“That doesn’t mean a thing nowadays, what with Viagra and all. He’s probably got her swinging from the chandelier like a monkey.”

“I don’t think so,” chuckled Lucy. “Sara says they’ve got some kind of parental control on the TV so that the only channel the girls can watch is PBS and even then the nature shows are forbidden in case the twins might see penguins mating or something.”

“Listen, whose side are you on here?” demanded Sue. “I don’t see why you’re defending the enemy.”

“Since when are they enemies? I thought we were all on the same team.”

“No way. It’s us versus them and you better be very clear about which side you’re on,” said Sue. “Otherwise, you’re going to find yourself losing your old friends.”

Then she was gone, leaving nothing behind except the brownies and a trace of spicy designer perfume.

“Was Sue here?” asked Ted, sniffing the air as he came in the back way.

“She left some brownies for you.”

“Mercy,” he exclaimed, unwrapping the plate. “Whatever did I do to deserve these?”

“She says you appreciate them—unlike the Hat and Mitten committee. They voted against the brownies the other night.”

“Are they crazy?”

“Probably. It was one of those female things. One of my new neighbors, Chris Cashman, is challenging Sue’s authority.”

“Another alpha, hunh?” Ted had taken a big bite of brownie.

“You said it.”

“Well,” he continued, after swallowing. “Pam was awfully nervous that her cookies wouldn’t pass that taste test you had. You women are awfully tough on each other.”

“It was Chris Cashman’s idea to taste-test the recipes and have everyone use the best ones, sort of like Henry Ford. She says we’ll make more money this way, focusing on products with high customer appeal.” Lucy sighed. “But I don’t know if it’s worth the hurt feelings.”

Having finished his brownie, Ted was going through the mail. “Looks like another anonymous letter,” he said, slitting the envelope. He shook his head, reading the letter and passing it over to Lucy. “I wish this person would sign the letters. It would make things a lot easier for us.”

“I know. I’d love to talk to whoever’s sending them,” said Lucy. “The letters are well-written and seem quite sincere.”

“It could be a very clever troublemaker,” said Ted. “Somebody like your alpha neighbor.”

“Her kids are babies,” said Lucy. “I think the sender has a kid on the team. How else would they know about this stuff?”

“They could be making it up,” Ted reminded her.

“Blindfolding kids and making them eat strips of raw liver, telling them it’s worms? Nobody could make up stuff like this except teenage boys.” She thought of Tommy and how willing he was to do whatever it took to stay on the team. “I think the letter writer is telling the truth.”