“Well, Myra, Lizzie isn’t here, now, is she? She’s been working on our case for so long my hair grew three inches. What that means is Connor is bullshitting her, and excuse my language. I thought Lizzie was smarter than that, I’m sorry to say. Connor has been in office almost two years. She said she needed time, we gave her time. Then she said the time wasn’t quite right, so we waited again. Then there was that business with the vice president. We pulled her out of that one, and she still didn’t honor her promise. I for one am sick and tired of waiting, and I also think we need to take a vote here as to what our next project is.” Nikki, her face red from frustration, flopped down on her chair and glared at Charles.

“Are you finished?” Charles asked calmly.

“I said what I had to say,” Nikki snarled. She looked around at the other Sisters, who appeared stunned at her outburst.

“She speaks for me, too,” Kathryn said coolly.

One by one, the others all agreed.

“I think this means you have the floor, Charles.” From the pocket of her Windbreaker, Myra withdrew a strand of the clanking metal circles. She was about to loop them around her neck when Charles held up his hand, panic in his eyes.

“I was going to address this particular problem at the end of our discussion, but since you are all in such a wicked mood at the moment, I will address it now.

“Lizzie informed me a week ago that she is going to be taking the job as chief White House counsel on January 2. There were many details to iron out before she would commit, and she wanted Cosmo’s assurances that he was all right with what she was planning. Mr. Cricket okayed her taking the job.

“Now, the reason Lizzie is taking the job is because of all of you. She put so many restrictions on the table, she knew that if Connor agreed to them, she had the inside…‘skinny,’ as she put it, to expedite your pardon. She said she felt she could make it happen within six months. What we’re talking about here is another six months of waiting for it to happen. Six months is not a lifetime. Seven months, if you insist on counting December, but in December we will have guests for two full weeks. So, essentially six months, ladies.”

“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Alexis demanded.

“Because Lizzie wanted her new husband’s approval first. She’s putting her new married life on hold for all of you. That says to me she thinks she can make it happen. For all she’s done for you, don’t you think you owe her that vote of confidence?”

Myra moved the metal necklace from one hand to the other. The clanking noise was the only sound in the room.