Claire whispered to Layne, something about movie contracts and lawyers.

"How's Sunday?" Layne asked, sounding slightly perturbed.

"Nope, no good," Ma.s.sie insisted.

The line went dead.

"Ehmagawd, did they seriously hang up again?" Alicia's brown eyes were wide with disbelief.

This time Ma.s.sie dialed Claire.

"Hey," she answered, a trace of shame in her voice.

"Are you a pyromaniac?"

"No, why?" Claire sounded confused.

Alicia, Kristen, and Dylan covered their mouths in antic.i.p.ation.

"'Cause you're playing with fire fire!"

"I-I'm not," Claire stammered. "It's just that I can't do it tomorrow. I have a meeting with some lawyers." She paused, obviously waiting for someone to ask why. But Ma.s.sie wasn't about to give her the satisfaction.

Finally, she volunteered, "I got the part."

A cashmere-coated lump formed in the back of Ma.s.sie's throat. She knew she should say something, to avoid seeming upset. But she couldn't. The cashmere was spreading into her brain, smothering all thoughts, words, and I'm-so-happy-for-you sounds.

"Well, if you're moving to Hollywood, you won't care when when we meet," Alicia said. we meet," Alicia said.

Ma.s.sie winked, indicating a nice save.

"We want Sunday." Layne sc.r.a.ped the key against the phone.

"Hummm." Ma.s.sie sighed dreamily.

"What?" Layne and Claire asked at the same time.

"I was just wondering." Ma.s.sie stood at her bay window, like a queen looking at out her kingdom. "What do you think Skye would do if she knew you were bargaining with her key? I mean, isn't this supposed to be secretive?"

Alicia clapped silently, while Dylan and Kristen urged Ma.s.sie along with two, enthusiastic, thumbs-up.

"If I were her, and you betrayed me like that," Ma.s.sie addressed the forest of oak trees in her backyard, "I'd a.s.sign someone to make your eighth-grade life feel like death. Someone, like, oh, I dunno...me!"

"Fine," Layne blurted. "Alicia's tomorrow at one-thirty."

"What?" Claire whined. "You can't-"

Once again, the line went dead. This time it was Ma.s.sie who hung up.

She collapsed on the purple-pillow-covered ledge beneath her window, burying her face again. The future of the Pretty Committee was in the Crystal Light-stained hands of Layne Abeley and Miss Keds "R" Us, Claire Lyons. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Don't worry, we'll get the key." Alicia crouched and put her arm around Ma.s.sie. "I've gone to court with my dad a million times. I know how to negotiate."

"What if she wants us to take her shopping at second-hand stores or-?"

"Relax." Alicia grabbed Ma.s.sie's frigid hand and looked her in the eye. "Remember that famous plastic-surgery case last summer?"

Ma.s.sie shook her head no, even though she did. It was the point that escaped her.

"Was that the one where that c.o.c.ktail waitress wanted a body like Jessica Simpson's?" Kristen giggled.

Alicia nodded.

"Oh, I remember that one." Dylan finally peeled off her soccer uniform and slipped into one of Mr. Block's old XL Brooks Brothers shirts. "She got Jessica it, then flew to L.A. and hit on Nick Lachey. When he turned her down, she sued her doctor, claiming that if it'd looked exactly like Jessica's, he would have asked her out."

"My dad represented her and she won won." Alicia sparkled with pride. "That girl got ten million dollars."

"Per b.o.o.b?" Dylan asked.

"P.B."

"Yeah, but the key is way more important than twenty million dollars," Ma.s.sie insisted.

Everyone sighed.

In search of a winning strategy, Ma.s.sie shut her eyes and practiced yogic breathing-deep inhales and slow, complete exhales. The others waited patiently for her sage words.

After ten high-quality breaths she lifted her head and spoke.

"Blazers. We should definitely wear blazers."

"Definitely," they agreed.

THE R RIVERA E ESTATE M MR. R RIVERA'S H HOME O OFFICE.

Sat.u.r.day, April 10th 1:32 P.M. P.M.

"She's late!" Ma.s.sie barked at the heavy oak doors of Mr. Rivera's grand, dimly lit study.

"Relax, it's a common negotiating strategy." Alicia, who was nestled in her father's high-back Italian cowhide desk chair, stuck another Ticonderoga No. 2 in the automatic sharpener. "She's trying to heighten your feelings of desperation."

"Huh?" Dylan burped.

"Makes sense." Kristen slid the tall wooden ladder along the towering bookshelves.

"How do you you know?" Ma.s.sie hated when the girls acted like they knew things she didn't, especially when they did. know?" Ma.s.sie hated when the girls acted like they knew things she didn't, especially when they did.

"Psychology for Dummies." She ran a finger along a row of dusty encyclopedias and unfun legal journals. "If Layne's late, you'll worry she's changed her mind. And that will make you panic. Then when she does does show up, you'll be so relieved you'll give in to her list of demands." She snapped. "Like that." show up, you'll be so relieved you'll give in to her list of demands." She snapped. "Like that."

"Point!" Crossing the leather-scented room, Alicia gathered her tweezer-sharp pencils and set them on the cherry-wood conference table. Fresh yellow legal pads, an emerald green banker's lamp, and a bottle of chilled Evian had been placed in front of every cushy seat. a.s.sorted fruit and cheese platters doubled as centerpieces, while an intercom shaped like a miniature black s.p.a.cecraft waited patiently at the head of the table in case someone needed to be conferenced in. The only thing missing was the key.

Boop.

A red light appeared on the side of the s.p.a.cecraft. "Alicia, your one-thirty is here," said the Riveras' house-keeper.

