Max had left her apartment last night when she’d indicated she was going to bed. Alone. He’d grinned, kissed her and left, making sure she locked the door behind him. She dressed for work in black slacks and a white-and-black knit top. Her black tasseled loafers were comfortable, a part of her “uniform” for the office. After drying her hair and brushing it as smooth as it would go, she tied a black scarf around her head to tame the curls and to make her look older. As part of her healthier life-style, she prepared oatmeal in the microwave and ate it with whole wheat toast. She found it did wonders for calming her unreliable tummy. In fact, she felt quite fit by the time she arrived at the headquarters of Crosby Systems and parked at the far corner of the parking lot so she’d have to walk a good distance to her office. Once in the office, she saw the department secretary had set up the meeting Ivy had requested for nine that morning. It was now eight-thirty. After going over memos, e-mails and regular mail, she got a cup of coffee and headed for the conference room next door.
