Chapter 8

Raina knew that the reporters would be calling but she didn't want to talk to them, not just yet. She was indecisive as to what her next move would be. After all, Michael still wanted her. Perhaps he would have a change of heart about severing their relationship. When they phoned she told Marie to tell them that she was resting and would get in touch with them later. After all, she needn't be in a hurry. The tapes were in a safe place and they were her future.

Raina got undressed and lay down on the round bed which had become so much a part of her life with Chambers. She thought of the times they'd spent together and the times she'd spent with other men at his request. She felt used. And if Chambers dropped her, what was going to become of her? She wandered into the kitchen and made a stiff drink. She sat down at the table and began to feel sorry for herself. A copy of the Washington Herald left by Marie was lying on the table. Staring up at her was a picture of Chambers and his bride-to-be taken on a yacht. Raina mentally compared herself to Penny Phillips. She had to admit that she was attractive in a quiet way. She had a look which only women of expensive breeding had. It was a certain complacency. She looked completely at ease with the world.

Raina finished the drink and made another one. She wandered from room to room turning on all the lights and touching the expensive furniture.

Suddenly she felt incredibly lonely and sat down in the plush sofa and began to cry. "Goddamn him anyway!" she sobbed bitterly.

"Why couldn't he have married me?" Raina cried herself out and her tensions were released. She got up from the sofa with a new determination. She would make those tapes pay. She wasn't going to end up a nobody. Somehow, some way she would make her own future. She remembered Scarlett O'Hara's line and said drunkenly: "I'll never go hungry again".

She lifted her glass in a toast to herself and lurched toward the bedroom. From the maid's room she could hear Marie's television set. She had a sudden urge to go in and talk to her. She wanted to talk to someone, anyone. She started to knock on her maid's door and realized she wasn't dressed.

"To hell with it. What do I want to spend my time talking to that dumb darkie?"

She picked up the bottle of bourbon and staggered into her bedroom. She turned off the phone, lay down on the bed, and drank herself to sleep.

Raina woke the next, morning with a hangover. She opened the door to her bedroom and yelled for Marie to bring her a large breakfast and a pot of coffee. Then she staggered into the bathroom to brush her teeth and take two aspirins. A short time later Marie brought her breakfast on a tray.

"I thought you might want to see the morning papers, Miz Raina," Marie said sarcastically. "Why? What's in it?"

"Just another picture of the Congressman and his wife-to-be. You going to the reception, Miz Raina?"

Raina grabbed the newspaper. The center of the front page were portraits of Michael Chambers and Penny Phillips and a story about the reception that was going to be held that afternoon at Liz Fredericks' townhouse.

"I didn't know it was going to be there," she said aloud.

"That mean you goin', Miz Raina?" Marie grinned mischievously.

"Why, of course I'm going, you ninny. Now go on, get out of here and let me eat my breakfast in peace."

Marie sauntered out of the room, still giggling to herself. Raina angrily hurled the newspaper against the wall. She poured herself a cup of black coffee and dunked a piece of toast in it.

"There's no reason why I can't go," she reasoned to herself. "I've met Liz. They wouldn't dare turn me away."

She hurriedly finished her breakfast and then rushed to the closet to select a dress for the occasion.

"I've got to wear something startling. Something that will make that mealy-mouthed bitch look as dull as dishwater."

The thought of attending the reception excited Raina. She forgot about her hangover and began dragging dresses out of the closet and flinging them across the bed. She decided on a beige chiffon dress with a low neckline and large puffy sleeves. With it she would wear a broad straw hat and matching straw shoes. After showering and drying her hair, Raina began to get dressed. She made herself a drink to fortify her courage and decided after putting on the beige dress that she would wear it without a bra. She pulled the dress back over her head, took off her bra, and then put the dress back on.

"That feels better. I can't stand bras anyway."

Her shapely breasts pushed against the thin fabric of the material and her nipples were clearly outlined.

