“Not a darn thing,” Nikki said.

“Maybe we should be concentrating on Lincoln Moss. If Kathryn is right, and we have no reason to think she’s not, then Moss has his jockeys in a knot about now. I’m up for taking him on. I hate those high-powered Washington insiders who think they can get away with anything. Oooh, I can’t wait to end this guy’s career,” Nikki said as she bit down into her crisp sandwich.

As an afterthought, she asked, “Do you all think it’s true that he has a black book? Kind of the way J. Edgar Hoover kept all those files on everyone? I think he does. I think he has something on every single person in Knight’s administration. Why else is he so powerful? Why is everyone so afraid of him? It sure explains how he practically lives at the White House, calling the shots.” The others said they agreed.

“I might be able to help with that,” Annie said suddenly, excitement ringing in her voice.

“Oooh, are you thinking the same thing I’m thinking, Annie? Of course you are, I can read you like an open book, and it’s not a black book either.” Myra laughed.

Myra turned to the girls. “I’ll show you!” She ran into the house and returned with a cream-colored envelope. “This is an invitation I received three weeks ago to a gala at the Four Seasons this weekend. All you need to get in is this invitation, which you present at the door. Annie has one, too. I’m sure with very little effort Charles can come up with some extra, and we can all go. Tell me, is that brilliant or what?”

“What’s it for, and how do you know Lincoln Moss will be there?” Isabelle asked.

“It’s for children with disabilities, a pet project of the First Lady. I saw the guest list in the paper this morning, and Lincoln Moss’s name was on it. Annie agreed to buy a table for ten. I’m not sure if the committee will send six additional invitations or exactly how that will work, so we’ll have Charles work some magic just to be on the safe side.”

“Oh, Myra, that’s a great idea,” Nikki said, as she bit into a crunchy celery stick. “We can pepper him with questions about his wife and watch him lie. I bet you five dollars he’s going to want his picture taken with the Countess de Silva!”

“And of course, the countess will demur and make him work for the picture. I think it’s doable. It pays to brainstorm. Now, doesn’t it?” Myra laughed.

“Will you wear your tiara, Annie?” Isabelle asked. “And your cowgirl boots?”

“We can vote on my attire later, dear. Now, let’s work out a plan.”

Chapter 8

Nikki and Kathryn arrived at Pinewood at almost the same moment, Nikki riding a motor scooter across the field and Kathryn in her MINI Cooper with the top down. They looked at each other and at the exact same moment said the exact same words, “We missed something.”