“Do you two want to sit in on our meeting, or will you trust us to give you all the details later?” Myra asked.

“Later will be fine. Do you want some munchies to go with the tea and lemonade?”

“Darling, that would be perfect. What do you have in mind?” Myra smiled.

“Pretzels and chips.” Charles laughed.

“That’ll work,” Annie said, poking Fergus playfully on the arm. He looked at her adoringly. Annie wiggled her eyebrows at him. Fergus looked like he was going to melt.

“Why do you tease that man like that?” Myra whispered.

“To keep him on his toes. You should try it, Myra. The outcome is always spectacular.”

“Hmnnn, spectacular, you say?”

“Uh-huh.” Annie giggled as she held the door for Myra.

Fresh drinks were poured and everyone settled down.

“Okay,” Kathryn, the last to arrive, said. “The gang’s all here, so let’s get started. Oh, what about . . .”

“She’ll be by later to abide by our guests’ decision. No names, please,” Myra said.

Kathryn winced. “Ooops, sorry about that.” Mentioning Pearl by name was definitely a no-no. She’d almost unwittingly blown Pearl’s cover.

Myra looked over at a nervous Amalie Moss and nodded.

The beautiful model looked around the table and saw only friendly faces. She swallowed hard, then bit down on her full lower lip. “I was very young when I met Lincoln Moss. I had been modeling about a year and was starting to get some really good recognition and really good press. Clients were asking for me. I was very flattered. But I had very wise parents. Simple, humble people who did not allow me to get caught up in the fast lane. I did not party. I didn’t drink or do drugs that are so rampant in the industry. I went home at night and had dinner with my parents and my siblings. I was able to contribute to my well-being to make life easier for them. I was glad to do it because I love them all dearly.

“I met Lincoln Moss at a wrap luncheon party for a photo shoot. I didn’t know it at the time, but he owned La Natural.

“Lincoln swept me off my feet. Remember now, I was young and impressionable. He wined and dined me, gave me expensive gifts, flowers, chocolates, champagne. He had a yacht and a private plane. My parents liked him because he was so charming. He brought gifts for my family, fawned over my mother, praised my father for raising such a beautiful daughter. They bought into it all just as I did, I’m sorry to say.