Truth and Justice - Fern Michaels Page 0,22
she never, not in a million years, would have believed them. And yet, here she was. Suddenly, she wasn’t nervous anymore. She hoped the others were as nice as Alexis and Nikki. She rather thought they would be. Otherwise, how could they have . . . um . . . conducted their . . . um . . . outside activities. She laughed again. And she was part of it now.
Bella parked next to a golf cart and walked toward a back porch. Within seconds, a pack of barking dogs circled her, begging for attention. She dutifully complied because she loved animals. She looked up and saw a group of women waving to her.
Her saviors.
Bella grinned when the dogs scampered off to do whatever they did in this wonderful, magical place called Pinewood.
Alexis and Nikki hugged her as they ushered her into the old-fashioned yet state-of-the-art kitchen, where she was introduced to the others. A monster fire blazed in a fireplace big enough to roast an ox. Bella immediately fell in love with the room and loved the women at first sight as they hugged. None of that handshaking business for these women. A hug meant, “You are now one of us, or at least on our side.” A handshake meant the jury was still out.
Coffee cups came out, coffee was poured, and everyone sat down at the old, scarred kitchen table. The centerpiece of bright yellow mums in a yellow ceramic bowl was low enough on the table so that it didn’t interfere with face-to-face conversations. The coffee ritual was the get-acquainted part before they escorted their new client down the secret, moss-covered stairs to the old dungeons that were now known as the war room.
Normally, a half hour was allotted to detailed introductions like, “Hey, I’m Yoko, and I own a nursery. I’m married to Harry . . .” with the others following suit so Bella would be able to keep track of who was who.
“We’ll get to the boys later,” Myra said. “We don’t want to inundate you with too much on your first visit.” Bella just nodded. She wasn’t exactly overwhelmed. It was more like being awed that she was even here. She said so. Everyone laughed, Annie the loudest as she pulled out her gun and dramatically blew smoke at the end. Bella’s eyes almost bugged out of her head.
“Annie can shoot the eye of a rattler from a mile away,” Myra whispered. “That means she’s a crack shot. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.”
Bella blinked and blinked again. “Uh-huh,” was all she could think to say. The girls went off into peals of laughter.
“You’ll do,” Isabelle said, patting Bella on the back. “We’ll clean this all up later. Now it’s time to get to work. Just follow us and don’t be nervous.”
“Okay,” Bella mumbled as she got in line.
She blinked again when she heard Myra tell Lady, the big golden retriever, “GUARD!”
Annie pressed the rosette at the top of the book and curio cabinet. She stepped back to allow the secret door to open. She pressed a switch, and a light came on over a steep pair of steps that were covered in velvety green moss. “Be careful, Bella, the steps are slippery and slick. We’re used to them, but you aren’t.”
Lordy, lordy, what have I gotten myself into? Bella wondered as she followed behind Kathryn, with Alexis directly behind her. She knew she would find out sooner rather than later.
All Bella could do was gape and gasp when she saw the huge screen with Lady Justice presiding over what Alexis said was the war room.
“Everyone, take a seat, and we can get to it,” Myra said. “Annie, call the meeting to order and put that damn gun away. You don’t need to shoot anyone today.”
“Oh, I forgot I was still holding it. My apologies, everyone. I am now calling this meeting to order. Who wants to go first?”
“I will,” Alexis said.
Bella sighed, then leaned back in her chair as she listened to Alexis tell Bella’s story. How sad it sounded, she thought, tears pooling in her eyes.
Chapter 6
It was late afternoon, almost time to start thinking about the dinner hour, when Annie called a halt to the hot-and-heavy discussion that was underway.
“Time out!” Annie said, whistling sharply, her eyes spewing sparks. “We are not getting anywhere but under each other’s skin. We need to go upstairs, get a cup of coffee, and think about a sandwich or ordering in. In other words,