Read Online Deadly Deals by Fern Michaels - Free Book Online Page A

the South Lawn or how they would accomplish this feat. Or how the horses in their Christmas attire would get there. Probably by horse trailer. Security would be worthy of a summit meeting.
    Maggie pressed SEND . Five seconds later the article was on the way to the mountain.
    Maggie reached for her BlackBerry. She sucked in her breath, then let it out in a loud swoosh as she alerted Ted to what she’d just read. Headlines of every size and shape ripped through her mind. It looked to her like it was going to be one hell of a busy week. Gut instinct told her she might get two special editions out of the forthcoming events. “Yesss!”
    Promptly at nine o’clock East Coast time, Lizzie Fox called. They updated each other, made small talk, then got down to business. Maggie read to Lizzie the article that she’d just e-mailed to the mountain. Lizzie burst out laughing, knowing exactly what Maggie was thinking.
    â€œMaggie, before I keep my appointment with Baron Bell tomorrow, I am going to need written confirmation that the Evanses want me to represent them. I don’t want to give Baron Bell one inch of wiggle room. I also cannot solicit the Evans family. They have to come to me. Rachel Dawson said she would do her best to convince Beth Evans, who in turn would have to convince her husband.”
    â€œOkay. Ted is probably at the Dawsons’ right now. I’ll text him and tell him what he has to do. The Evanses live in Old Town in Alexandria, right?”
    â€œYes. What’s going on, on the mountain?”
    Maggie told her. Lizzie giggled, and they both signed off.
    It was two o’clock when Ted and Espinosa loomed over her desk.
    â€œDo you have it all?” Maggie asked.
    â€œWe do. That guy Evans was a hard nut to crack, but he went along with it in the end. I hate to admit this, but I think it was the vague promise that Lizzie was going to get their money back. But it could have been the mention of the vigilantes. I just don’t know. They’ve given up on getting the baby back, sad to say. We did our best, Maggie, but that couple is beaten down. They want to believe the paper can help. I did have to throw in the vigilantes, like I said. Mrs. Evans perked right up and said if her husband didn’t agree, she was leaving him. Listen, we’re going down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. It’s all there. Text me if there’s something you don’t understand. The pictures Espinosa got will break your heart. How soon do you need me to write it up?”
    â€œAs soon as you’re done with lunch,” Maggie replied. “I’m not going to run with it just yet, but I want it ready in case I decide to go with a special edition. We’ve done all we can for the moment. Now we wait for Lizzie to see how things shake out. Check the wires while you’re eating, and let me know what you think about the Christmas party at the White House.”
    Maggie went back to her computer and downloaded the photos Espinosa had taken. Ted was right. There was nothing more beautiful than a new baby being held in his mother’s arms. In the case of the Dawsons, two babies. Absolutely nothing.
    Maggie continued downloading the pictures, her eyes misting up from time to time. The babies were beautiful. The two sets of parents looked haunted. Both young mothers looked vulnerable and fragile. The fathers looked bewildered.
    Maggie spread out the photos on her desk. First she lined up the babies. Then she put the pictures of the parents next to the babies. Her hands flew as she moved, shifted as she struggled to come up with a headline that would tell the story in three words or less.
    A sticky pad found its way to her hand. Readers would want names to go with the cherubs’ faces. The parents needed names, too. Mom and Dad? Beth and John? Rachel and Tom? Mom and Dad! Nurse, teacher, doctor, engineer? Robert, Rita, Benjy? What should she go with for her