At two o'clock she phoned the doorman for a cab and she arrived at Liz Frederick's townhouse at half past. The butler, who recognized Raina from a previous party, let her in. The townhouse was filled with dignitaries and prominent Washingtonians. Raina milled among the group, searching for Chambers and his bride. She found them in the garden surrounded by a band of well-wishers.

Penny was the first to spot Raina. She was stricken when she saw the beautiful blonde standing in the French doors sipping a glass of champagne. She tugged at Chambers' sleeve and whispered, "What is she doing here?"

Chambers looked in the direction Penny was staring. "Jesus Christ!" he muttered under his breath.

"Michael, you promised ... "

"I told you," he said as quietly as possible, "that I got rid of her."

"Then what is she doing here?" The young woman looked as if she were going to burst into tears.

"I'll be right back."

Chambers excused himself and walked quickly to where Raina was standing.

"Michael darling," Raina said effusively. "What a lovely day for your reception."

The congressman grabbed her arm and roughly guided her back through the doors into the library. Liz Fredericks, who had been observing the scene with something akin to shock, rushed into the library after them.

She stared at Raina icily and said to Chambers, "I don't know how she was allowed in."

"Why, Liz, is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"You were never an old friend of mine, you tramp. Michael, get her out of here. I don't want the reception ruined."

Raina sat down on a velvet chaise lounge. "I'm not going anywhere," she said. "I have as much right to be here as anyone."

"Liz, see if you can get rid of those people over there in the corner, and I'll get rid of Raina."

The hostess glided across the floor and gathered up the rest of the people in the library and escorted them out, using the excuse that she wanted to introduce them to somebody.

Michael closed the door and locked it. "Are you out of you? mind?" he snarled.

"Michael sweetie, I thought you'd be glad to see me after last night."

"Do you want to ruin everything?"

“Why not?" she said bitterly. "You've ruined everything for me."

"I gave you five thousand dollars. What more do you want? More money?"

"No. I don't want more money. I want insurance for my future."

"That's not my problem anymore."

"What do you mean that's not your problem. You got me used to luxury. I can't go back to living the way I did before."

"Then why don't you hook?" he said savagely. "That's all you're good for anyway."

Raina shot out of the chair and slapped him hard across the face. He returned her blow twice, striking her hard on each cheek. Raina began to cry. Chambers walked quickly to the door. In the foyer he found two Secret Service men and explained that he wanted Raina escorted out of the party.

Maryann Crane saw Chambers talking to the Secret Service men. She found Jeff Wallace and they followed the men to the library. The men calmly explained to Raina that she would have to leave. She began screaming and cursing Chambers and they had to remove her physically from the townhouse. But not before Jeff Wallace got several photos of her struggling in their grip. Jeff saw Chambers approaching them with an angry expression on his face and they decided to leave before he demanded that they turn over the film.

Raina was standing in the driveway with her head bowed, not knowing what to do next. The reporters took her by the arm and said, "Come on. We'll take you somewhere for a drink."

Chambers watched them cross the street from the window of the town house, "She talks and I'll kill her," he muttered to himself.

Raina dried her eyes and had stopped crying by the time they had reached a bar. The three of them went inside and slipped into, a booth near the back of the room.

"Did you see what that son of a bitch did?" Raina complained. "He had me thrown out. I'll get even with him. I swear I will."

"Maybe now you'll feel like talking," suggested Jeff.

"You're damned right I do."

Raina talked and talked and after a few drinks, the reporters convinced her to go back to their newspaper office where they could introduce her to their editor, Beau Wilde. Raina went willingly, defiantly. She began to realize that once the story broke in the papers, she would be a national figure overnight. That pleased her.

The middle-aged editor was impressed when he met Raina, not only by her looks but also by her complete candor. Naturally, he was afraid of slander suits and wanted to hear the tapes before okaying any story for release. Over the next few days Raina worked with the reporters and the editor. They listened to the tapes, not without some embarrassment, checking the dates she'd kept in her dairies.

