“Yes, Mother. I know everyone will feel better when you get back on track.”
Charlotte took a finger and started swirling it around her temple, as in the “crazy” pantomime. “I’ll give you a call in a day or so. Give my love to Liam and Allan. Bye, dear.”
She couldn’t wait to get off the phone. Turning to Myra and Charles, she said, “Now will one of you explain why I should consider going back to either one of those lowlifes?”
Myra took Charlotte by the hand and explained what was happening. The sisters were going to put an end to this charade.
“I really don’t understand, Myra. What do you mean, put an end to it?” Charlotte was very confused and looked up at Annie, Charles, and Fergus for an explanation.
Myra started. “Remember when Barbara was killed? The driver got off because he had diplomatic immunity.”
“Yes, it was horrible!” Charlotte exclaimed.
“Then you will recall how depressed I was? Nothing could snap me out of it until I was inspired to help other women who had been wronged and had got no justice.”
Charlotte gasped. “You mean those stories about you are true?” Her eyes were as big as saucers.
“Yes and no,” Annie answered. “Let’s just say we help people, and we want to help you and the two other families that have been stricken with heartache by those doctors. You know about them, correct? The alleged suicide and the coma?”
“I heard rumors, yes.” Charlotte was getting pale.
“We have some ideas, but we will require some assistance,” Myra said.
“But how can I help?” Charlotte was becoming dizzy with confusion.
“Annie and I can be referrals. You bring us to see Dr. Marcus. That will get us inside legitimately,” Myra suggested.
“Legitimately?” Charlotte seemed dubious.
“As Annie mentioned earlier, we help people. We have a large network that aids and assists in a variety of tasks. Fergus and I are the key contacts and disseminate information to the sisters in order to allow them to carry out their plan,” Charles explained.
“Or ‘mission,’ as we call it,” Annie added.
“Wow.” Charlotte spoke in a whisper. “So what is the plan? Or mission?”
“We are in the process of gathering information about the three doctors. Once we know their strengths and weaknesses, particularly their weaknesses, we hatch a plan. Each sister brings her own personal area of expertise to bear.” Myra was matter of fact.
Another “Wow” emerged from Charlotte’s mouth.
“Indeed.” Charles put his arm around Myra, who put her arm around Annie, who put her arm around Fergus. “We are part of a team. You have already met the others.”
“You mean . . . the girls?” Wide-eyed saucers appeared again.
Everyone broke into laughter. “The sisters!” they said in unison.
Charlotte felt a level of excitement. Visiting Myra and Charles had been an excellent idea. “So, when do we start?” she asked, jubilation ringing in her voice.
“The sisters will be here in a couple of hours. We’ll have a meeting. And then we’ll have dinner, my special recipe of chicken cacciatore.” Charles was a man of many talents.
* * *
By four o’clock, everyone had arrived except Kathryn. She was on her way back from Aspen and Denver.
Myra escorted Charlotte down the dark steps as the other women followed. Myra explained that they always saluted Lady Justice upon entering and exiting. Charlotte was very nervous and made a weak attempt at complying.
Myra chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.”
Charlotte gazed around the impressive room. It looked like something you would see in a James Bond movie or in Star Wars. She wasn’t sure which. “Myra, I almost feel as if I don’t deserve the attention.”
“Don’t be silly. We’ve known each other since we were teens. And we have always trusted each other.” Myra pulled out a chair for Charlotte.
“Ditto for me,” Annie said and cackled.
The women pumped their fists in the air. “We’re all in!”
Chapter 21
Sag Harbor
Sasha sat in a small sedan in the Hampton Jitney parking lot. Corbett did not get off, so she followed the bus to the next town. And then the next. And several more. He finally stepped off at the last stop, in Sag Harbor. He must have called ahead, because a taxi was waiting for him at the curb. Pulling down the brim of her baseball cap, she tailed the taxi from about a hundred yards. Traffic was very light, with just a few cars passing in the other direction. No one was behind her.
The taxi pulled into a driveway, but she could not see the house from the street, just the hint of a blue Mercedes through the hedges. Every property had privet hedges to block the view of the house. She would have to return on foot and hope there was no security fence. She looked around. Nope. Just the privet.
It was still early in the evening, and she wondered if anyone was in the house or if he was going to go out again. She would just have to wait and see. But where? She noticed a FOR SALE sign a few houses back. Maybe that house was vacant. She would check it out. After pulling her cell from her pocket, she called the number on the sign but got a recording. Sasha decided to take a chance and pull into the driveway of the house, pretending she was interested in possibly buying it. Even though her small rental car would make someone question whether or not she could afford such a large house and in that neighborhood, she decided if she were to encounter someone, she would say she was scouting out property for her employer. Yes, Sasha was quick on her feet. Avery Snowden knew how to hire the best.
She turned her car around and proceeded to the privet-shielded house. There was nothing in the driveway and no visible activity in the house. Just a lockbox on the front door for the multiple listing. Perfect. She would park the car there after dark. She hit the button on her fake Apple watch to check in with Avery.
“Target arrived. I’ll send more info after I scope out any security issues,” Sasha said to her wrist. “It’s pretty sparse out here as far as human activity is concerned. Difficult to stay inconspicuous.”
“I’m dealing with the same situation but got a utility truck. I’m parking it on the side of the road.”
“Excellent solution. I am going on foot in an hour or so. Will probably be on my bike tomorrow. I’ll check back with you later.”
“Roger that.” Avery ended the call.
Sasha waited in the driveway for another hour. Still no one on the premises. It was early in the season, so the summer crowds were not around yet. Confident that she was alone, Sasha slipped behind the car and changed into what she referred to as her “sleuthing suit.” Same as Avery’s: black, except she wore leggings. After checking to see that all her equipment was blinking green, she shut the flap of her gear bag and carefully made her way back to Corbett’s property. She could tell that the neighbor to his right was not home. Probably just a vacation home for someone in the city. The place was dead, which provided a very good opportunity for Sasha to walk much of the perimeter along the privet hedges. She pulled out her night-vision glasses and placed an earbud in one ear to pick up any frequencies that would indicate security cameras, invisible fencing, or alarm trips. She heard a slight hum, which let her know that though there was a security system in the house, it was not engaged at the moment. Sasha figured he would set the alarm when he went to bed or went out. She waited. No dogs. No other cars. Just Corbett.