"Tell me the truth, Maggie, are you trying to get rid of me because of last night?"

"No, Ted, I am not trying to get rid of you. Lizzie said there's a story there. You'll get the scoop. You should know by now that when Lizzie is involved in anything, it's news. Big news."

"What about Martine Connor? You said you wanted daily articles. I can't do that if I'm chasing Lizzie around Vegas. Which brings up another point, I'm going to need some cash."

Maggie's tired brain clicked into gear. "Espinosa can do the articles. He's got a feel for Martine just the way you do. By the way, my driver told me this morning his wife loves your articles on Connor. He said that she said you're humanizing her, which is what the public wants. Don't go getting a swelled head, now. Stop by Accounting and tell them I okayed two thousand dollars cash. Sign for it, Ted, and have them send the chit to my office for my signature. Make sure you keep all the receipts. Use your credit card for anything else."

"Yes, Mom. I love you, Maggie."

She knew she was supposed to say, I love you, too, Ted. Somehow the words wouldn't roll off her tongue. She nodded until she realized Ted couldn't see her. She said, "I know," before she broke the connection.

Maggie scrawled her name on the credit card slip, stuck the receipt and the card back in her wallet and into her backpack. Her watch told her she had ten minutes until Daniel was due to pick her up out front. She finished her coffee and juice as she people-watched until it was time to give up her table. She wondered why she wasn't hungry. She was almost out of her chair when she remembered to put on her shoes.

On the ride back to the office, she let her mind race. Tomorrow I'm supposed to fly commercial to North Carolina to attend a party on the mountain. But Jack said something about driving.

She wasn't sure what it was all about, but Charles had said it was an invitation she shouldn't even think about turning down. In other words, a command performance. Something was going on, she was sure of it. And it wasn't the business with Bert and the guys. Something else entirely. Like Lizzie, she suddenly had a bad feeling and wasn't sure why.

She was going to have to put in a long day to make sure things would run smoothly if she had to go to the mountain. Charles had called it a party. A party was usually a festive affair, not something to dread. Charles had said everyone was going to be there. She wondered who "everyone" was. Would Bert be there? Highly unlikely, if he was under such intense scrutiny. Lizzie wouldn't be there, so everyone wouldn't be there.