"It's like a Masters and Johnston's report," remarked Maryann to Jeff. "Still I can't help feeling a bit sorry for her. He was really getting his money's worth."

"You mean our money's worth," said Jeff. "He didn't pay for anything."

"Still, I feel she's been used."

“I don't agree. I think she knew exactly what she was doing."

"But look," said Maryann angrily. "The girl has a limited intelligence. She only has one thing to sell and that's herself."

"It sounds like you're making a women's lib issue out of this."

"I don't mean that. In any case, it's not our job to judge her moral standards or Congressman Chambers' either. God knows, enough hanky-panky goes on on Capitol Hill. What gets my dander up is that he paid her with public funds, not to mention the trips and everything else."

“There's a lot of that going on too."

“Then it's about time it's exposed." Raina became intoxicated by her own sense of importance. She contacted a literary agent and, without naming names, told him that she wanted to write a book about her exploits. The agent, Abel Myers, immediately got on the phone to New York and sold the prospective rights for Raina's book to Avalon Paperback Books. The book company, which had had enormous success printing purportedly true stories about an infamous hooker, assigned the young woman named Erica Jordan to help Raina write the book. Erica had also assisted the hooker on her "literary efforts."

Miss Jordan, the freelance writer for Avalon books, consulted with her editor the up-and-coming publisher Joseph Erwood. Erwood took over Avalon books when it was a failing concern. For years the previous editors had been publishing esoteric books which didn't make a dime. When Erwood took over he changed Avalon's policy, fired most of the editors and brought in his own people. His motto was: publish it if it sells. He kept his eye on public taste and was the first to cash in on the gossip novel. After his enormous success with the hooker series, Abel Meyer's proposal concerning Raina's book seemed like a natural, particularly if it was fact disguised as fiction. Erica Jordan had been free-lancing for Avalon for a number of years. She had tried to make it as a writer by turning out a series of lesbian novels, full of purple prose and suicides, but they never sold. Luckily Erica had a knack for rewriting. She could take the worst prose and turn it into a good breezy read.

Erica was an attractive woman. She was an admitted lesbian and always wore Chanel-type suits. Her hair was auburn and she recently had it styled into the popular wedge shape. Her skin was bright and clear and had a scrubbed look about it. Erica wore no makeup except for light lipstick and there was a light smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

The first day Erica was unenthusiastic about the project. She just spent the previous year rewriting five novels which had been ground out by the infamous hooker and she was tired of sex. That is, straight sex. Erwood was determined to have her take the assignment. Erica knew when she entered Erwood's office that he was going to talk her into the assignment. They had a good relationship. She respected the publisher for the way he had turned Avalon into one of the largest moneymakers of paperback books and for his non-sexist attitude toward women. Erwood offered Erica a drink from his extensive bar. He made them both Bloody Mary's and then sat down at his desk. He was a tall man and had steel gray hair which matched the frames on his tinted glasses.

"Now Erica. We both know what this meeting is about. I'm going to convince you to take the Raina Blaine assignment. I needn't point out to you it has the potential to be a best seller.

"But it still sounds like a piece of shit, boss."

"I'm sure it is," he replied, "but that's where you come in."

"Will I get billing on the book?"

"Of course. And forty per cent of the gross. Now that's an offer you can't refuse."

"I'm just fed up with all this sex garbage. After those last five books, I promised myself a vacation."

"If you do this one for me, I'll not only see you get a vacation, but I'll pay for it."

Erica's brown eyes brightened. "Anywhere I want to go? You might just be able to talk me into it. Tell me more about our Georgia Peach."

"Well, she's not too bright, but a real looker in the Marilyn Monroe vein. She's evidently the typical little girl from the wrong side of the tracks who had enough smarts to make it big with her body. According to my sources she's been on the payroll of one of the top men in Washington for over three years.

