“Yes, and there’s Detective Malloy. Jill’s here, too, and her date is a Shorewood cop.”

“Jesus God,” murmured Penberthy. “When is it going to happen?”

“I don’t know, but don’t worry, they won’t do it in front of everyone. They’re supposed to let me know when everything’s set up.”

“Why you?”

“Oh, I’m going to be in at the kill. In fact, I get to take the first bite.”

“Jesus God.” The dance ended; Penberthy assumed a patently false look of indifference and escorted her back to her date.

During a break, the mayor came by and suggested to Hud that so long as he was here he might take Betsy around and show her the features of the club, since they would be using it for the fund-raiser next month. Hud seemed pleased to get out of the ballroom, which was a trifle warm. He showed Betsy the enormous fireplace lounge (two, count ‘em, fireplaces), the long screened porch that overlooked yet another bay, the dining room, the intimate café, and the indoor pool.

Betsy’s opinion of the Lafayette Club racheted up another notch with every feature. The suggested cost of a ticket to the fund-raiser, she remarked to Hud, was not high enough.

“Yes, but if they pay a lot for a ticket, then they won’t feel a need to buy anything at the auction.”

“Oh. Yes, I suppose you’re right.” They were back in the café, which was deserted and dimly lit, lined with semicircular booths in red tufted leather. There was the warm smell of coffee in the air. “Here’s where they make the greatest coffee in the state,” said Hud. “They’ll start serving it soon.”

“Minnesotans sure drink a lot of coffee.”

“We’re probably near the top per capita,” said Hud, but with an air of intimacy that did not match the topic.

She looked up at him, his smiling face, the bright hair, the broad shoulders. “Hud, did you really have to murder my sister?”

He stood perfectly still for several long seconds. “What are you talking about?” His voice was still soft, as if he hadn’t understood.

“Is the T‘ang horse the only thing you’ve stolen from the museum?”

That caught his attention. “Stolen? I haven’t stolen anything!”