Chapter Three: The Dead Woman in the Ring

They traced the rings first. The Gu steward claimed the box remained sealed. The jeweler produced records proving the woman’s ring originally bore C.L. Security footage showed that before reaching the studio, the package had stopped for eleven minutes at the Gu-owned Lanting Hotel. Another engagement party had taken place there that night. The groom was Victor Gu’s private secretary, Howard Han. The bride was Evelyn Cheng, a pianist recently returned from abroad. Mira entered as a venue consultant and surveyed the champagne tower, cake, and boutonnieres. Any object might answer her question. Any one might also make her collapse. “One object at a time,” Adrian said behind her. “Are you ordering your planner?”