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When the private jet finally landed at La Guardia, it was an hour and a half late

Lara turned to the pilot "We'll be flying back to Reno later tonight, Roger"

"I'll be here, Miss Cameron"

Her li for her at the ramp

"I was getting worried about you, Miss Cameron"

"We ran into soet to the Plaza as fast as possible"

"Yes, ma'am"

Lara reached for the car phone and dialed Jerry Townsend's nueuests were being looked after There was no answer He's probably in the ballrooht

"Hurry, Max"

"Yes, Miss Cameron"

The sight of the huge Calow of satisfaction at what she had created, but on this evening she was in toofor her in the Grand Ballroom

She pushed through the revolving door and hurried across the large spectacular lobby Carlos, the assistantto her side

"Miss Cameron"

"Later," Lara said She kept walking She reached the closed door of the Grand Ballroom and stopped to take a deep breath I' open the door, a smile on her face, and stopped in shock The roo some kind of surprise? She reached for the switch behind the door and flicked it up The huge rooht There was no one there Not one single person Lara stood there, stunned

What in the world could have happened to two hundred guests? The invitations had read eight o'clock It was now almost ten o'clock How could that many people disappear into thin air? It was eerie She looked around the enormous empty ballroom and shivered Last year, at her birthday party, this same roohter She remembered that day so well

Chapter Two

One year earlier Lara Cameron's appointment schedule for the day had been routine

September 10, 1991

5:00 AM Workout with trainer