in a small park near the Flatiron District. The w

ch and pulled ou

held the paper down while her right hand flew across the page. Charcoal lines intersected, f

otice the traffic light turn re

purred to a halt

ples. A headache had been throbbing beh

out the win

k. The bare trees. The pige

fro

ell over her shoulder as she leaned over

re

mmered again

lawyers said she had vanished into the cracks of the city. She wouldn't be sitting

ht turn

he drive

ce rough. He didn't look back

aw the exhaust fumes swirl in the cold air. She f

things. She cou

or with a stolen laptop. It was an ancient brick of a

g?" Karen asked, h

d shut. "Nothing. P

Hoke was a t

ok

ust... l

laptop. The screen flickered to

bar read: I

. Isaiah at galas. Isaiah at groun

Karen w

es were defiant. "I saw him on the

l mirror. He held it up next to the screen, comp

it?" Hoke said.

way. "No! You don't have a

. "Or I look like him. Did he mak

!" Karen

flinch. She immediately dropped to he

ase. Don't look for him. He's dangerous. If

. He didn't cry. He just n

mmy. I wo

lready made a connection. I

temp agency on 42nd Street. They didn't ask f

handing her a slip. "Shopping

n to

. The head was heavy, smelling of old sweat and disinfectant. She wa

to design the interiors of these building

e sale. Through the mesh of the bear's mouth, she watched t

med Serena. Serena looked right through the bea

And for the first ti