After some time spent fitting a microphone to the lapel of her navy pin-striped suit, she was whisked onto the stage and sat on one of two deep tufted rose-colored chairs on the platform. A small footstool was brought out for Clare to rest her injured leg on. Mugs of coffee and frosted glasses of ice water were placed on the cherry wood table that sat in between the chairs. Then Lauren Duval burst onto the scene and flew to Clare.Duval’s shoulders and arms had an attractive pumped look that came from weight lifting and she wore a form-fitting dress that accentuated her excellent muscle tone.“I’m Lauren, Clare. A pleasure to meet you,” Duval said, then turned toward a woman bearing a compact who trailed her. After a pat to her nose with the powder puff, Lauren took her place beside Clare.Lights flashed on the stage, making the background completely black. A male voice belonging to someone in the darkness called out, “In ten, Lauren.”A countdown began.“No cause to be nervous, Clare,”
