THE NURSE AT the reception desk at Three North said, "I'm sorry, Miss Reynolds is not allowed visitors." Kelly asked, "Can you tell us what room she's in?" "No, I'm afraid I can't." "This is an emergency," Diane said. "We have to see her and-" "No one sees her without written authorization." There was a note of finality in her voice.

Diane and Kelly looked at each other.

"Well, thank you." The two women walked away. "What are we going to do?" Kelly asked. "This is our last chance." "I have a plan."

A UNIFORMED MESSENGER carrying a large, beribboned parcel approached the reception desk.

"I have a package here for Lois Reynolds." "I'll sign for it," the nurse said.

The messenger shook his head. "Sorry. My orders are to deliver it to her personally. It's very valuable." The nurse hesitated. "Then I'll have to go with you." "That's fine." He followed the nurse to the end of the hall. When they reached room 391, the nurse started to open the door and the messenger handed her the package. "You can take it in to her," he said.

One FLIGHT DOWN, the messenger walked over to the bench where Diane and Kelly were waiting.

"Room 391," he told them.

"Thanks," Diane said gratefully. She handed him some money.

The two women took the stairs to the third floor, stepped into the corridor, and waited until the nurse was on the telephone. Her back was turned to them. They quickly started down the hall and entered room 391.

Lois Reynolds was lying in bed with a spiderweb of tubes and wires attached to her body. She was heavily bandaged. Her eyes were closed as Kelly and Diane approached the bed.

Diane said softly, "Miss Reynolds, I'm Diane Stevens and this is Kelly Harris.

Our husbands worked for KIG." Lois Reynolds's eyes slowly opened and tried to focus. When she spoke, her voice was a shadow of a whisper. "What?" Kelly said, "Our husbands worked for KIG. They were both killed. We thought that because of what happened to your brother, you might be able to help us." Lois Reynolds tried to shake her head. "I can't help you… Gary is dead." Her eyes welled up with tears.

Diane leaned close. "Did your brother say anything to you before the accident?" "Gary was a wonderful man." Her voice was slow and pained. "He was killed in a plane crash." Diane said patiently, "Did he say anything to you that might help us find out what happened?" Lois Reynolds closed her eyes.

"Miss Reynolds, please don't go to sleep yet. Please. This is very important.

Did your brother say anything to you that might help us?" Lois Reynolds opened her eyes again and looked at Diane, puzzled. "Who are you?" Diane said, "We think your brother was murdered." Lois Reynolds murmured, "I know…" The two of them felt a cold chill.

"Why?" Kelly asked.

"Prima…" It was a whisper.

Kelly leaned closer. "Prima?" "Gary told… told me about it a few… a few days before he was killed.

Their machine that can control… control weather. Poor Gary. He… he never got to Washington." Diane said, "Washington?" "Yes… They were all going to… all going to see some senator about… about Prima… Gary said Prima was bad…" Kelly asked, "Do you remember the senator's name?" "No." "Please think." Lois Reynolds was mumbling. "Senator somebody…" "Senator who?" Kelly asked.

"Levin-Luven-Van Luven. He was going to see her. He was going to meet-" The door flew open, and a doctor wearing a white jacket, with a stethoscope draped around his neck, strode into the room. He looked at Diane and Kelly, furious. "Didn't anyone tell you no visitors were allowed in here?" Kelly said, "I'm sorry. We had to-speak to-" "Leave, please." The two women looked at Lois Reynolds. "Good-bye. Get well." The man watched them leave the room. When the door closed, he moved to the bed, picked up a pillow, and leaned over Lois Reynolds.

CHAPTER 40

KELLY AND DIANE made their way down to the main lobby of the hospital.

Diane said, "That's why Richard and Mark were going to Washington, to see Senator Van Luven." "How do we get hold of her?" "Simple." Diane took out her cell phone.

Kelly held up a hand to stop her. "No. Let's use a pay phone." They got the telephone number of the Senate office building from information, and Diane called from a public phone.

"Senator Van Luven's office." "I'd like to speak to the senator, please." "May I say who's calling?" Diane said, "It's a personal matter." "Your name, please?" "I can't-just tell her it's very important." "I'm sorry, I can't do that." The line was disconnected.

Diane turned to Kelly. "We can't use our names." Diane called the number again.

"Senator Van Luven's office." "Please, listen to me. This is not a crank call. I need to speak to the senator, and I can't give you my name." "Then I'm afraid I can't let you speak to the senator." The call was disconnected.

Diane dialed again.

"Senator Van Luven's office." "Please don't hang up. I know you're doing your job, but this is a matter of life and death. I'm calling from a pay phone. I'm going to give you the number.

Please have the senator call me." She gave the secretary the number and heard the secretary slam the phone down.

Kelly said, "What do we do now?" we wait.

They waited for two hours, and finally Diane said, "It's not going to work.

Let's-" The phone rang. Diane took a deep breath and rushed to pick it up. "Hello?" An annoyed female voice said, "This is Senator Van Luven. Who is this?" Diane held the phone toward Kelly, so that they could both hear what the senator was saying. Diane was so choked up, she could hardly speak. "Senator, my name is Diane Stevens.

I'm here with Kelly Harris. Do you know who we are?" "No, I don't, and I'm afraid I-" "Our husbands were murdered on their way to meet with you." There was a gasp. "Oh, my God. Richard Stevens and Mark Harris." "Yes." "Your husbands made an appointment to meet with me, but my secretary received a call saying that they had changed their plans. Then they-died." "That call was not from them, Senator," Diane said. "They were murdered to stop them from seeing you." "What?" She sounded in shock. "Why would anyone-?" "They were killed to prevent them from talking to you. Kelly and I would like to come to Washington and tell you what our husbands were trying to tell you." There was a brief hesitation. "I'll meet with you, but not in my office. It's too public. If what you're saying is true, it could be dangerous. I have a home in Southampton, Long Island. I can meet you there. Where are you calling from?" "Denver." "Just a moment." Three minutes later, the senator came back on the line. "The next flight out of Denver to New York is a red-eye. It's a United flight, nonstop to La Guardia. It leaves at twelve-twenty-five a.m. and arrives in New York at six-oh-nine a.m. If the flight is full, there's one-" "We'll be on that flight." Kelly looked at Diane, surprised. "Diane, what if we can't get-?" Diane held up a reassuring hand. "We'll be on it." "When you get to the airport, a gray Lincoln Town Car will be waiting for you.

Go right to the car.

The driver is Asian. His name is Kunio, K-U-N-I-O. He'll take you to my home.

I'll be waiting for you there."

"Thank you, Senator." Diane replaced the receiver and took a deep breath. She turned to Kelly. "We're all set." Kelly said, "How do you know we can get on that flight?" "I have a plan."