“That was Eleanor’s idea.”

At eleven o’clock, the hotel conference room on the second floor was cool and quiet.

Eleanor was sitting near the head of the oak conference table, reading a glossy promotional folder for Derek’s startup.

I walked in and shut the heavy double doors behind me.

“You’re supposed to be going over your speech in the green room,” Eleanor said without looking up from her folder.

“Your brother says the guest speaker usually comes early to meet the corporate sponsors.”