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looking for something while I kept my eyes on the

elevators. Moments later. Daddy emerged, He walked

quickly toward the entrance and we shot out after him. "We've got to be careful. I don't want him to

spot us," I said as we stepped out.

Daddy was walking briskly down the sidewalk,

his black wool scarf flung over his shoulders. He

looked dapper, as dapper and handsome as Can' Grant

in one of Grandmother Beverly's favorite old movies. "I've seen this done enough on television."

Clarence said confidently. "Just keep a good distance

between us and him and try to stay behind someone." Daddy never looked back, so it didn't matter.

He crossed the street and continued down another

busier street. Minutes later, he entered a coffee shop.

It wasn't a very large one, but it had two big front

windows. We could see everyone in it.

"He's just taking a coffee break," Clarence

muttered. "He's not visiting any new firm."

I nodded, but Daddy strolled past the counter

and paused at a booth. For a moment, because of the

angle we were at, it looked like an empty one, but

when he leaned over, we moved to our right and we

caught sight of him greeting a woman, a very elegant

looking blond- haired woman in a business suit. She

seized his hand and held it as he slid into the seat

across from her and for a long moment, they just

looked at each other. Then Daddy smiled and sat

back. She didn't let go of his hand.

I felt as if the air had just leaked completely out

of my lungs and was quickly replaced with some

steaming hot liquid burning in my chest and up into

my mouth. It seemed like minutes flew by and still,