avern of gold leaf and crystal. It smel

layne on his arm, the room d

eight of hundreds of eyes. They were dissecting

moving. His hand was a warm, heavy weigh

er," Elayne whispered b

Passion

a group of gray-haired men waved him over. "Stay he

g her stranded on an i

ately, the sh

The Senator's daughter. She was wearing a dre

of champagne. "I heard they let visitors bring snacks to the pen

r rippled through A

ayne up and down. "So... vintage. Is that from

round her glass. She wanted

t. Maintain the Kirk image. A Kirk

e. She let the silence stretch un

Ponti original? I heard he was indicted for money laundering last week. The FBI is seizing all asset

's face w

our husband? Is he enjoying his time in the Caymans? I heard the weather is lo

recoiled as if Elayn

e knew every dirty secret, every hidden a

"You bitch," she hissed. She jerked her

ped with the gr

hed onto the pristine white tuxedo of th

asped. The roo

ere, glass empty,

led on Elay

wet tuxedo, then at Angelique's te

ry. The corner of

Gunnar said, his voice cutting through the tensi

hot against her ear. "I tho

lue," Elayne whispered back.

at her, for the first time. There

o cross you in pub

at the entrance caught

arguing with security, trying

ith saw Gunnar, she would demand

," Elayne said abruptly,

alked fast toward the side corridor, slipping ou

wrong turn. She found herself at the foot of the grand staircase.

second floor and slipped inside, leaning

. It smelled of o

d from the shadows. "Why do

her hand flying

man. His skin was like parchment, his eyes clouded

her. Specifically, at the loc

Patek Philippe 'Firstborn.' My wife had one. A

tight. Inside was the onl

you mean," she stammered

an hissed. "The b