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“Either you can believe it or we can do this in the et”—she leaned forward and tapped a finger on his knee—“we are far from any of your powerful friends”

Stuart stared at her finger, and she withdrew it She wondered if she’d pushed him too far, but then he responded in the way she’d anticipated He laughed long, hard, and appreciatively As David ht have said, Stuart Miller was a successful businessman He kne to play his hand

“Ask away, Inspector, ask away”

But after all that, he had little to offer He’d last seen Lily the previous afternoon at the dig Yes, he had a teasing relationship with her, but he felt she’d understood it in the spirit he intended He couldn’t iine that Lily had any enemies, certainly none that would be here as part of the archaeological team

“Did you know that she represented the family that owns this hotel?” Hulan asked

“The Wangs, yes I enjoy Mada She’ll be sorry to hear what happened”

“Did you spend the night on board your boat?” Hulan inquired, shifting her focus

“Of course My daughter did too”

Hulan thought about asking hi with Catherine yesterday but decided against it Hulan had been the headstrong daughter of a headstrong man Her only hope for a remotely honest ansas from Catherine

“At lunch yesterday you mentioned the All-Patriotic Society Do you know if Lily was a member?”

If he was surprised by the question, he didn’t show it

“That would be very hard to iine”

“You’re sure she wasn’t a follower?”

“Let me put it this way, Inspector,” Stuart answered adroitly “Lily was about as secular as you can get If she practiced a religion, it would have to have been free enterprise”

“Do you know of anyone else in the hotel or affiliated with the dig who could be a member?”