om　us。　And

before　that；　there　was　the　matter　of　a　state　sales　tax　。。　。〃

The　monologue　went　on；　freeing　Chloe　for　several　seconds　more。　Bending

forward；　she　drew　a　notebook　from　her　bag　and　prepared　to　make　notes　on

the　opposition's　points。　That　opposition　sat　to　her　left；　occupying　two

chairs　on　the　far　side　of　the　one　vacated　by　the　moderator。　Her

peripheral　vision　took　in　two　men；　one　significantly　taller　and　darker

than　the　other。　They　would　be　the　state　representative　in　favor　of　the

plex　and　the　owner　of　the　development　pany。　Chloe　knew　neither　of

their　names；　a　situation　that　was　about　to　be　remedied。

〃As　for　the　others　here　tonight；〃　the　moderator　said；　〃let　me　begin　with

Howard　Wolschinski。　You　all　know　Howard；　our　distinguished　state

senator。〃　He　gestured　from　Howard　to　Chloe。　〃Chloe　Macdaniel；　geological

consultant　and　one　of　the　founding　partners　of　Earth　Science　Education；

Inc。；　out　of　Little　pton；　Rhode　Island。〃　His　hand　went　toward　the

other　side　of　the　stage。　〃Bradbury　Huff；　your　state　representative〃…she

jotted　the　name　in　her　notebook@'and　finally；　the　president　of　the

Hansen　Corporation；　Ross　Stephenson　。。　。Chloe　stopped　writing

mid…stroke。　Ross　Stephenson？　Ross　Stephenson？　She　would　never　forget

that　name。　Heart　pounding；　she　glanced　at　the　fourth　member　of　the

panel。　He　was　the　taller；　darker　one。　Was　it　the　same　Ross