Deja Vu Read Online Free PDF Page A

could use some help. I could get one of those party planners, but then it becomes impersonal, if you know what I mean.”
    “I know what you mean, but what did you mean when you said if Charles will let me go with you?”
    Annie smiled, and said sweetly, “Just what I said. You are married, Myra. You always check with Charles before you do anything. I’m just saying …”
    “Well, you can stop saying whatever it is you aren’t saying. I can do whatever I want, and Charles would never stop me. Shame on you, Annie, for even thinking I don’t have a mind of my own. I will be happy to accompany you to Las Vegas. And, no, I do not have to ask Charles, but I will tell him I’m going. It’s the right thing to do. Now,” she said briskly, “tell me what we’re really going to be doing besides arranging Kathryn’s fortieth birthday party.”
    Well, that worked rather nicely. Annie smiled.
    Myra stared across the table at her old friend. “You tricked me. Dammit, am I that gullible?”
    “You said it, I didn’t.” Annie laughed. “I’m so glad you decided to go with me to Vegas.”
    Myra snorted. “Why do you keep looking at your watch?”
    “Because …” Annie said dramatically, “Nellie called me a little while ago and said she’s coming over. She sounded in a snit over something. Maybe something went awry with Elias. I have to say she sounded upset. Nellie rarely gets upset, and right now she seems to be late.”
    “No, I’m not late, your watch is fast. I let myself in, ladies. Some watchdog you have there, Myra. The five of them didn’t even pick up my scent,” retired federal judge Nellie Easter said as she plopped down on one of the deck chairs. She winced, then squirmed till she got comfortable. “My hips are telling me it’s going to rain before the end of the day.”
    Myra and Annie looked upward at the clear blue sky. According to Nellie, her new hips were never wrong.
    “So, what brings you over here in the middle of the day?” Myra asked as she poured ice tea into a frosty glass she pulled out of the minicooler at her feet. “The sandwiches are tuna or salmon. Help yourself.”
    “Elias. Elias is what brought me over here.”
    Myra risked a glance at Annie, who rolled her eyes and looked smug.
    “He’s been acting very secretive the past few days. And this morning he said he had to go into town. We all know Elias does not go into town unless it is to go to someone’s funeral, and there are no funerals going on. I checked. He even took that crazy phone he uses into the bathroom when he took a shower. But I outfoxed him. I turned the hot water up and steamed up the bathroom and sneaked in. I checked his phone, and he’s been getting calls from blocked numbers. Quite a few of them, and one of them came from the White House. He’s done with all that. Or he said he was. Now I’m not so sure. I think we should have someone follow him when he leaves the farm. Do you think Maggie could arrange … a … tail?”
    Annie’s expression clearly said it all as far as Myra could see. “Funny you should mention that, Nellie. Annie and I were just talking about how strange we think things are at the moment. Annie’s got herself convinced her date tomorrow evening with Fergus … for some reason neither of us can remember his last name, is about more than dinner.”
    “Duffy. His last name is Duffy,” Nellie volunteered. “You can’t go out to dinner with someone whose last name you don’t know. It just isn’t done, Annie. Remember now, his name is Duffy. I also think Myra is right, Annie, and I mean no offense. Why were you singled out, and what is he doing here in the States anyway? He’s from Scotland Yard.”
    “You sure know how to make a girl feel good about herself, Nellie,” Annie grumbled.
    “The president was sick, the flu or something like the flu, according to the paper, and I am thinking she had about ten days to sit up there in the presidential quarters. I bet she did a lot