Lansing looked flustered at being dressed down by a woman in the presence of Homer Winters.

Winters waved his arm. "Do what the lady says, Alvin. She's right, and everyone in this room knows it. You wasted almost four minutes so add $200,000 to the total. This young lady can use the money."

Cosmo Cricket fixed his gaze on Lizzie and discreetly gave her a thumbs-up. Lizzie felt warm all over again. Ted pecked away at warp speed.

Alvin Lansing excused himself and left the room. He returned ten minutes later with a wire transfer slip and three extra copies, which he handed to Lizzie. Lizzie swiveled around and handed one of the slips to Marble Rose.

The room was quiet as they waited for the young woman to look down at the confirmation wire. There was absolutely no expression on her face when she folded and slipped the paper into the pocket of her jacket. She didn't say thank you, she didn't say good-bye. What she did was stand up, lean over, and whisper in the old man's ear. He nodded and patted her hand.

Winters stood up and walked over to where Lizzie was standing. "You're a hell of a lawyer, young lady. I checked you out after I got here. I wonder if I might have a private word with you and Mr. Udal. You can come, too, Cosmo, if you have nothing else to do," he said in his reedy voice. The spring in his step as he moved around belied that elderly sounding voice. His blue eyes were brighter than stars as he looked from one to the other.

Lizzie offered up her dazzling smile and accepted. "And my friend?" she asked, nodding at Ted.

"Of course, we'll make it a regular party. What shall it be, Peter? The Rabbit Hole?"

Ted's fingers continued their frenzied tapping.

In the security room, Hank Owens was ready to foam at the mouth. "That goddamn old goat is up to something, and he's smart enough to take it out of the Babylon. What the hell did that mean, he researched that woman? Then telling her she's a hell of a lawyer! Goddammit! There's no way we can put someone in there to listen. Udal and Winters would pick up on it in a heartbeat."

His minions knew they weren't expected to respond. Owens was simply venting the way he always did when he got his knickers in a knot.