Really, I’m just a bit obsessive and meticulous. But it helps in this line of work.” She motioned to the room around them with an open palm.
Ben chuckled. “I’ve no doubt. The ball was fantastic, by the way. Josh said you were responsible for that.”
Before she could respond, Dag glided to her side. He was smiling, but his cheeks were a bit pale. “Emma, I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I just had a teensy question.” He blinked rapidly at Ben in what Emma thought was possibly supposed to be a reassuring expression. It failed miserably.
“It’s okay, Dag. Ben is a friend of Mr. Owens’. What’s the problem?” She touched Dag’s elbow gently. He occasionally got a bit overwhelmed, but she found if you forced him to concentrate on one thing, he got right back on track.
The blond spoke in a rush. “The Hilton kitchen staff swears up and down that they never received delivery of the smoked salmon en croute. Barry says he personally dropped it off, but he can’t read the signature on the delivery slip. Meanwhile, no one knows were the salmon is now!” Dag’s fingers were white where he gripped his clipboard.
Ben’s champagne glass hung in the air halfway to his lips as he stared at Dag. Emma had to admit, it was an awful lots of words to force out in one breath. She squeezed Dag’s arm. “Breathe, Dag. We know Barry’s trustworthy, so think. If the salmon got delivered, by Barry , where might it be?”
“He... oh! Barry always delivers in the front. So...” Dag drew the word out, eyebrows creeping like caterpillars up and down his forehead as he thought it through. “Check the restaurant on the first floor?”
“Check the restaurant on the first floor,” Emma confirmed, patting his shoulder. “I’m betting they got our salmon by mistake. But if not, there’s Cumin crusted Chilean sea bass on green rice in the walk-in on the left. Make sure to use the ones in the blue boxes. The red boxes were cooked in Canola oil and Holly Harper from the Tribune is allergic. Those need to be returned.”
Dag exhaled, the color in his cheeks coming back. “Right. Right. Okay, great!” He slipped back into the crowd, his grin much more genuine now. Ben gave a low whistle.
“Josh was right.”
Emma cocked her head. “About what?”
“How do you know Holly Harper is allergic to Canola oil?” he countered.
“It’s actually just an ingredient in the oil. She wears a medical alert bracelet.” Emma shrugged. She’d done her due diligence on every member of the press who’d be here today. That was her job. She’d made sure none of them had crusades against Josh personally or Hollywood in general too. They didn’t want this turning into anything beyond an announcement by the Eugenie Markham Foundation about an upcoming project.
Ben drained his champagne and set the empty glass on a passing waitress’s tray. “Still pretty impressive.”
“Of course she is,” Josh said, appearing to clap Ben on the back. “Didn’t I tell you?”
“Yeah, but since when do I ever listen to you?”
Emma’s smile froze on her face. Would Ben mention her offer of help? Josh might find that a bit suspicious. He had said she should help Ben once the luncheon was over, but it had been a joke. Maybe she could convince him she’d thought he was serious? “Josh, what are you doing? You and Eugenie are supposed to be getting ready for the announcement.”
First the announcement, then a brief Q&A, and then finally food and cocktails. That was when Eugenie and Josh were supposed to mingle, once the press had a chance to digest the information about the dormitories.
“The Ranslers just arrived. I wanted to introduce you guys.” Josh nodded, encompassing both her and Ben in the gesture. She relaxed slightly. She had to stop assuming everything had something to do with her, Todd, and The Watch. Josh had other fish to fry too. She had to remember
Ben chuckled. “I’ve no doubt. The ball was fantastic, by the way. Josh said you were responsible for that.”
Before she could respond, Dag glided to her side. He was smiling, but his cheeks were a bit pale. “Emma, I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I just had a teensy question.” He blinked rapidly at Ben in what Emma thought was possibly supposed to be a reassuring expression. It failed miserably.
“It’s okay, Dag. Ben is a friend of Mr. Owens’. What’s the problem?” She touched Dag’s elbow gently. He occasionally got a bit overwhelmed, but she found if you forced him to concentrate on one thing, he got right back on track.
The blond spoke in a rush. “The Hilton kitchen staff swears up and down that they never received delivery of the smoked salmon en croute. Barry says he personally dropped it off, but he can’t read the signature on the delivery slip. Meanwhile, no one knows were the salmon is now!” Dag’s fingers were white where he gripped his clipboard.
Ben’s champagne glass hung in the air halfway to his lips as he stared at Dag. Emma had to admit, it was an awful lots of words to force out in one breath. She squeezed Dag’s arm. “Breathe, Dag. We know Barry’s trustworthy, so think. If the salmon got delivered, by Barry , where might it be?”
“He... oh! Barry always delivers in the front. So...” Dag drew the word out, eyebrows creeping like caterpillars up and down his forehead as he thought it through. “Check the restaurant on the first floor?”
“Check the restaurant on the first floor,” Emma confirmed, patting his shoulder. “I’m betting they got our salmon by mistake. But if not, there’s Cumin crusted Chilean sea bass on green rice in the walk-in on the left. Make sure to use the ones in the blue boxes. The red boxes were cooked in Canola oil and Holly Harper from the Tribune is allergic. Those need to be returned.”
Dag exhaled, the color in his cheeks coming back. “Right. Right. Okay, great!” He slipped back into the crowd, his grin much more genuine now. Ben gave a low whistle.
“Josh was right.”
Emma cocked her head. “About what?”
“How do you know Holly Harper is allergic to Canola oil?” he countered.
“It’s actually just an ingredient in the oil. She wears a medical alert bracelet.” Emma shrugged. She’d done her due diligence on every member of the press who’d be here today. That was her job. She’d made sure none of them had crusades against Josh personally or Hollywood in general too. They didn’t want this turning into anything beyond an announcement by the Eugenie Markham Foundation about an upcoming project.
Ben drained his champagne and set the empty glass on a passing waitress’s tray. “Still pretty impressive.”
“Of course she is,” Josh said, appearing to clap Ben on the back. “Didn’t I tell you?”
“Yeah, but since when do I ever listen to you?”
Emma’s smile froze on her face. Would Ben mention her offer of help? Josh might find that a bit suspicious. He had said she should help Ben once the luncheon was over, but it had been a joke. Maybe she could convince him she’d thought he was serious? “Josh, what are you doing? You and Eugenie are supposed to be getting ready for the announcement.”
First the announcement, then a brief Q&A, and then finally food and cocktails. That was when Eugenie and Josh were supposed to mingle, once the press had a chance to digest the information about the dormitories.
“The Ranslers just arrived. I wanted to introduce you guys.” Josh nodded, encompassing both her and Ben in the gesture. She relaxed slightly. She had to stop assuming everything had something to do with her, Todd, and The Watch. Josh had other fish to fry too. She had to remember
Similar Books
