"Sorry I'm late," hesaid as he slid into the empty chair.
His presence was sounprecedented, so surreal, that I didn't even realize Bex had squeezed onto thebench between Liz and Anna, and I had to do a double take when I saw her, andremembered that five seconds before she'd been MIA.
"Trouble, ladies?"she asked.
"Where have youbeen?" Liz demanded.
"Forget that," Annacut in. "Who is he?"
But Bex was a natural-bornspy. She just raised her eyebrows and said, "You'll see."
Chapter Two
Bex had spent six hours on aprivate jet, but her cappuccino-colored skin was glowing, and she looked as ifshe'd just walked out of a Noxzema commercial, so I really wanted to be pettyand point out that the sign in the foyer said we were supposed to be speakingEnglish with American accents during the Welcome Back Dinner. But as theonly non-U.S. citizen Gallagher Girl in history, Bex was used to being anexception. My mom had bent some serious rules when her old friends fromEngland's MI6 called and asked if their daughter could be a Gallagher Girl.Admitting Bex had been Mom's first controversial act as headmistress (but nother last).
"You have a good holiday,then?" Throughout the hall, girls were beginning to eat, but Bex just blewa bubble with her gum and grinned, daring us to ask her for the story.
"Bex, if you knowsomething, you've got to tell us," Liz demanded, even though it wastotally pointless. No one can make Bex do anything she doesn't want to do. Imay be a chameleon, and Liz may be the next Einstein, but when it comes togeneral stubbornness, Bex is the best spy ever!