d marble floors, and the air smelled faintly of old money and fresh flowers. Enola walked through

sk-the "Knight" party-and a silent, white-glo

the lobby, Zoe steered Adrian toward the Palm

atastrophe Sundae' coming right up, for services re

still replaying the scene at sch

ler was already there, pacing nervously. He rushed forwa

en whispered, his face flushed. "Maj

k ramrod straight. The dread she'd felt in the car had in

she said, forcing a polite sm

urmoil inside her. She pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped into

behind her, the elevator at the

of them in dark, impeccably tailored suits. He moved with an aura of absolute power, the c

ming with a different kind of energy. "I

oe said, trying to

t and, with the single-minded purpose of a four-year-ol

, throwing cash on the tab

two at a time. He reached the second-floor landing, a lon

a wall of solid muscl

ocked out of him, and

reaction born of his severe mysophobia, was to push the obstacle away. But he looked down and

o push, but to steady the boy's sh

, but the automatic harshness was tempered by a flicker o

all, imposing man. The face was instantly familiar. It was the man from the news articles, the CEO of Knigh

e man's own, widened in recognition and somet

y's shoulder for a split second longer than necessary. Then, with a curt shake of his head,

id dismissively, and then turned, striding toward

hing him go. He clenched

top of the stairs, breathless. "You scared

door of the dining room, she saw Ben Miller fussing with the table settings

the ladies' room at the end of t

him up here, she would know he'd

asp. "Gotta go!" he yelled, and

d, spinning around

ed up from checking her lipstick in a small compact, a faint frown on he

the small USB drive with her portfolio presentation in her clutch back at the t

more than ten seconds,

the hallway, it was silent.

amed mirror, and took a deep breath. She reapplied her red lipst

herself. You are stron

r heels clicking with renewed purpose. She walked back to the di