"Do you have any idea who?"

"No, she won't name names. But Myers has been hinting that a big scandal is going to break in Washington real soon. It will be the making of this book. This dame claims that she was paid through public funds to sleep with this guy and he's not the only one. She claims to have slept with half the men on Capitol Hill, sometimes for political purposes."

"How do you mean?"

"Whenever her lover, whoever he is, wanted get a bill passed, or some personal favors, he served up Miss Blaine on a silver platter, or I should say, in a round bed."

"Go on, you're fascinating me."

"Anyhow, Blaine kept a tape recorder under her bouncing bed and recorded some pretty hot stuff. This book will be an "only the names have changed" number."

"How much are you paying for the book?"

"Myers has me by the balls. We signed an open contract with limitations, of course. Initial payment was $10,000 bucks which isn't much money, but it inspired Miss Blaine to get to work. She's taping the fictitious version of her life right now."

"I hope I'll be able to understand her Southern dialect."

"Myers assured me that she speaks clearly. As I see it, the book's all there. The plot, the happenings. But Myers says that she can't even write an intelligent letter. That's where you come in."

"What's my first step?"

"Leave for Washington immediately. Talk to the girl. Listen to the tapes of her novelization. The only thing I urge is that since this scandal may break any day now, we want to publish the book on the crest of the wave. That would mean having it ready within a month."

"Wow, that's fast work!"

"That's why I called on you, Erica. You're the only person who can do it. Maybe you can even make a decent novel out of it."

"I'll need some money for expenses."

The publisher smiled and pulled open his desk drawer and handed her a check for $4,000.

"How's that as a start? By the way, my secretary has your plane ticket ready."

"What time do I leave?" laughed Erica.

"Three o'clock this afternoon."

"Okay, boss! Over and out. By the way, you don't have a picture of Miss Blaine, do you?"

"I have several." He handed her a manila envelope. Erica opened it and spread them out on his desk. There were a series of photographs Abel Myers had taken of Raina in poses as provocative as possible. "Very sexy."

"I thought you'd think so, Erica," replied the publisher. "Remember, business before pleasure."

Erica caught a cab in front of the Avalon publishing offices and went back to her small cooperative apartment which she had purchased from her profits on the hooker novels. Packing would be no problem. Erica always traveled light. She bought nothing but wash and wear clothes. As she put the key in her lock, she heard the familiar whimpering of her poodle, Jean Paul, named after Jean Paul Sartre. She petted the dog to calm him down.

Her roommate called out, "Erica, is that you?"

“No, Suzanne, it's the meter maid."

Suzanne Volpe swept into the foyer wearing a bikini. Her bronze skin was glistened with suntan oil.

"I've been painting on the terrace."

“I can see that. You look like a French fry."

Suzanne was a twenty-three year old girl of French descent. She had light brown hair streaked blonde and was very feminine. She was a painter and her colorful impressionistic canvasses of flower arrangements sold very well through the shop she was affiliated with. She and Erica had been lovers for nearly a year.

Suzanne kissed Erica on the lips and said, "Come out onto the terrace. I want to show you my latest. I'm doing geraniums."

"Geraniums? I thought it was sunflowers."

“That was yesterday."

Erica looked at the painting with admiration. "Very nice. Say, you're getting quite a tan from painting out here."

"I like it except occasionally the wind blows odd bits and soot and things which get stuck into the oil. That was a quick meeting with Erwood."

"I took the assignment. I've got to pack and be out of here and catch a plane at three o'clock."

Suzanne's face fell. "Oh, you told me you weren't going to."

"The offer was too good to refuse. Erwood said that if I took the assignment, he would pay for a vacation wherever I wanted to go. I figure if he's pleased with the book, he might pay for two, as long as we don't go to Tibet."

“How long, will you be gone?"

“I'm not sure."

