Joey stopped eating long enough to respond. “For one thing, his career in the Senate would come to an abrupt end. I think the story would grow legs, and the media would have a feeding frenzy. If this is about money, I think the guy will pony up handsomely to all of you. If it’s about stopping him, well, just the threat of going public would probably do that. If it’s about both, I think you’d all end up being incredibly rich. Now, if you want him to pay for the humiliation, for snookering you, that’s something else. Right now, the guy has no idea we’re onto him. But you’re going to have to decide what you want to do and do it quickly, before he marries his next victim. By the way, she’s a socialite right here in DC. She’s also a fine horsewoman and travels in equestrian circles.”

Zoe reached for a handful of the hard noodles and proceeded to break them into little pieces. She had a small mountain in front of her when she said, “Do you have any ideas?”

“Well, I have an idea. I think we should tar and feather him,” Kayla snapped. “I fell in love with that jerk. He said he loved me, too. He promised me the moon and the stars. He talked for hours and hours about what a wonderful life we were going to have. He told me he wanted six children, a big house with two dogs, and said I’d never have to lift a finger. I didn’t care about any of that, not really. I just wanted him. Do you know how many nights I cried myself to sleep? I couldn’t eat. I lost weight. It was all I could do to drag myself to work. I hated the pitying looks everyone gave me. He has to pay for that.”

“Yeah,” Olivia said.

“We should take him to some faraway island and leave him there forever,” Zoe said.

They all looked at Sam for her input.

In a voice that was so hard it could have chipped ice, Sam said, “He needs to pay. I’ll go along with whatever plan you all come up with.”

“How much money is this guy worth?” Hawkins asked.

“He’s a billionaire according to Forbes,” Joey said.

As one, the women sighed, evil smiles on their faces.

The food arrived, huge platters and bowls of everything on the menu.

Hawkins, Slick, and Joey were the only ones who filled their plates.