I asked her whether she could meet me privately.

She was quiet long enough for me to realize that my question had confirmed something she already feared.

“Come to my office at noon,” she said.

“And please don’t bring Grace.”

PART 3

Rachel’s office occupied the second floor of a narrow brick building just west of downtown.

She had been there since before Derek’s first promotion, and I had always liked the way the place smelled of paper and coffee instead of perfume and expensive leather.

That morning, however, even the familiar surroundings made me uneasy.