"I'll miss you, but I have enough to keep myself" busy. I have to do seven more paintings for the show. Can I help you pack, Erica?"

“Sure, that would save time."

The two women went into the bedroom. Erica got down a suitcase from the closet and Suzanne began taking clothes off the hangers and folding them. She knew her lover very well and knew what she would want to take on the trip. It was past one when they finished. Erica slid her hand around Suzanne's oily waist and pulled the younger girl close.

"Do we have time?" asked Suzanne.

"We'll make time. I'll take a cab to LaGuardia and be there in a half hour."

Suzanne undid the halter to her bikini and dropped it on the bed. Her small but well-formed breasts, extremely white in contrast to the rest of her skin, bounced free. Erica leaned forward and began licking her lover's nipples. She worked her lips over each nipple in turn, biting them until they were hard.

Suzanne held on to Erica's head moaning. "Do you want me to take a shower?" she asked.

"No, I like you just as you are. Warm and greasy like a plate of French fries."

Erica got out of her clothes and Suzanne took off the bottom of her bikini. She lay back on the bed and spread her legs apart. Erica put her head between Suzanne's legs, spreading her young cunt lips apart and began licking her. Suzanne murmured with delight, as her lover's tongue tickled her clitoris.

"I want to do it to you too, Erica."

Erica swung her body around so that she was in a sixty-nine position over Suzanne and pressed her cunt against the girl's face. Suzanne began chewing lightly on her pubic hair. She pulled apart her cunt lips and began licking inside, tentatively, slowly at first. Then her tongue began working faster.

Erica spread Suzanne's legs further apart and continued to eat her lover's cunt. Both girls were sucking each other wildly, and their breasts were crushed against one another's stomachs. Erica inserted her finger into Suzanne's pussy and was playing with her clitoris as she lapped her vaginal folds, savoring the young girl's natural flavor, which was mixed with perspiration and suntan lotion. They rubbed their bodies together as they worked each other toward orgasm. The slick coating on Suzanne's flesh gave more friction to their rubbing. They sucked on each other's clitoris, groaning with the satisfaction they were giving one another. They began bouncing noisily up and down on the bed as they approached climax.

Suzanne was the first to come. Her legs shot straight out and her body became tense. She licked furiously at Erica's cunt and Erica caught up with her. They sucked the juices from each other's pussies and lay quietly facing one another, their faces shiny with saliva and cunt juice.

"I'm going to miss eating your cunt," Said Suzanne.

"I'll miss yours, too."

"I don't want to hear of you fooling around with that Washington call girl."

"She's straight, Suzanne."

"I've never met a call girl yet who didn't like to take a couple of laps around the labia."

"I think this one does it with only Senators and Congressmen. Oops, I better get going."

Erica rushed into the bathroom and took a quick shower. After she dried and got dressed, she found Suzanne was waiting for her by the door. Jean Paul was hopping up and down, barking.

Erica arrived at LaGuardia in plenty of time to catch the plane. After being seated in the first class section, she looked over the notes on Raina's book given to her by her publisher. Then she glanced up at the stewardess who was moving up and down the aisle, handing out magazines. Nice legs, she thought to herself and went back to the notes. She decided that the book could be hot stuff if it were promoted properly, but she wondered how much was truth and how much was fiction. She had heard a lot of rumors about the Washington merry-go-round. Some of the stories were extraordinary.

Erica began compiling a list of things she wanted to ask Raina. Before she knew it, they had landed at the airport. She collected her bags and took a cab directly to Raina's apartment.

Raina was on the telephone with her agent, Abel Myers. When Erica arrived, Abel was pressing Raina to find out when the reporters were going to let the story break.

"You know, Raina, I only got a small initial payment, but it's open. We can jack up the price sky-high if only the stories will come out."

"I don't know how long it will be Abel. Maryanne and Jeff are doing a lot of legwork, checking out as much as possible. I guess they don't want to get sued.

