"Thanks," I got some shopping to do." Chris said in a higher pitch voiceas he left the store and noticed a sale on skirts and dresses in theboutique n...xt door. "The boss did say buy something nice on the companypay roll. A girl has to look her best at work."Chris soon stood before a mirror in a blue business suit with a pleadedskirt and matching pumps. He told the sales girl to give the suit andtie he had on to charity before leaving. "I don't know what I wasthinking going out of the house. ‘I would think a beautiful young woman like her would have met and married some handsome young suitor, yet she remains here, and, apparently, does not see gentlemen.’ ‘You must understand my daughter,’ Marcel said after regarding me for a long moment or two. ‘She is very independent-minded, and I cannot tell her what to do. I can make suggestions, plead, cajole, but, in the end, she will do as she wishes. In that way, she is very much like her mother. A woman of spirit, that one.’ For a long. But Sarah insisted I have a gift. So I've spent a lot of time searching the internet and found alternative practices, knowing whatever I do using my odd talent, whatever it is, it will definitely be alternative."The others chuckled. She giggled."You should ask Vic about..." Sarah began before her cell phone chimed distinctively. "Speak of the devil. Hi Doll. Where are you?" Being lazy with my love," Vic responded. "You?" At a café in Paris with Mel, Sophie and Elliot. How's Nils?" Scrumptious.. Prudently I tucked the key under the driver's visor and left it unlocked; I didn't think it was likely to be stolen from there, and even if it were it wouldn't be a tragedy.On the way back Cam and I talked a little about what we'd tell the DHS guys. They'd know by now that we'd gone out, so it seemed a good idea to have a story. The simplest thing was to say we'd just decided to take a late-night stroll around. OK, it was a little strained; who spends hours wandering around an unfamiliar city.