa, another was season tickets for the Red Sox, another was dinner and a night at The Marchmont Hotel, and a portrait painting and a whole bunch of other expensive things. Ted bid on the Red Sox tickets."
"Did he win?"
"Of course not. The winning bid was crazy. Ted just wanted to look fancy to his colleagues. The whole idea is to splash the cash very blatantly even if no one directly comments on it."
I scribbled the information on my notepad. "Thanks for your help. I appreciate it," I told her.
"Oh, well, yes, of course. And you might suggest that Solomon buy a table. Antonio will look great in a tux and I'll be happy to help you get through it so you don't look like Philistines."
"That’s so kind of you," I said dryly. After thanking her again, I disconnected.
A heavy feeling lodged in the pit of my stomach. The fundraiser was the place where people made deals. What if Sophie went there to make