Author Anon

“Belle, aren’t you going to tell me what’s going on?” asks Claire.

“I already did.”

“The whole story?”

“Yes. I went to get the sketches. Now my apartment’s been broken into.”

“But why? You must have some idea.”

“I thought that was obvious.”

“It doesn’t seem to make sense,” says Claire. “Why would they want the sketches back?”

“So I can’t take them to court over it.”

“But you could prove they’re yours and that the sketches were in their possession.”

“Has Gavin gotten to you?”

Claire blushes. “Gavin’s worried about you and he wants to help.”

Belle laughs. “I love you, Claire, but you are gullible.”

“What’s wrong with him wanting to help you?”

“Nothing, but I just don’t believe his reason for wanting to help.”

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“Okay, all you have to do is push this button when you see Julia,” says Leslie. “It will ring in our room and we’ll come immediately.”

Melanie looks doubtful. “How will you know where to go? And what if you were not in your room?”

‘I hadn’t thought of that,” says Leslie.

“I know,” says Carrie. “We’ll have several of these doorbells. One for each room and we’ll mark them.”

“That’s impractical,” says Melanie. “I can’t be carrying all these alarms everywhere. And what if I get confused?”

“Then we should put one in each room,” says Leslie. “As long as you know where it is and get to it quickly.”

“We’ll give it a try,” says Melanie, sighing.

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“Tracy wants to allow Blanche into the company,” says William.

“What?” asks Marie. “I don’t understand. It doesn’t feel like a family company anymore. I would have thought Tracy wanted to preserve the family atmosphere.”

“That’s exactly why she thinks we should allow Blanche into it. She argues that Blanche is family, which I can’t deny, as much as the whole idea disgusts me. Also, we have nothing against Lucy. If we deny Blanche, we have to deny Lucy. If we allow Lucy, we have to allow Blanche. As Tracy sees it, Blanche was innocent in this whole affair until she and Peter…”

“It sounds like you’re changing your mind, too.”

“I’m not happy with the idea, but Tracy made some valid points. How can I continue to oppose with only you on my side? Unless I made Melanie a voting partner…”

Her attention caught, Marie takes a different tactic. “You’re right. It’s pointless to argue and it would only create tension in the company.”

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“The situation is quite complex, Mrs. Albright,” says Jerome Foley. “But I will work it out with the Golde lawyers. In the meantime, all the investments and trusts from the sale of the mills are in order. I will make arrangements for them to be disbursed to you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Foley,” says Blanche. “I feel I can put my trust in you and will rely on your advice.”

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“What do you mean it’s gone?” asks Buster.

“I mean someone took it,” answers Carl. “But I intend to get it back.”

“You make sure you do,” says Buster, threateningly. “I’m giving you twenty-four hours. After that, I’m coming after you.”

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Filed under: All That Glitters