There was a noise at the top of the stairs and Susan found herself hurrying to Cooper’s side. As she stepped beside him, two male shapes appeared side-by-side at the top of the stairs she had descended minutes before. The men were both in tuxedos, their faces shadowed and masked, but Susan knew Leo right away. She wanted to run to him, but she felt Cooper’s hand tighten around her shoulder. Leo didn’t see her, or at least didn’t recognize her. Susan could tell by the way his attention was fixed on the other man. The second man was older, the same height as Leo, but a bit thicker, and accompanied by the orange glow of a lit cigar. Jack Reynolds, Leo’s father. Susan could smell the cigar from ten feet away.

Jack had his hand on the back of Leo’s neck as they walked. With another father and son, it might be an intimate paternal gesture, but Susan could tell by Leo’s stiff gait that there was nothing paternal about this. Jack wasn’t so much guiding Leo as he was steering him.

Leo stopped on the stairs and Susan saw his posture harden. He’d seen her. She lifted her mask and waved it meekly at him. She couldn’t make out his face—it was too dark up there. Jack laughed and slapped Leo on the back and then left him and jogged down the last few stairs and over to where Cooper and Susan were standing in the lamplight.

“There’s our surprise guest,” Jack said cheerily to Susan. He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her on both cheeks. He stank of cigars and liquor. She could feel the heat of the cigar in his hand against her arm. “A vision of loveliness,” Jack said. “I knew Star could put something together for you. She wants to be a stylist. Such a waste. She fucks like a jackrabbit. We’ve all wet our dicks in her. Hey, Leo,” he called back toward the stairs, “did you ever think you’d share a fuck with Archie Sheridan?”

She flinched when he said it. Jack must have seen it, because he smiled. He looked like one of the gargoyles. Susan had seen Gretchen Lowell smile like that, too. It was the pleasure that came from causing people pain.

“What is she doing here, Jack?” Leo asked from the stairs. His voice was firm but strained, and it made Susan feel even worse for coming, because Leo so clearly had no idea she would be here.

Jack stepped beside Susan and put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. “The social event of the season, and you don’t invite your girlfriend?” he called up to Leo. “You’ve been banging this one since what, January? And you’ve yet to bring her out to the house. I was starting to think you were embarrassed by me.”