LITMIR.BIZ

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her steely gaze on her fiancé. Nellie managed to check Elias’s phone on the sly, and it seems the White House has been calling. Yesterday, or maybe it was this morning, Nellie said he got out his best suit, the one he wears to funerals; he polished his wing tips, got a haircut, and picked out a power tie. All he would tell her was he had a meeting today at four o’clock. You are tailing him so I can report to Annie, who will then report to Nellie, her husband’s whereabouts. I don’t think I need to remind you that the Countess de Silva owns this paper. We do what we’re told. Joyfully, willingly, and we smile while we’re doing it. Any questions?”

      “More a comment than a question,” Ted said bravely. “Elias was the director of the FBI before Bert took over. I’m sure he’s been called to the White House so they could … you know, maybe pick his brain, some forgotten case the Bureau worked on, and they want clarification, that kind of thing.”

      Maggie finished off the Oreos and yanked at a bag of pretzels from the overflowing goodies drawer in her desk. “Ya think, Ted?”

      Espinosa decided it was time to weigh in. “Shame on you, Ted. Everyone knows Maggie is the one who does the thinking. We’re here to serve, to do her bidding, and we never ask questions. Is there a bonus involved in this?”

      “No, there is not. The two of you are still standing here. Move! Go! Call in every thirty minutes or text me. If you’re late, you work the bazaar tomorrow since it’s a two-day affair.”

      Phone in hand, Maggie called Annie. “We’re good to go.”

      Outside, in the summer sunshine, Ted looked at Espinosa and snarled. “What the hell was that all about? I don’t like this. If I thought for a minute it was just Nellie getting her bloomers in a knot, I wouldn’t have a problem tailing Elias. This ain’t some domestic issue. You agree or disagree, Espinosa?”

      Espinosa looked down at his watch. “We have two hours till we have to leave. We can either go to an early lunch or do what you’re thinking, which is to head over to Lizzie’s office to see Jack and Bert. Five bucks says they are not in the loop on this. We better call Harry, too, and tell him to meet us there. You call him, Ted.”

      “I’m not calling him, you call him. That crazy bastard can send death vibes through the phone, and I want to stay alive so I can spy on Elias Cummings as per my assignment. Do it, Espinosa.” When Espinosa didn’t pull out his BlackBerry, Ted said, “Look, you don’t have to have a running dialogue with him. State the facts and hang up. As long as we tell him what’s going on, we’re in the clear, and he won’t kill us. He just gets pissy when he’s excluded. So! Will you do it already?”

      Espinosa hopped from one foot to the other as he toyed with his BlackBerry. “I have a better idea, Ted. I’ll text him!”

      “Listen, you dumb shit, Harry does not text. We’re lucky he answers the phone, and he might not answer, and you can leave a voice mail. You’re wasting time.”

      Ted didn’t realize he was holding his breath until Espinosa blurted out his message, which had to mean Harry was live on the other end. “Well?”

      “He didn’t say a word. You heard my end of the conversation. Now what?”

      “Now we hail a cab and head over to Lizzie’s office. I still can’t believe Bert and Jack are working there. I know it’s just temporary until Lizzie can transfer everything over to Nikki’s firm, but it still isn’t working for me.”

      “I wonder what Alexis will do when the office shuts down for good,” Espinosa said fretfully.

      “Do I have to do all your thinking? She’ll go to work for Nikki, or else she’ll open her own business. She’s got a good business head on her shoulders. You’re still smarting over the fact that she won’t marry you, eh? You know that living-in-sin shit you keep talking about is a real turnoff to women. You know that, right, Espinosa?”

      “I don’t want to talk about it, Ted, so stop sticking your nose in my personal life.”

      “Cranky today, aren’t we? Alexis is a fine woman, but then you already know that. I don’t know what she sees in you to begin with. Be a shame if she bails on you for your puritanical attitude. Get it through your head, some women just do not want to get married. Look how Maggie is dragging her feet. Not that I mind. Kathryn made it very clear to Bert she won’t marry him. That should tell you something. All I’m saying, Espinosa, is this—don’t do something stupid like give Alexis an ultimatum. Well, we’re here!” Ted said cheerfully, as the cab pulled to the curb. He tossed some bills over the top of the seat, grabbed a receipt that he would fill in later, and exited the cab.

      “Follow me,” Ted said.

      “Why should I?” Espinosa snarled.

      “Because if you don’t, I’m ratting you out to Maggie.”

      “You are dumber than I thought. Maggie is not supposed to know we’re here.”

      “There is that,” Ted said agreeably, as both men went off into peals of laughter.

      Alexis Thorne looked up and smiled when she saw Ted and Espinosa enter the office. “How nice to see you two. Did you come to take me to lunch?”

      “Nope. We need to see Bert and Jack. Are they free?”

      Alexis laughed, a delightful musical sound that rendered Espinosa witless. Ted had to drag him down the hall to Jack’s and Bert’s offices. They turned when they heard Alexis squeal Harry’s name. For some crazy reason, Ted flattened himself against one wall while Espinosa did the same thing on the opposite wall. Harry laughed, an evil sound, as he danced past them straight into Jack’s office.

      Jack looked up, a confused look on his face. “What did I forget?”

      “Nothing,” Ted said. “We come bearing news. Of course it goes without saying we are not supposed to be here, and for God’s sake, don’t tell Maggie or our asses are grass. She’ll fire us in a New York minute. We literally took our lives in hand by coming here.”

      “Bert!” Jack bellowed. “Get in here! We have company!”

      “Looks like old home week.” Bert grinned as he came through the door. “What’s up? Were we supposed to do lunch or something?”

      Everyone took a seat in Lizzie’s luxurious office. Jack pressed a button to ask for coffee and sweet rolls. “Unless you guys want to go to lunch?”

      “Coffee’s fine. We don’t have all that much time before we have to head out on Maggie’s orders. It goes without saying we are not supposed to be here. Maggie will hand us our heads if she finds out. Capisce?”

      Jack looked at Bert. Bert looked at Jack. Harry tilted his head to the side, his eyes dreamy and unfocused.

      His eyes on Harry, Ted rushed to tell his story. When he was finished, Harry relaxed and slouched down in his chair. “It means something, but we don’t know what. Whatever it is, it concerns the girls. Just the fact that Elias is keeping it all secret from Nellie is all they need to know. Their imaginations are running wild, ditto for Maggie, and that’s why we have to tail him this afternoon. We came here for your input and to spring you on this nice sunny day. We could use some help, and by help I mean … we’re going to be busy. Maggie would like to know who else is going to this little meeting at the White House. She didn’t say she wanted to know, but I’m anticipating her asking, and God help me if I don’t have the answer. We thought you two could sort of spot for us. Don’t forget that Fergus Duffy, the guy from Scotland Yard, is here in town.”

      Jack looked up, a frown building on his face. He was about to question Ted when a motherly looking woman wearing shell-rimmed glasses entered the room carrying a tray with coffee and pastries. “It’s okay, Melissa, we can pour our own coffee. Will you tell Alexis on your way out to hold all of Bert’s and my calls?”

      “Sure thing, Mr. Emery.”

      When the door closed behind Melissa, Jack leaned forward. “Yeah,

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