Chapter 3 — The Program

The Meridian was closed to the public. The gallery's twenty-fifth anniversary show remained installed — Conrad Vane's death had made canceling it impossible, not logistically but symbolically — but the space was quiet in the way of museums after hours, the art doing what art did best when people stopped looking at it.Elise Hartwell met her at the entrance. She had expected Priya at some point and had prepared for it, which was not a crime and was also, Priya noted, a specific kind of competence.She was composed. Nadia had been right about this — it was a composure that was structural, not assembled on the occasion."Of course, anything you need," Elise said. "This has been devastating. Conrad was — twenty-two years is most of my adult life." She said it with the correct weight and the correct pause.Priya let her walk her through the space. She asked the questions that sounded like orientation: the layout, the flow of the event, who had been where. She watched Elise answer with the fluency of someone who had already organized their account of the evening."The programs," Priya said, when they reached the terrace doors. "The anniversary exhibition guides. Who printed them?"A fractional pause. If you were not looking for it, you would not see it. Priya was looking for it."We use a print house in Midtown," Elise said. "Pellman Press. We've worked with them for fifteen years.""And the production — who handled that on your end?""I did, mostly. Conrad was occupied with the curatorial selection. I handled the event logistics." She gestured at the space. "Programs, catering, invitations.""Did you sign off on the final print run?""I approved the proof, yes." A pause that was the length of a person deciding how much curiosity is appropriate. "Is there something specific about the programs?""We're accounting for all materials from the event," Priya said. "Standard process." She kept her voice entirely neutral. "One more thing. The programs that were collected at the end of the evening — do you know where they went?""The venue staff would have handled that. The Meridian has its own event management.""Of course." Priya made a note. "Thank you for your time."In the car, she called Webb."Pellman Press," she said. "Everything they printed for the Vane Hartwell Gallery anniversary. I want the production records, the proof approvals, the paper specifications." She paused. "And I want to know if anyone from the gallery provided their own materials at any point in the production process.""You think she treated the paper," Webb said."I think she's too composed," Priya said. "And I think there's a program missing."