"Thanks, Joyce. Send her-"

"Have her wait," Ma.s.sie interrupted. She checked her reflection in the silver wine goblets by the minibar. Her hair, pulled into a tight chignon, gave an air of seriousness, which her cropped navy blazer and matching mini echoed. Knee-high argyle socks peeked out of the tops of her leather riding boots, adding a necessary dash of color.

All of a sudden, Layne burst through the double French doors looking like a combination of George Washington and Batman. "I didn't come he-ah to wait."

A gray barrister's wig covered her stringy beige hair. The helmet of tight curls framed her face, then ended in a low ponytail that had been fastened with a black cloth bow. A cape-type gown was draped over her shoulders and tied at her collarbone. Round, lensless wire frames were perched on the bridge of her nose, and a silver lockbox was handcuffed to her wrist.

One-liners popped into Ma.s.sie's mind with IM swiftness, each one making fun of Layne's costume, her fake British accent, and her overall LBR-ishness. But they would have to wait until the key was dangling from the Coach key chain that was waiting-rather impatiently-in Ma.s.sie's red quilted Chanel clutch.

"Since Cla-h is in contract nego-si-ations of heh own, I will be representing both of us." She helped herself to a seat at the head of the table.

"Very well, milord." Ma.s.sie gave a sharp nod to Alicia, signaling that it was time to begin.

She stood, smoothing her winter-white RL blazer, which she'd paired with dark-wash skinny Citizens and brown suede Marc Jacobs flats. "I hereby declare this key meeting now in session. Please rise."

Everyone did.

"You may now take your seats."

"State your terms." Ma.s.sie gripped her pencil.

After taking a minute to adjust her specs, Layne unrolled a long white sheet of parchment.

"Ech, hem." She cleared her already clear throat. "Cl-ah Lyons and Layne Abeley dema-hnd the following in exchange for this key." She shook the lockbox. The clang made Ma.s.sie's fingers tingle.

"One. Clah would like to be reinstated into the Pretty Committee.

"Two. Layne would like access to two sleepovers peh month and a guaranteed spoht for hur sleeping bag beside Clah. And she can be in charge of one of thah activities, which might include working with clay, re-creating unfahgettable scenes from Tony Award-winning Broadway shows, or mask making."

Dylan pushed back a sleeve of her dark green velvet blazer and reached for a pineapple slice, dribbling juice from the platter to her chin.

Layne twirled her heart-shaped locket, waiting for Dylan to finish chewing.

"Three. We would like unlimited access to thah 'room.'" She used her pinky fingers to make air quotes as her hands were working to keep the parchment open. "With peh-mission to store poster board, wood, and oth-ah protest-sign materials in said 'room.'

"Foh. In public, you have to pretend you like Heather, Meena, and me."

Answer me, Layne.... Answer me, Layne... squawked her personalized parrot ringtone. squawked her personalized parrot ringtone.

"I have to take this," she said, momentarily forgetting her accent.

Answer me, Layne.... Answer me, Layne....

"Hey! What's up?" asked Layne, as she jammed the cell under her wig, in search of her ear. "Why are you whispering?...Well, why are you hiding in the bathroom?...How can it be boring when they're talking about all the money they're going to pay you to star in a movie with...Yeah, it's going good....I just read number four....Okay, hold on." Layne looked at the intercom. "Claire wants to go on speaker."

"Tell her to call my dad's office. It's the same as our home number with a nine on the end instead of an eight." Alicia instructed.

"Did you hear that?" Layne asked into the phone. "'Kay, bye."

Five seconds later Claire's voice was coming out of the little black s.p.a.ceship. "How's it going?"

"It's going good." Layne was the only one who answered. "How's it going over there?"

"Boring," Claire mumbled, her mouth obviously pressed against the speaker. "For the last hour everyone's been arguing about foreign DVD sales. And the food is all sugar-free and low fat. It burns my tongue."

"Poor Princess n.o.body." Ma.s.sie rolled her eyes. "Now can we puh-lease get on with it?" She tapped her pencil.

"Roi-t, roi-t." Layne snapped back into barrister mode and picked up her parchment.

Kristen giggled.

Joyce knocked lightly on the French doors. "Alicia, your sundaes are ready."

"Yay!" Alicia air-clapped.

"You guys are having sundaes?" Claire asked.

"Not everyone has to eat Snackwells." Ma.s.sie grinned, loving the envy in Claire's voice.

"Ehmagawd!" Dylan stood. "They're make-your-own."

Joyce wheeled in a gold-plated cart filled with an a.s.sortment of syrups, sprinkles, ice creams, and crumbled Oreos. A battery-powered blender was on the bottom tier should anyone want to whip her sundae into a blizzard.

"Are those Reese's peanut-b.u.t.ter cups?" Dylan's hands met in prayer position.

"Yes." Joyce lowered her head as if to say, "You're welcome." Her b.u.t.tery blond bun was the same color as the cupcakes on the cookie platter. She gave each girl a bone china bowl and a long-stemmed silver spoon. "Will that be all?"

"Yup, thanks, J." Alicia smiled warmly at the woman who'd helped raise her since she was three days old.

"Very well." Joyce looked pleased, revealing deep-set crow's-feet in the corners of her kind blue eyes. "Enjoy."

Layne removed her pink retainer, placed it on her legal pad, and pushed back her crimson upholstered wing chair.

"Not so fast." Ma.s.sie snapped her fingers. Dylan, Kristen, and Alicia hurried to block the cart.

"Why?" Layne eyed the mountain of melting ice cream behind them.

"Not until you're done with the dem-ahhhh-nds."

"I'm done."