“That’s fine, dear. Just make it work,” Annie said, knowing her comment was not needed. Maggie and Ted always made sure things worked. Always.

“I’m outta here,” Kathryn said. “I have three hours of therapy. If you need me, call my cell.” The others nodded.

“Well, I feel like chopped liver all of a sudden,” Nikki grumbled. “What do you want Alexis, Yoko, and me to do?”

“Let’s go topside and make some lunch,” Myra said. She looked up at the dais, where Charles and Fergus were conversing in low tones. She shrugged.

“I’m not liking this one little bit,” Nikki continued to grumble, as they made their way up the steps to the main part of the house. “We’re always in the thick of things. How did this happen?” she demanded.

The others looked as confused as Nikki.

“I don’t know, dear,” Myra said. “Once we sit outside on the terrace in the sun, I am sure we’ll come up with something. I do agree that everyone has something to do but us.”

“Well, I’m all for stirring up some trouble,” Annie snapped. “Put your thinking caps on, girls! Go along outside, and Myra and I will bring lunch out. Tuna melts with fresh strawberries in sugar. The sweet apple tea is in the fridge. You girls can take it and the glasses, along with the ice bucket. We won’t be but a few minutes. Scoot now.”

Nikki lowered the retractable awning Myra had installed in the early spring. It covered the entire terrace and helped keep the potted plants from wilting. Normally, Myra or Charles lowered it early in the morning and had their coffee out here while the dogs romped through the yard. They must have been busy this morning, she thought.

“Ah, that’s better,” Alexis said.

“So, here we are. With nothing to do. I’m all charged up, and I’m standing, or in this case sitting, still. There must be something we can dig into,” Nikki continued to complain.

Alexis reached down into her oversize bag and pulled out the before and after pictures of Amalie Laurent Moss. “I’ve heard the fashion world describe Amalie as looking like a Botticelli angel. Personally, I wouldn’t go that far, but she certainly is beautiful, there’s no getting around that. The after picture is still beautiful, but something’s gone from her face. I can’t pinpoint it exactly. If I saw the new Amalie on the street, I am quite sure I wouldn’t recognize her as Amalie. To me that means she’s safe. But to her husband, now that’s a whole other ball game. What do you all think?”

“I agree,” Nikki said. Isabelle nodded.

“What are you all agreeing to?” Myra asked as she set a platter of sandwiches on the glass-topped table. Alexis explained. Myra nodded in agreement, as did Annie.

“What does all that mean? To us,” Alexis asked as she reached for a sandwich. She popped a cherry tomato from a side dish and chomped down.