“Hi” the visitor smiled “I apologize for intruding.”

“No I was just sitting hear watching TV” Jenny smiled trying to remember if they even owned a television set.

“I was wondering if you know the people next door” she thumbed toward Bette and Tina’s.

“Yes” Jenny cautiously replied without giving out further information “why?”

“I’m an old friend” she smiled “of Tina’s” she quickly added.  “She doesn’t know I’m here and I kind of wanted to surprise her.  Do you know when they’ll be back?”

“I don’t know, they went to some kid’s birthday party, so I’m thinking sometime before Angie’s bedtime.”

“She has a child?” the stranger seemed surprised.

“Yes” Jenny concentrated on the strangers face “I’m sorry, I never got your name.”

 “Oh god I’m so sorry” her face went crimson with embarrassment “I’m Lydia.”

“Hi, I’m Jenny. I’m a writer” Jenny happily replied..

“Oh that’s nice” Lydia smiled and nodded with interest.  “I have to get going, I’ll just come back later.”

“Okay” Jenny simply smiled and waved “bye.”

Kit walked into her dining room carrying a tray of mugs filled with coffee for the attendees of the ‘secret meeting.’

“There’s cream and sugar for who ever needs it” she told everyone.

“Thanks Kit” Alice said as did Tina, Helena, Tasha, Jaime, Sam and Carmen.  The women took every seat around the table with Kit and Tasha seated at the opposite ends.

“What do we know so far?”  Tasha was the first to speak.

“We know they have friends in low places” Alice referred to the ratatouille ambush from a few weeks prior.

“The question is” Helena wanted to get it out there.  “How low are they going to stoop?”

“Can you get any lower than rats?”  Tina looked across table at Helena.

“What about robbery?”  Kit suggested shyly.

“Do you think they had something to do with that?”  Tina rubbed Kit’s arm.

“I don’t know” Kit hesitated then added.  “I know it sounds crazy.”

“No it doesn’t” Jaime looked at Tasha who nodded in agreement.

“The robbery did happen before their bar opened” Tina reasoned.