Mortified, Regan looked down and leafed through the questionnaire inside the folder. I don’t really know what I think about the state of the United States economy in the long run. It’s enough of a challenge to get my own taxes done. What would I do if I inherited a million dollars today? I’d hire a seaplane to come get me.

She glanced around the room to see which other passengers had come to learn financial wizardry. A sprinkling of young couples, honeymoon types, were scattered through the audience. But Veronica was right. Of the two dozen or so in the room, at least three quarters were men. Again, Regan made eye contact with Luke. He smiled and discreetly pointed to Norman Bennett. Clearly he had overheard Veronica sizing up the financial guru.

Veronica hissed, “Regan dear, Mr. Bennett is about to begin. Do pay attention.”

I can’t wait, Regan thought, as she caught Cameron Hardwick coming in and settling himself in the last row. He must be checking out the competition, she decided as Norman Bennett cleared his throat.

“The setting of investment objectives for a substantial pool of assets is not only important, but vital. Yes, vital. However, it has historically been vastly complicated by misunderstandings due to ...”

Oh my God, Regan thought.

A half hour later, as the droning continued with only brief respites to draw graphs on the blackboard, Veronica was still perched on the edge of her seat, shaking her head in passionate agreement with all of Norman Bennett’s points of light. Regan was fighting to blink the sleep from her eyes and keep an interested look on her face.

“And now for our question-and-answer period. Please feel free to pick my brains.” Bennett’s lips pursed and curved upward in a muscular convulsion, an expression that brought Gomer Pyle to mind.

No questions, please, please, Regan prayed, tapping her feet on the carpeted floor of the boardroom.

Veronica leapt from her seat.

“Mr. Bennett, you have been discussing the attractive return of twenty-year bonds. In your opinion, would they be a sound investment for one of my uncertain years?”

Regan heard a giggle from one of the honeymooners and turned around to glare.

Bennett cleared his throat yet again. “There are so many wonderful areas in which to invest that I would prefer to have you complete the questionnaire and return it before we go into specifics.”

Score one for Bennett, Regan thought.