Let me know what you think.
Maggie J n Friday afternoon, Cohn Byers' personal assistant
called Abigail and then followed up with a fax of
Maggie's proposed flight schedule and itinerary.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Abigail as she
handed the paper to Maggie. "Seems to me you'll be hop-
ping right out of the frying pan and into the fire-or maybe
it 5 the dragon's lair. I'm not too sure about my metaphors,
but just the same, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go
down there."
Maggie laughed. "You haven't met him, have you, Abi-
gail? He actually seems like quite a nice person, and he has
almost everyone in town convinced that he's okay. And who
knows, maybe he is telling the truth about how his competi-
tors have slandered his name in order to get a leg up in the
development business."
Abigail frowned. "Well, if he's anything like the company
he keeps-like Snider and Tanner, I mean-then I wouldn't
trust him no matter how nice he seemed. And I don't think
you should either."
"Believe me, I understand your sentiments. But this is a
good opportunity to find out if this guy's on the level or not.
I plan to really snoop around and ask lots of questions. If
143.
144Melody Carlson
there's anything disturbing, I'll be the first one to blow the
whistle on him. But Pine Mountain Estates may be coming
whether we like it or not. I feel I owe it to our readers to find
out the truth about Cohn Byers and the quality of his devel-
opments, and to do that I need to see his work with my own
eyes."
Abigail nodded solemnly. "I suppose you're right. Just
you be careful. Are you all packed up and ready to go?"
"Well, there's plenty of time for that." Maggie glanced at
the itinerary. "Wait-it says here that I'm to fly out
-tomorrow morning and return on Monday!"
Abigail nodded. "His secretary called and said that early
next week doesn't work for him. She was very apologetic, but
she explained that he thinks it's so important for you to come
that he cleared his weekend in order to tour you around him-
self. She said they hoped you wouldn't mind giving up a
weekend and that they promised to show you a good time.''
Maggie groaned. "Well, I guess I don't have much of a
choice, do I? Maybe it's best just to get this over with
anyway. I think I'll head home early and try to get some
things in order before I have to leave."
As she drove home, she realized that by leaving
tomorrow she'd miss the dinner with Barbara, Michael, and
Jed. Perhaps she could get Leah and Audrey to postpone it
until she returned on Monday. She knew Barbara planned to
stay at least another week.