“We just finished building the most fabulous house here, and thank God it was ready just in time. I mean, who would stay in New York this week? We went to Southampton for a night, and even that wasn’t far away enough. Oh my God, it’s so creepy!” Judy forensically examined Samantha. She looked weather-beaten but somehow even more riveting. “What are you doing here?” Judy was talking at a hundred miles an hour.

“Oh, I thought I’d get some books from the library.”

“Me, too.” She was in super-best-friend mode and was working overtime to remember everything Samantha uttered so she could immediately call Clarice. “I thought I’d get Albert all of Proust so he’d read and just let me ski.” She pointed to Samantha’s shopping bag. “Have you been shopping? Show and tell!”

“Oh, it’s just a ski thing.” Samantha was evasive.

“I wanna see! I wanna see!” Judy pulled at the shopping bag as if they were schoolgirls.

Samantha stuck her hand in the bag and showed her a small corner of her yellow purchase.

“Oh I love it!” Judy squealed. “It was in the window at Gorsuch. I would have bought it but I’m just too tall. But I bet you look fantastic in it.”

“Thank you.” Samantha didn’t know what to say. “Actually, I’m so happy when I’m skiing I don’t really care what I’m wearing.”

“Me, too. It’s my absolute favorite thing in the world to do. The one time I feel completely free.”

Samantha remembered the night in Palm Beach when Judy had said something about wanting to set tracks on fresh snow.

“That’s right. You’re a wonderful skier,” Samantha said.

“I used to ski as a kid at places near Modesto. Dodge Ridge or Mount Shasta. My dad took me.”

This was the first time Judy had ever openly mentioned Modesto to her.

“My dad was a cop and we used to go to the mountains with these forest rangers he knew. It was the only time I remember being happy in my childhood.”

Samantha hadn’t seen Judy since she read about her social alliance with Clarice. But here in front of the Aspen library there was something very grounded about her.

“I guess you heard about Pippa Rose’s daughter.” Judy was chattering again. “She was unbelievably talented. But it’s ridiculous to let a child get so involved in ballet. What’s the poor thing going to do now? And I hear she’s no academic genius either.”

Judy’s moment of human revelation had passed. Samantha watched as Judy’s lips kept moving, and didn’t listen to any of it. “Can you join us for dinner tonight?” Judy snapped back into focus.

“No,” Samantha answered. “I’m having dinner with Barry Santorini. We’re here together.”

Samantha turned without even glancing at Judy and walked into the silent library.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO