"I'm positive. Bert doesn't even know your friendship is why he won't be confirmed. He might suspect but probably won't believe it. At some point during the vetting process your name and Harry's came up. My source told me Bert was ordered to sever his relationship with you both, and he refused. That's what I call a good friend, Jack."

"Aw, shit!"

"Yeah."

The microwave pinged. Jack removed the TV dinner and slid it across the table to where Maggie was sitting.

"I hate these things," Maggie said, digging into the Salisbury steak dinner. "Maybe you should heat up another one and call Harry to join us."

"Harry only eats weeds and tofu. It's late. Harry gets real pissy if you wake him up."

"Ask me if I care. I'm up. You're up. I rest my case. This thing tastes like cardboard," Maggie said as she shoveled mashed potatoes into her mouth.

Jack got out his cell phone and pressed the number three on his speed dial. "Yeah, I know. Wash it down with the beer, that kills the taste. I don't have to walk you home, do I?"

"I live three houses away, Jack. You can stand on the steps and watch me till I get inside. I'll take another beer."

Jack stated his business, waited, then without saying anything, put away the phone and got Maggie her second beer.

"Well, is he coming or not?"

"Yeah, but he was jabbering in Chinese or whatever the hell language he speaks. He likes to mix them up to confuse me. That's another way of saying he's pissed. Big-time."

"Too sad, too bad, oh, boo-hoo," Maggie said, upending her longneck.

Years of friendship that were sometimes up and sometimes down allowed Jack to talk to Maggie like the old friend she was. "You're awful chipper this evening. You get laid or something?"

Maggie started to laugh and couldn't stop. Finally, she managed to gurgle, "Or something?"

On the way out the door she called over her shoulder, "Call Judge Easter right away, Jack. Timing is everything."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jack said, picking up his cell phone. He grinned when he thought about how Judge Nellie Easter was going to react to this new set of orders. With extreme gusto. He started to laugh out loud and, like Maggie, couldn't stop.

Chapter 2

The high from the previous night's encounter with Ted and the late dinner with Jack was still in effect as Maggie Spritzer dressed for the day. She risked a quick glance at the digital numerals on her bedside clock. As she hopped from the shoe rack back to the bathroom and out again to the closet, where she donned a freshly cleaned designer jacket, she tried to keep the red numbers in her line of vision. She didn't want to be late for her breakfast meeting with Lizzie Fox.