Lincoln in the westballroom, ma'...Alex, at 8 o'clock." The West Ballroom?" Emily asked with some confusion."The ballroom that you were in last evenin..., ma'am."I cleared my throat."The same room you were in last night, Emily," She rephrased shyly."Thank you..." Emily stopped, prompting them for names."Elizabeth, ma...Emily, but everyone calls me Liz," The taller of the twothin, brunettes caught herself."I'm Sarah, Miss Emily, Miss Alex." Well, nice to meet you, Liz and Sarah," I smiled.Emily. We want MacFarland to sign with us. He's one of Wilson & Wilson's top authors. We sent Peter Hotaling to see him but MacFarland chased him off saying that he's happy with Wilson & Wilson. When I say chased off, I mean it. He fired a gun at Hotaling."Peter's OK, isn't he?" I asked."Oh yes. MacFarland just fired over his head. But he threatened to lower the gun barrel if Peter came back. That's where you come in. We want you to go up there and see MacFarland." You want me to get shot?" No, of. He followed it for a while then came to some spiral stone steps. He ascended the steps then, at a junction, turned right. He followed that new tunnel for a short distance then took one on his left, another short distance before he came to an apparent dead end.He pushed a tile next to the dead end then lent on the center of the wall. It swung outward on silent balanced hinges. He walked over to the bed and found it occupied by a Grojan female. His guess was correct.He felt sorry for her and had. I despised the filthy habit. That's how much I fancied this guy.He talked about some of the people at the party while I listened and pretended to smoke, sucking stupidly at the Marlborough he'd handed me after shielding the flame with palms either side of my uncertain fingers. When he'd stood back after lighting my cigarette, I pretended to inhale and then sent the blue smoke high into the night as if expelled from my lungs while trying my best to stifle a cough.I was trying too hard, and I.