“No problem. Stay as long as you like. If it’s okay with you, then I am outta here,” Lizzie said. “Call me if you need me. My plan is to head back to the hospital around five.”

Kisses, hugs, and hard squeezes followed; then Lizzie was gone.

“You guys waiting for a bus or what?” Maggie growled. “What are we doing, and who is doing what? What’s the plan here? Why are we wasting time?”

“Why don’t you go first, Maggie, since you always have the best ideas,” Jack said, sarcasm ringing in his voice.

The sarcasm did not go unnoticed by Maggie. “You’re just saying that because you know it’s true and you’re jealous that none of you ever comes up with a workable, doable plan. I said a plan. But that goes for ideas, too.”

“Let’s hear it,” Ted barked.

“Well, for starters, we need to know what we as a group are prepared to do once we knock on doors, meaning Lizzie’s front door and Mr. Hershel’s front door. Do we go in like gangbusters, or do we say hello when and if the door opens, wanna buy a subscription to People magazine? What?” Maggie sputtered irritably.

“We need to get the lay of the land, see which way the wind is blowing. That kind of thing,” Jack said. “When we walk away with our opinions, that’s when we make a plan. So let’s decide now who is going where.”

“How about if Ted, Espinosa, and I take Mr. Hershel. Our cover story can be we’re going to do a write-up on his wife, Donna, also known as Dolly. A nostalgia piece. Just the mention of the wife he loved and adored might help Mr. Hershel make a decision to give us some sort of subtle clue, if he can. Assuming he’s being held hostage. It’s an idea, a thought, but if you can come up with something better, I’m all for it. In the meantime, Dennis, Harry, and Jack head for Lizzie’s house. I don’t know how you want to play that. There could be one person in there or there could be a dozen. There are only three of you. Bear that in mind,” Maggie said.

“Now, having said that, Jack, you are more familiar with Happy Village than my little group. We can switch up if you prefer to go there. Dennis went with you the first time, and while it’s going to be new to Harry, you might need Harry. I can concoct some kind of story when we knock on Lizzie’s door. So what’s it gonna be?”

Cyrus reared up and let loose with a sharp bark.

“Sorry, big guy,” Maggie said, as she ruffled the fur on Cyrus’s head, “four of you!”