Marie knocked on the bedroom door and informed Raina that "Miz Jordan" had arrived.

"I have to go. Erica Jordan's here and I'm not dressed yet. Tell her I'll be with her in a minute, Marie. Talk to you later, Abel."

"Try to hurry up those reporters. It could mean real big money for all of us."

After hanging up, Raina put on fresh lipstick, combed her hair and slipped into a cotton caftan embroidered with an East Indian design. Erica was stunned when Raina walked into the living room.

After introducing herself, Erica couldn't help saying, "You're so much better looking than your photographs."

"Well, thank you. I didn't think the photographer did a very good job. The lighting was a little harsh, and I hadn't been sleeping well."

The two women talked for several hours about Raina's book. Erica made suggestions from time to time. Once or twice, Raina slipped and mentioned Chambers' name but quickly covered it up.

"My publisher feels it's important that we get this book done as quickly as possible."

"I brought my tape recorder with me. I haven't booked into a hotel yet, but I thought I could perhaps take the beginning tapes of your book and work there.

"Why stay at a hotel?" asked Raina. "There're two bedrooms in the apartment. The other one is hardly ever used and that way we could work steadily on the novel."

"Fine," replied Erica. "I'll take you up on it."

Raina asked Marie to make up the extra bedroom and gave her a list of things to get at the grocery store.

"I thought it would be easier if we ate in," Raina said to Erica. "I don't feel like going out anyway."

“That'll be fine with me. I'll share the kitchen duties."

"I'm not much of a cook," said Raina.

"Don't worry about it. I am."

They worked till nearly ten o'clock before taking a dinner break. It was Marie's night off. Erica made a tossed salad and broiled the steaks.

"I think we ought to have a little something to celebrate our collaboration," said Raina. She went to the closet which contained the liquors and wines and put a bottle of champagne into the freezer to chill. By the time the steaks were ready the champagne wasn't cold enough to drink, so Erica made her special vodka gimlets with a dash of triple sec.

During dinner, Raina asked, "I've been doing all the talking about my love life. How's yours?"

Erica looked at her and replied, "Mine's quite different from yours, Raina. I'm a lesbian."

Raina was nonplussed. "Maybe you're smart," she said. "Men never give you anything but a hard time and a hard-on."

"Have you ever had a lesbian experience, Raina?"

She shook her head. "No; Strangely enough, I've never even come close to it"

"You should try it sometime. It can be quite exciting. No one understands a woman's body like another woman. Does that make sense?"

"I think so."

By the time dinner was over the champagne was cooled properly.

"Do you feel like watching television, Erica?"

“Why not? A marvelous old film might relax us both."

They went into Raina's bedroom, sat on the bed and drank champagne and watched a 1930's vintage MGM spectacle on Raina's giant color screen. After two glasses of champagne Raina said:

"I'd like to call Vince. That's the guy that I see on the side, "but I decided not to see him for awhile."

"Why is that?"

"Well, this book business and all. I don't want to be linked with anybody." Raina stretched back on the bed. "He's a wonderful lover. You can't imagine."

Erica leaned across the bed until her cheek brushed against Raina's bare calf. Raina stiffened at the contact of flesh against flesh. Erica, who was also a trifle high, brushed her lips back and forth over Raina's leg.

"It feels good," Raina murmured thickly.

Erica pushed up the hem of the caftan until the material was well past Raina's thigh. She could just see a bit of her blond pubic hairs peeking out from under the folds of the material.

"I want to suck your cunt, Raina. I'll make it good for you. Better than any man."

"Go ahead," replied Raina softly. "Make me forget about Vince."

Erica pushed the caftan up to Raina's breasts. Raina pulled it over her head and threw it aside. Erica's hands caressed Raina's high full breasts. She pinched each nipple between her thumbs and forefingers. They became immediately erect. She ran her tongue over Raina's breasts and buried her face between them. Then Erica flattened out her tongue and moved down over Raina's soft stomach to her triangle of blonde pubic hair. She blew against her pussy mound.

