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“She could have a partner,” Kingston suggested. “She could be someone’s dupe.”

“Nowthat, I can believe,” Hermione said.

Nora said, “Youallunderestimate her.”

“Okay, well, what’s your theory, Nora?” Ellery asked.

“I don’t have a theory,” Nora admitted, which was surprising. Rarely did Nora not have a theory or six. “It’s possible Jane did discover that scrap of music exactly as she described, but is itplausible?”

The others murmured agreement.

“I don’t like the timing. It’s too great of a coincidence.”

“What’s too great a coincidence?” Ellery pressed her. “That someone like Jane would discover the document?”

“No. Well, yes. But not entirely. That a valuable piece of folk music should be discovered in a tiny hamlet just weeks before a folk music concert takes place where one of the performers could very much use a special something to get the media’s attention.”

“You think Jane’s discovery was tailored to Lara Fairplay’s appearance at Sing the Plank? Or do you think Lara and her people are in on the scam?”

Nora beamed at Ellery. “That’sverygood, dearie!”

Ellery deadpanned, “I learned from the best.”

“I think both scenarios are a possibility,” Nora returned to business.

“The problem is, this is all suspicion and speculation. We don’t have any proof,” Ellery said. “And I get the impression, if we did have proof, it wouldn’t be all that welcome.”

“Ahhh,” Hermione said.

“Ohhh,” Edna said.

Kingston said, “Then youdobelieve Lara Fairplay and her people are in on the hoax.”

“I can’t guess as to what Lara knows or doesn’t know, because she seems to operate on a different plane. As far as her manager and entourage, I think that even if they aren’t in on the scam—assuming there is a scam—they wouldn’t want to know the truth. They’ve already invested a lot in this enormous PR effort. I don’t just mean money. I get the feeling a lot of their hopes for Lara’s comeback are riding on this.”

Mrs. Ferris said, “You don’t think they would listen if we went to them with our suspicions?”

Ellery said firmly, “We’d have to have a lot more than suspicions before I’d be comfortable going that route. Like I said, the document passed the initial appraisal.”

They weren’t happy with that reminder, but it was the truth.

Kingston mused, “I wonder why she’d take such an enormous risk.”

No question whoshewas.

“I think she’d do it for the attention,” Edna said.

But the others shot that idea down at once. “No,” Hermione said. “She avoids the limelight.”

“I agree. She’d do it for the money,” Nora said. “She’s not well off.”

Ellery tried not to think of the remorseless appraisal his own uneven finances must receive from his fellow sleuths.

“Speaking of finances,” he said. “We’re open for business now.”

This drew blank looks all around.

He said with exasperation, “So perhaps this briefing can wait until lunchtime?”