"She was obviously under a terrible strain; she kept forgetting her lines. Her performance was a shambles. Between acts I went to her dressing room. She never drank anything but a little wine, and yet she was drinking straight Scotch. I took it from her and poured it down the sink."

"How did she respond?"

"She was furious. She was a totally different person. She had never been a big drinker, but she was suddenly drinking a lot… Ted came into the dressing room. She shouted at both of us to get out."

"Were you surprised by her behavior?"

"I think it would be more accurate to say that I was shocked."

"Did you discuss it with Winters?"

"He seemed bewildered. He'd been away a lot too."

"On business?"

"Yes. I suppose so…"

"The play went badly?"

"It was a disaster. Leila refused to come out for a curtain call. When it was over we went on to Elaine's."

"Who do you mean by 'we'?"

"Leila… Ted and Craig… myself… Syd and Cheryl… Baron and Baroness von Schreiber. We were all close friends."

"You will be asked to identify these people for the jury."

"Syd Melnick was Leila's agent. Cheryl Manning is a well-known actress. Baron and Baroness von Schreiber own Cypress Point Spa in California. Min -the Baroness-used to have a model agency in New York. She gave Leila her first job. Ted Winters -everyone knows who he is, and he was Leila's fiance. Craig Babcock is Ted's assistant. He's executive vice-president of Winters Enterprises."

"What happened at Elaine's?"

"There was a dreadful scene. Someone yelled to Leila that he'd heard her play was a turkey. She went wild. She shouted, 'You bet it's a turkey, but I'm wringing its neck. You hear that, everybody? I quit!' Then she fired Syd Melnick. She told him he had only stuck her in the play because he wanted his percentage-that for the last couple of years he'd been putting her in anything he could because he needed the money." Elizabeth bit her lip. "You have to understand this wasn't the real Leila. Oh, sure, she could get uptight when she was in a new play. She was a star. A perfectionist. But she never behaved like that."