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"Would you like an extra hand?" Pitt asked "I'"

Lillie se of uneasiness "Your plans are already made, Dirk I wish I could trade places with you, but duty calls"

"I'm afraid to ask what's on your nasty little mind," Pitt said dryly

"A party, you lucky dog You're going to a poetry reading party"

"You've got to be kidding"

"No, I'm serious By special invitation froh I suspect it was Miss Fyrie's idea"

Pitts eyebrows careen eyes "How do you know this? How could you know this? No invitation arrived before you picked me up at the consulate"

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"A trade secret We do e to pull a rabbit out of the hat occasionally"

"Okay, I'll concede a point and stick a gold star on your chart for the day" It was beginning to get chilly so Pitt rolled up his"A poetry reading," he said disgustedly "God, that ought to be a winner"

Chapter 13

It is debated a over the crest of the highest hill above Reykjavik, is even ant than the President's ued until both structures crumbled to dust, mostly because there is no real case for comparison The President of Iceland's residence is a model of classic simplicity, while Oskar Rondheim's modern edifice looked as if it had been spawned by the unleashed iht

The entire block in front of the ornate grille doors was lined with li every expensive auto manufacturer of every country: Rous-Royce, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac Even a Russian-built Zis stood teo of forers

Beyond the entryway, eighty to ninety guests drifted in and out of thein a spectrues The sun, which had been hidden off and on by a stray cloud, shone brightly through the s even though it was just past nine o'clock in the evening At the far end of the great salon, Kirsti Fyrie and Oskar Rondhei the red albatross and greeted each arriving guest

Kirsti was radiantly beautiful, gowned in white silk with gold triantly wound Grecian style Rondheim, tall and hawklike, towered beside her, his thin lips cracking in a s the Russian guests and s table set with even rows of caviar and sale silver punch bohen his eyes widened a fraction and the forced suests died to a strange stillness