“So what you’re saying is, we’re going in blind. Everything will go down in real time, and there is no margin for error. Is that what you’re saying, Charles?” Nikki asked.

“That’s about the size of it. I’ll choreograph it down to the last chord, but the rest will be up to you.” He reached for a slice of pizza, bit down, and rolled his eyes. “Delicious!”

“The only thing I’m worried about is the babies,” Annie said. The others agreed with her.

“I’m working on it, Annie. No matter what, the babies are our first priority. I want to stress, as strenuously as I can, that no matter what happens or what goes down, the babies come first. Tell me you all agree. I want to see a show of hands.”

Seven hands shot upward.

“Good! Now, I think we’re ready for our second pie. I’ll do the honors this time,” Charles said, getting up from his chair.

“Does that mean what I think it means?” Isabelle asked. “If it comes to a crunch, and it’s either us or the babies, the babies win?”

“Yes, dear, that’s exactly what it means,” Myra said.

Seven very sober faces looked up at Charles as he set the second pizza in the middle of the table. “Pepperoni and sausage,” he said cheerfully.

As Charles prepared to serve the pepperoni-and-sausage pizza, Adel Newsom and Baron Bell were quarreling bitterly. Bell was driving a silver Mercedes, which was supposed to be good in bad weather conditions. It wasn’t. He was driving at a snail’s pace and all over the road. He tried to ignore his companion, but it wasn’t working. She was shrilling at him at the top of her lungs. “You’re a fool. You said this was a foolproof operation. Not only are you a fool, you’re stupid. It was your idea to drive here, instead of having Douglas drive us here in the Town Car. Look at you! Just look at you! You never drive in snow and don’t know what the hell you’re doing. You’re all over the road. You’re going to kill us!” she shrieked.

“Shut up, Adel. I didn’t tell you to store your records in the freezer out here in the boon-docks. That was your own brilliant brainstorm. I told you it was stupid, but did you listen to me? No, you did not, and this is the result. I must have had my brains in my ass when I got involved with you. I thought you were smart. I was wrong. You’re just a greedy bitch.” Then he added insult to injury and said, “An old greedy bitch.”