Raina twitched her hips and moaned with ecstasy. "Oh! Oh!" she murmured.

Erica pressed her lips against the tender skin of her opening. She darted her tongue out and traced it along her cuntal lips. Raina shuddered and cried out in pleasure. Erica fingered the soft velvety skin of her pussy and began chewing lightly on the vaginal folds.

"It feels good," Raina said and began wiggling her middle.

She opened her eyes. Through an alcoholic haze she watched Erica work on her pussy. She didn't know when Erica had taken off her clothes, but she had. Strangely enough, it excited her to see herself in bed with another woman. Erica's body was slender and boyish. Raina reached down and ran her fingers through Erica's auburn hair as Erica stretched Raina's cunt lips open as far as she could, her fingers teased along her wet, juicy insides until Raina thought she was going to scream. Then she inserted her finger and rubbed the tip of it against her clitoris. She bent down, her mouth closed over Raina's cunt and her tongue began to lick wildly.

Raina's composure melted and she felt stabs of sheer pleasure that were so intense that she thought she was having a sexual dream. Erica got on her knees between Raina's legs and continued working on her with her probing tongue, expertly eating Raina's cunt, lapping up the juices and attacking her sensitive tissues.

"Oh yes," Raina cried out passionately. "YES, YES!"

She clamped her thighs around Erica's face and pushed her pussy up against her mouth. Erica worked hotly at her clitoris with her long tongue until Raina climaxed. Raina rolled from side to side, still holding Erica's head pinioned between her legs and crying out in sensual release. Erica continued lapping noisily at her cunt, sucking up the sweet flavor of orgasm. She licked it long after Raina stopped panting, and, using her fingers, brought herself to a climax. She jammed three fingers in and' out of her steaming hole until suddenly her fingertips were coated with her own juice.

Erica looked up at Raina and was disappointed to find that she had fallen asleep. She gathered up the champagne glasses and empty bottle and quietly went into her own room. The next morning, Raina acted as if nothing had happened. Erica wasn't sure whether she should be offended or not. Raina's manner was friendly and Erica decided that although she hadn't converted the beautiful young blond girl, she certainly hadn't disgusted her.

The next day, Erica met with Raina's agent, Abel Myers, and they discussed the format of Raina's book. Abel kept emphasizing the oncoming sex scandal and urged Erica to work as fast as possible. They decided to call the book, The Girl From Capitol Hill and feature a picture of Raina on the cover.

"But I don't like any of the photographs I've seen. I don't think they flatter Raina," Erica explained.

"That no problems. We can have more taken. I don't want her to look like a tired old hooker, either."

"Good. How about a shot of Raina in a red, white and blue bikini coming out of a mock-up of the dome of the Capitol."

"You mean like bursting out of a cake at a stag party?"

"Yeah, something like that. I think it would make a terrific cover."

While Abel and Erica were making plans for Raina's book, Jeff, Maryann and Beau were putting the final touches on their story. The two young reporters had worked very hard checking the pertinent facts and obtaining documented information. It was true that Raina was on Congressman Chambers' payroll and that he had footed the bills for the apartment as well as clothing and trips abroad. They also proved that none of the money was coming out of his own pocket, but were funds which the government had appropriated to his various committees.

Maryann put a call through to Raina to inform her that the story was going to break the next day.

"That's wonderful!" squealed Raina. "Are you using pictures of me?"

"Oh, we sure are."

Raina paused for a moment and asked, rather in a little girl voice, "Do you suppose this is going to make me a star?"

"I don't know, Raina, but it made a national figure out of that stripper."

After Raina hung up, she decided to take a nap. She was tired from the exhausting work and pressures. She curled up on her bed and wrapped her arms around her pillow, imagining it was full of one-hundred dollar bills.