"What if I say I want some perks?" Lizzie asked.

"Name them."

"Miss Barnes gets reinstated at her school and gets paid her lost wages plus reinstated benefits if they were terminated."

"Done."

"Miss Barnes is compensated for her six days in lockup. A generous compensation."

"Done."

"And she needs extra compensation for the humiliation she suffered at the hands of those goons at the Babylon. That comes out of the Babylon's coffers."

"Done."

"And you tell your gunslinger I call the shots. I don't want Mr. Cricket cramping my style."

"Done. So when can I. . ."

"I'll be in touch. Be sure you understand, Mr. Udal, I have not agreed to any of this. Yet. We are talking about a contract, are we not?"

"Absolutely."

"And your eight-hundred-pound gorilla is not to interfere."

"I'll see to it."

"And the money is to be paid in advance. I can set that up in the Netherlands Antilles. Do we agree?"

"We agree," Udal said, a rock the size of a dinner plate settling in his stomach.

"Then I suggest we eat this fine fare, and I will get back to you around four this afternoon. Is that acceptable?"

"It is."

Ted's fingers had blisters. He wondered if he'd be able to hold a fork to eat.

"There is one thing that you will have to agree to, Miss Fox. It's coming from the casinos, not me, but I have to say, I agree. Miss Barnes has to agree to relocate far away from Nevada. If she's as good a teacher as you say she is, she can get a job anywhere. That one little point is not negotiable."

Lizzie smiled, and the room was suddenly brilliant with light.

"Done. But she must still be reinstated, with an apology, so that her record does not show a dismissal."

Chapter 15

It was almost dark when the bell rang once, a loud, booming sound that shook the mountain. Murphy let loose with an earsplitting howl, throwing his head back and pawing the ground. Grady, his companion, not to be outdone, did the same thing as flocks of birds emerged from the trees and took wing.

The women, who were just finishing their yard work, stripped off their work gloves and headed for the main house, jabbering as they ran. One bong of the bell meant hop to it, NOW.