Chapter 226

• A hush fell over the upscale café in Midtown as a sharply dressed man stood up from his corner table, his voice slicing through the ambient chatter.
• “Do you have any idea what you're saying?” I snapped, pointing a firm hand at the wide-eyed storyteller near the espresso bar. “That engagement date was approved by me personally and Director of Strategic Planning at the Department of Corporate Affairs.”
• A ripple of murmurs surged through the café.