sound was the clinking of silver against china a

too loud. She needed to regain control.

ne tradition alive," Amanda chirped. She signaled to a maid. "I had t

late of small, intricate pastries an

e reached for a glass and slid it across the po

lass. The bubbles rose

jà

se Amanda. Twenty minutes later, she had become hysterical, crying and laughing uncontrollably at the tabl

It was a cocktail

She looked at Amanda. "I'm not

adition! Don't be a spoilsport. Cordero hates

nda. He was still watching

ched into the sleeve of her cardigan. "I have... I have some vitamin

a was trying to retrieve the second pa

mall, amber plastic bott

e with a loud t

inning past the floral centerpiece, and came to

sto

forward, trying to grab it

t out and clamped over the bott

a asked. Her voice w

stammered. Her face was drain

under Elaina's hand. He loo

he bottle. There was no label. "Funny. Calcium pil

ap. "Should we put one in the champagne? I

st her chair tipped over backward with a

id and menacing. He reached out and pl

to the light.

terrifyingly quiet. "We found this on a guest at th

Amanda. It was colde

al narcotics at my bre

rventilating. "Someone must have

ck coffee. It was bitter and

ns," Elaina mused aloud. "In

glass of champagne in front of Elaina. The realization hit him.

idn't explode. That

he bottle in

" he said

ro, pl

t of my

ated venom at Elaina. She grabbed her purse and ran out o

the champagne glass. He picked it up and pour

his eyes-he wasn't ready for that. But the disgust

to the offi

d and wa

ee cup down. Her hand was trembling sli

on the fi