Chapter 12: The Game of Life

Drew poked his head into the girls’ room.  “Anyone up for a late-night game of Life?”

Carol and Renee nodded.  “Be right over,” said Carol.

Five minutes later, the four had a game set up.  Drew went first, became a doctor, and coasted to his first payday, a grin of triumph on his face.  He pulled out a pen and began to write something while Edward went next.

“Lawyer,” said Edward.  “Things could be worse.”

Renee laughed.  “I can’t picture you ever becoming a lawyer.”

Carol spun.  “1?”

“Your time will come,” said Edward, as Renee spun.  “2.”  “Yawn.”

“Your turn, Drew,” said Edward.  Drew put down the paper he’d been writing on, spun, and moved his car.

“Congratulations,” said Carol.  “A new baby boy.  I’m so happy for you.”

Edward spun and moved his piece.  Carol was watching him play, when suddenly, she felt something against her leg.  She glanced down and saw a life insurance policy.

It was too early in the game to be getting life insurance, but Carol picked it up without a word and opened it.  “Secret room at the theater,” it read.  “Met Louis LeBlanc, 328049 of the Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure.  Was expecting Bourbon.  Claims they’re trying to keep project from being stolen and has no idea what it is.”

It was now Carol’s turn.  She passed the policy to Edward and spun.  Moving a few spaces, she became a teacher.  Then, she grabbed another life insurance policy and pulled out her own pen.  By the time Drew had finished his next move, she’d passed it to him.

“Do you believe him?”

Drew pulled out a pen, wrote something else on the policy, and handed it back.  “Think so.  Was just about to ask what happened to Pearson.  Doesn’t seem to know.  Should still be a suspect.”

“Oh, boy—twins!” exclaimed Renee.  Her siblings passed her some money as Edward grabbed a policy.  After Drew’s next move, the policy went to him.

“Renee and I eavesdropped on Coffman and Hannah today.  Coffman wants to know what Mr. Blaine’s working on.  Says it’s for his company.”

Drew passed the policy to Renee, who read it, nodded, and handed it back with something else written on it.  “Hannah wouldn’t say which company.”

Drew scribbled something and passed it back.  “We’ll have Washington check on it.”  He pulled out another one, wrote something in big letters on it, and held it up for everyone to see.  “WHAT NEXT?”

Carol grabbed a policy and wrote, “Renee and I are going shopping with ‘Mom’ and Mrs. Schlegel tomorrow.”  She held that passed that one to Drew.  He read it and passed it to Renee, pulled out another one, and began to write.

Renee took it, read it, and made a face.  “Are we?” she mouthed.

Carol nodded sternly.  “Shh!” she mouthed.

Sulkingly, Renee spun the wheel.  Inheriting 100 cats from her aunt did nothing to cheer her up.

Drew passed Carol his policy.  “Edward and I will hang out here and see what happens.  Good luck.”

After that, the only policies passed around were real ones involved in the game.  No one mentioned anything about the assignment.  Anyone walking past the room would have heard normal board game chatter.  If the room was bugged, nothing had been said to blow anyone’s cover.

Once the game ended, Drew gathered up all the scribbled-on policies.  He pulled a flask out of his suitcase, stuffed them through the neck, and poured a few drops from a small bottle into the flask.  He dropped in a match, and the policies quickly burned up.  That was no great loss; the Lawrences had a special Life game, with tons of extra policies.  It was their preferred way of communicating secretly.  No one wanted to lose the game of Life.