Game Over. Fern Michaels

you’re last, no one wants to rehash everything that went down in your absence.”

      “Will you just shut the hell up, Harry? I hate it when you go off on a tangent. So what if we’re last? I’d rather get where I’m going safe and sound than be dead on arrival.”

      Jack got out of the car and made his way up the long driveway. He looked to his left and saw that Cosmo Cricket was standing in the open doorway, waiting for them. Cosmo shouted against the wind, “Thanks for coming out in this weather, gentlemen.”

      Jack knew Harry was muttering something obscene, even though he couldn’t hear it. Harry’s lips were moving, which was never a good thing. Actually, it was pretty much of a bad thing.

      Hands were shaken; then they were inside a monstrous empty house that seemed to Jack like a gigantic cave. It was warm, which was, he supposed, a good thing. He eyed Cosmo Cricket as Lizzie’s husband lumbered his way to the back of the house. “A moving stairway would be nice,” Jack muttered as Cosmo’s massive body preceded him and Harry. Jack later swore that the house trembled.

      Again, hands were extended as all the men shook, their expressions curious at this particular summons.

      “How big is this house?” Espinosa asked.

      “Sixty-five hundred square feet. I bought it back in September of last year and had it gutted. Elizabeth doesn’t know I bought it. It’s supposed to be a surprise,” said Cosmo.

      Harry stiffened. “Women do not like this kind of surprise. Just ask old Jack here.”

      “I’ve heard that. That’s why I asked all of you to come here. You’ve all been to Elizabeth’s house. I can barely move around in there. I thought…So, are you saying I shouldn’t have done this?”

      Cosmo looked so worried that Bert took pity on him. He started to talk, and the others weighed in, offering advice.

      “It’s a stunning house, and I think Lizzie is going to love it. But leave the decorating up to her,” Bert said.

      “She might not like driving this far, and I can’t see Lizzie taking the Metro. That might be a problem. Of course, you could get her a chauffeur,” Espinosa said. “You know, as part of the surprise.”

      Cosmo was looking more worried by the moment.

      “There are surprises, and then there are surprises. Maggie likes to be part of all decision making. I don’t know, Cricket. This might be a hornet’s nest,” Ted said.

      When Cosmo looked at him, Jack decided to take the high road. “Knowing Lizzie the way I do, I think she’s going to love this house. The fact that you bought it for her with the best intentions will go a long way. Lizzie is the kindest person in this whole wide world.” He waved his arm about. “We can attest to that. So, if for some reason she doesn’t like it, you sell it. It’s that simple. But I wouldn’t tell her to sell her little house. She loves that place, too. She makes us dinner, and we eat in the kitchen. Lizzie likes cozy and intimate.” Jack realized he was babbling and held back whatever he was going to say next.

      Cosmo sat down on the window seat in the breakfast nook, a look of pure panic on his face.

      “Don’t listen to Jack. He has no decorating experience at all. Were you going to call in a professional decorator?” Harry asked.

      “I didn’t get that far in my thinking, Harry. I got the certificate of occupancy yesterday. As you can see, the house is ready to be moved into. The minute I had that paper in my hand, I realized that maybe I had overstepped my bounds a bit.” Cosmo looked around the kitchen and muttered, “This is not cozy and intimate.”

      “But it could be,” Ted said. “Maggie says a kitchen should reflect the owner. She likes green plants, lots and lots of green plants. Bright colors, the right furniture, and copper pots are where it’s at. Lizzie has a good decorating eye. I like her little house and have always felt comfortable when I’m there. You know, you can take your shoes off and feel at home. Then again, maybe it’s Lizzie herself who makes you feel at home. Shit, I don’t know,” he finished lamely.

      The others pondered this startling bit of information and nodded sagely.

      “Yeah, well, that isn’t all you need. You need coordinated place mats and napkins, and the candles have to match. Then when they get stubby looking, you have to replace them. It’s all about scent and ambience.” Suddenly Jack saw something in Cosmo Cricket’s expression that he couldn’t define. “This isn’t about the house at all, is it, Cricket?”

      Cosmo lumbered to his feet. He turned around to look out the bay window at the falling snow. “You’re pretty astute, Emery. You’re right. It isn’t about the house. Well, it is, but it isn’t. You know what I mean.”

      Suddenly he had everyone’s attention, their antennas fully extended. They waited for the Vegas attorney to enlighten them.

      Cosmo cleared his throat. “No one knows what I’m about to tell you yet. It won’t make the news till tomorrow, maybe the day after. Then again, they might hold back on it until later. People sometimes have a tendency to boast that they have friends in high places, and for the most part, it’s probably true. I have a few myself, as I’m sure you all do, too. This one friend…is very high in the pecking order. She called me late last night and shared what she knew with me.”

      “How high is high?” Ted asked, the reporter in him on high alert.

      “The top. There’s no place else to go from that particular slot,” said Cosmo.

      This is like pulling teeth, Jack thought. A chill ran down his spine. “And does Lizzie know about that call?”

      “No, Jack, she doesn’t. She was sound asleep when the call came in. I was scheduled to go back to Vegas today but changed my plans. Elizabeth thinks I’m on my way back. I didn’t exactly lie to her. I am leaving, weather permitting, this evening.”

      Bert’s eyes narrowed. “Are you telling us someone so high up on the totem pole called you, I’m assuming in the middle of the night, and the FBI doesn’t know about it? Who is that person?”

      Cosmo held up hands that were as big as catchers’ mitts and shook his head. “Actually, Bert, there were two calls last night. I guess I should have said that in the beginning. The first call involves the person and a personal decision he decided to make. He wanted me to know before anyone else.”

      “And…?” Jack said, prodding.

      Cosmo took a deep breath. To the others, it seemed like all the oxygen in the room was suddenly sucked out. “Justice Douglas Leonard called and said he’s resigning in June, when the Supreme Court session ends. His wife, Florence, has a terminal illness, and he wants to spend his time with her. But the more I think about that call, the more I think…it just didn’t ring true somehow. He said he was going to call President Connor at five o’clock this morning to tell her. President Connor called me at five thirty and told me she already had a short list ready should a vacancy crop up. Elizabeth is at the top of the short list. Elizabeth knows nothing about this. The president called to give me a heads-up, and I guess to see if I would give her any opposition, which I didn’t, because I was in a state of shock.”

      Cosmo sat back down, his shoulders quaking.

      “Holy shit!” was all Jack could think of to say.

      “Lizzie Fox Cricket a Supreme Court justice! Man, it doesn’t get any better than that!” Ted said.

      “Do you think Lizzie will want the position?” Jack asked carefully as he watched for Cosmo’s reaction.

      “I don’t know. I know I’d certainly give it some serious thought if I were under consideration. I’m afraid for Elizabeth. My position in the gambling mecca of Las Vegas may not help her. She would make a top-notch justice. There was something about that call, though, that is bothering me. Maybe I’m too jaded, but the thought that maybe it was a setup of some kind did cross my mind.”

      “Jesus,