He should have expected that answer. He didn't, and hearing it brought a bitter taste to his mouth. A frown creased his forehead then he turned his glare on the glass of wine in his hand, an excellent cabernet which had served as a fine distraction all evening and now had lost its appeal.

At Rogers' question a trace of a wan smile crossed his lips. "As I said, the choice isn't really mine. Members of the Prosecutors Office and many members of the force are 'highly encouraged' to attend. As public officials it's our duty to keep up a presence in the city beyond our professional duties, or so they tell us. Put a positive spin on the undeniably negative aspects of the work we do." He swirled the wine in his glass, leaving the delicate legs to glide down, tinting the glass a rosy hue. "In layman's terms that translates to showering certain notable benefactors with copious praise for their generous, tax deductible donations to the city," he said, with a wry smile. "In a sense we're here for very similar reasons. It's all about stroking the egos of people whose egos are fragile enough to need stroking."