Max tore a sheet of paper off the notepad by the telephone in the living room, flattened the paper on the coffee table, and wrote a short note.

Normal conversation. Suggest we get a drink downstairs.

Regan nodded.

"I thought this was a good beginning for us with this group," she said in an even tone. "Don't you agree?"

"I do. Jed Whitlow seems to have his act together, and Bernardo told us the others were the same. I'm looking forward to this meeting at ...