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The Redfield Agency was big in Wilmington, with an office on South College Road and a branch office in Southport. They were developers as well as brokers and were currently developing a marina at Southport.
    “ Your sister is going to do us up proud. She’ll make the best president the NCAR has ever seen. I can’t wait to see how she shakes up this state.”
    Regina gave me a wide but forced smile, exposing a mouthful of brilliant white teeth. Very expensive cosmetic dentistry. A perfect small straight nose. And a very expensive hair style. Her hair was expertly tinted a soft shade of caramel, and fluffed up into a bouffant style. Not a single strand was out of place.
    Then I noticed the cords in her neck. They stood out like ropes. She was scrawny, painfully thin. And flat chested. And while the latest fashions might look good on a size zero figure, I couldn’t help but think her husband or lover must be mighty disappointed when she disrobed.
    Just then Cam entered the room, looked around, then made a bee line for me. “How’s it going up there?” I asked, referring to the nursery.
    “ Jon sent me to find you. He left the diaper bag in the car and he couldn’t find his keys. He said he must have handed them to you.”
    I dug around in my bag and sure enough found the car keys which I removed and dangled. “Yep, got them.”
    Cam stretched out his palm to take the keys. “I’ll run out . . .”
    “ No you won’t, Cam,” Melanie said. “Let Ashley do that. I’ve been looking all over for you, sweetie. I’ve got some important people for you to meet.” Melanie appeared annoyed with her husband. And with me.
    Regina looked from one of us to the other, picking up on the undercurrent that charged among us.
    “ I’ll get the bag,” I told Cam, and hurried out of the drawing room and into the reception hall. I glanced up the stairs. Jon must be frantic up there without clean diapers. And lord knows, my little boys sure do go through the diapers faster than Kyle Petty used to zip around a race track.
    Outside, the air was fresh and cool. The dark night felt soothing after bright lights and loud voices. The valet was nowhere in sight, perhaps taking a supper break in the kitchen.
    Our Escalade was the only car parked in the circular driveway. I hurried to the SUV, clicked the remote, and lifted the hatch back. Now where was the diaper bag? I didn’t see it anywhere in the rear compartment. I slammed the hatch shut and went around to the second row door, opened it, and stuck my head inside.
    There it was, on the floor of the back seat. I lifted it out and closed the car door. I was just starting around the car toward the entrance when loud voices stopped me. Two men stepped out of house, and from the ferocity of their voices, they were quarreling. Uh oh, this could be embarrassing.
    I drew back to the far side of the Escalade, waiting for them to move away so I could have a clear shot across the driveway. But they didn’t move. They were in each other’s faces, so intent on their quarrel they were oblivious to my presence. I hung back. I could see them clearly in the faux gaslights on either side of the entrance. One of the men was Buddy Henry. The other man I’d never seen before.
    “ I never agreed to that,” Henry was shouting, “so don’t go putting words in my mouth. My constituents would throw me out of office if I was stupid enough to introduce such a bill.”
    The other man cursed, calling the senator the most vile names - names I am much too ladylike to repeat but not too ladylike to enjoy hearing being hurled at the fox-murderer. Then he yelled, “After all the money I’ve invested in you, you’d better sponsor that bill if you know what’s good for you. And you’ll see that it gets passed too. There won’t be another penny until you do.” He jabbed his finger into Henry’s lapel.
    Henry swiped at the man’s arm, knocking it away. “Take your hands off me. Who do you think you’re