Free Too Rich and Too Dead by Cynthia Baxter

Smiling warmly, the woman shook her hand. “I'm Carly's accountant.”
    “Nice to meet you, Harriet.”
    “Same here. Where are you visiting from, Mallory?”
    “New York,” Mallory replied. “The suburbs, actually. A commuter town called Rivington about half an hour north of the city.”
    “New York, huh?” Harriet's eyes grew wide. “Gee, I've always wanted to go there. I'd love to see a Broadway play and the Statue of Liberty and the Metropolitan Museum of Art… I don't suppose all those things are close to each other, are they?”
    Mallory laughed. “I'm afraid not. New York is huge.”
    “I have to get there one of these days. Hey, maybe since I was lucky enough to run into you, I should ask you to help me make a list of everything that's worth doing. But what about you? Are you here in Aspen visiting Carly?”
    “I'm mainly here for work,” Mallory replied. “I'm writing a travel article about Aspen. But this trip isalso a chance to catch up with Carly. In fact, I just had dinner with her and Brett at their house.”
    “It's gorgeous, isn't it? I hope you were there in time for the sunset.”
    “I was—and I'm practically ready to move in.” Sighing, Mallory added, “Carly certainly has it all. Her house, her marriage… and especially her career. And not only is she amazingly successful, she also seems to find her work really fulfilling. She obviously believes in Rejuva-Juice.”
    “The company is her pride and joy,” Harriet agreed, nodding.
    “In fact,” Mallory continued, “I'm hoping to use her story as the centerpiece for my article. I'm planning to focus on why an entrepreneur like Carly would choose Aspen as the place to open her business.”
    “Then you'd better hurry up,” Harriet said offhandedly.
    Mallory frowned. “What do you mean?”
    A startled look crossed Harriet's face. Mallory got the feeling she'd just given away more than she'd intended.
    “I assumed you knew,” she said guardedly. “Since you and Carly go back so many years.”
    “We're still in the process of catching up,” Mallory said, hoping to come across as someone who was an insider, just like Harriet. “We haven't seen each other in a while.”
    Harriet hesitated for a few seconds before saying, “Let's just say there's a possibility that Carly and Rejuva-Juice will soon be parting ways.”
    Mallory opened her mouth, but before she had a chance to ask her to explain what she meant, Harriet said, “I should probably get back. Carly is always high as a kite after she gives a presentation like the one she gave tonight. The woman thrives on public attention. She'll expect me to be at her side, offering her a little adoration of my own.”
    With a little shrug, she added, “It's part of my job description.”
    Mallory was curious about that comment, too. But before she had a chance to pursue it, Harriet said, “Here, let me give you one of my business cards.” She opened her purse and pulled one out. “If you have any questions about Aspen, I'd be happy to answer them.”
    As she handed it to Mallory, she added, “It has my direct line at Tavaci Springs on it. It'll ring in my office, so you won't have to waste time going through the receptionist.”
    “Thanks,” Mallory said sincerely. “I'll let you know if I need any help.”
    “Great!” Harriet smiled warmly, then said, “And now I'd better get back.” Rolling her eyes, she said, “This is one of those jobs that doesn't end when I leave the office.”
    “Nice meeting you!” Mallory called after her as she sailed out the door.
    She decided it was time for her to make her departure, as well. While she was tempted to go backstage and congratulate Carly at the end of her lecture, she knew she'd be surrounded by fans. Besides, she wassuddenly exhausted. Given the two-hour time difference, it felt close to midnight, and it had been an unusually long day.
    I'll tell her what a great job she did when I see her on Thursday, she thought.
    As soon as