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the catwalk then out of sight. No! This can’t be happening. I’m in a bad movie. Bad dream. Bad world.
    Shaking, C h loe crawled to Bill a n d rolled him over. A C-note covered his eyes. She yanked it off and screamed in horror.
    Chloe ran through the building and slamm e d straight i nto the lo a ding dock door. She struggled to hoist it high en ou gh to crawl under. Rolling onto the ramp, she pushed herself up on hands and knees, then to full height. She put her hand on the revolver i n her pocket and lit out running. As she lo o ked back o ver her s h oulder, she slipped on the icy sid e walks, battering her knees.
    Back on her feet, she forced herself on w ard. A dry lump ached in the back of her mouth, forced open from heavy breathi n g. Frozen rain stung her face. As Chloe tumbled again she pulled her hand out of her pocket, not letting go of the pistol. The cobblestones abraded her wrists as she broke her fall.
    As she sc r ambled up again, one blue heel snapped off in a snow-covered grate, propelling her face first into a police call b o x. Moaning in agony, tasting bl o od, Chloe looked ov e r her shoulder. A lone car sped past. Forcing herself onward, she made it to the Fourteenth Street Bridge. Gasping for breath, Chl o e leaned over the concrete railing and threw the revolver. It slid along the surface o f the frozen Potomac Rive r . “Damn it. I can’t even dispose of a gun properly. It doesn’t matter anyh o w. It isn’t the murder weapon.” Murder weapon? “ No!”
    An icicle fell from the lamppost a bove her. Chloe drew back as it seemed to shatter in slow motion. S h e looked at the hun d red dollar bill still c rumpled in her hand. Benjamin Franklin’s picture adorned both sides. The drunken printers should b e ashamed of themselves for such a mistake. Chloe dr e aded turning them in. But right now that w as the least of her worries. She shivered almost convulsively as she clutched the paper to her heart. Tears blinded her as she buttoned the fur coat.
    * * * * *
    Half an hour later back at the White Ho u se, Eleanor Roosevelt emerged f r om the Monroe Room, startled to find h e r husband in the hallway.
    He said, “Babs! Didn’t see you come i n . How was the hoop dee doo? Tell me, are the older ladies supportive of my efforts?”
    “ Um…yes. Yes they are.”
    “ So’d you get swept off your feet by some handsome Republican?” “Naturally…a baker’s dozen of ’em.”
    “ Say, the Secret Serv i ce boys told me c o u n terfeit money’s been turning up in the District, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.”
    “ Oh? That’s…alarming… I’m really tired.”
    “ I’m on my way for a long hot soak. Care to join me?”
    “ Um…no, dear. I just want to get out of these shoes and get some shut-eye.”
    “ So be it. Goodnight… I love you.”
    She leaned down. They kissed. “And I lo v e you.”
    As she turned away, he grabbed her arm. “Babs, what’s that all along the hem of your dress?”
    “ Hunh?”
    He seized the emerald taffeta near her w a ist and began hoisting it up. E l eanor’s green pumps were fi l thy. His gaze ran up her rayon stockings. T h ey were tight at the ankles and baggy at the knees. Franklin ex am ined the bottom of her dress.
    The first lady blushed as she looked over her shoulder. “Franklin! What if—” “Cobwebs. Well I’ll be. Rosie the Rivet e r must be older than I tho u ght.” Eleanor p u lled away, smoothing the taff e ta down. She gave him the evil eye.
    Franklin c huckled as she walked off. He f ollowed his pup into the M o nr o e room. Looking around the sparse spotless room, he w o ndered what his wife had been up to. Fala sniffed the pan e ling a long the firepla c e wall. Mr. Roosevelt heard a voice in the corridor.
    “ Sir? Sir? Where you are?”
    Fala jumped into his lap. The President roll e d into the hallway. “ Ah, I was looking for you, g ood fellow. Come a n d draw my bath now. So tell me, Fuji, how is that stunning c r