awkward.”
“It could be a chicken hash moment,” Emerson said.
“I suppose that would be okay.”
“And you can have a prosciutto moment.”
“I owe it to the dress to have a moment,” Riley said. “It’s wonderful. Thank you. But just to state my position one last time before the moment begins, I’m dropping you off tomorrow morning and going home.”
—
E merson was already at the breakfast table when Riley came out of her room dressed in the new jeans and sneakers.
“I took the liberty of ordering for you,” Emerson said. “Cheese omelet, hash browns, multigrain toast, a side of fruit, a short stack of pancakes, and extra bacon. I didn’t know what you normally ate in the morning, so I ordered everything.”
Riley started with coffee and worked her way around the table. “Are you eating any of this?” she asked Emerson.
“I’ve already eaten.” He checked his watch. “We need to be downstairs in thirty minutes. I’ve called for the car to be brought to the back door.”
“Why the back door?”
“I thought it would make the day more interesting for Rollo.”
“You think Rollo knows we’re here?”
“Yes. You’re carrying his phone. And while we’re on the subject, I’d like to see the phone.”
Riley gave him the phone, and he locked it in the suite safe.
“This should make Rollo’s job a bit more challenging.”
R iley and Emerson exited through a side door and found the Silver Shadow on Seventy-Seventh Street. A bellman handed them the key and wished them a nice day. Riley got behind the wheel and cranked the engine.
“I assume we’re going to the Federal Reserve building,” she said.
“Correct.”
“I studied the route yesterday, but I’m going to need help when we get to the Wall Street area. Streets and avenues are in a grid all through Midtown, but they make no sense in lower Manhattan.”
“No problem. I can find my way.”
Thirty-five minutes later Riley drove up to the massive Federal Reserve building. It occupied an entire block on Liberty Street, and it looked to her like a limestone fortress, a positive citadel of finance.
“We need to find a parking place on this block,” Emerson said.
Riley scanned the street. “There aren’t any.”
“Then we’ll have to wait for one.”
Riley circled the block four times, and on the fifth pass found a vacant space in front of Blane-Grunwald’s New York office.
“Perfect,” Emerson said, opening the glove box and pulling out what looked like a remote control timer for a camera. He set the timer and returned it to the glove box.
“What was that all about?” Riley asked.
“It’s part of my plan.”
“You aren’t going to blow something up, are you?”
“I thought you weren’t asking questions.”
“Right. I don’t want to know, but it would be bad if you blew something up. And it wouldn’t be good for your karma.”
“I’m touched that you care. Rest assured, my karma will stay intact.”
“Okay then. Have a nice day. Adios. Goodbye. Arrivederci.”
“The ‘arrivederci’ is premature. We’re not parting yet.”
“The deal was that I drive you to the Federal Reserve building, and then I get to drive home.”
“Not exactly,” Emerson said. “The Silver Shadow stays here.”
“How am I going to go home?”
Emerson got out of the car. “I’ve made arrangements. Follow me.”
Riley grabbed the key out of the ignition and scrambled to keep up with Emerson. “Where are we going?”
“That’s a question again,” Emerson said, crossing Nassau Street.
“I’m not going to just blindly follow you around.”
“Of course not. You’re going to keep your eyes open. And if you must know, we’re going to the subway stop on Broadway.”
Okay, that might be promising, Riley thought. The subway could lead to Penn Station. “Are we heading toward Amtrak?” she asked him. “If I get an early train, I might be able to check in at the office before everyone leaves for the
“It could be a chicken hash moment,” Emerson said.
“I suppose that would be okay.”
“And you can have a prosciutto moment.”
“I owe it to the dress to have a moment,” Riley said. “It’s wonderful. Thank you. But just to state my position one last time before the moment begins, I’m dropping you off tomorrow morning and going home.”
—
E merson was already at the breakfast table when Riley came out of her room dressed in the new jeans and sneakers.
“I took the liberty of ordering for you,” Emerson said. “Cheese omelet, hash browns, multigrain toast, a side of fruit, a short stack of pancakes, and extra bacon. I didn’t know what you normally ate in the morning, so I ordered everything.”
Riley started with coffee and worked her way around the table. “Are you eating any of this?” she asked Emerson.
“I’ve already eaten.” He checked his watch. “We need to be downstairs in thirty minutes. I’ve called for the car to be brought to the back door.”
“Why the back door?”
“I thought it would make the day more interesting for Rollo.”
“You think Rollo knows we’re here?”
“Yes. You’re carrying his phone. And while we’re on the subject, I’d like to see the phone.”
Riley gave him the phone, and he locked it in the suite safe.
“This should make Rollo’s job a bit more challenging.”
R iley and Emerson exited through a side door and found the Silver Shadow on Seventy-Seventh Street. A bellman handed them the key and wished them a nice day. Riley got behind the wheel and cranked the engine.
“I assume we’re going to the Federal Reserve building,” she said.
“Correct.”
“I studied the route yesterday, but I’m going to need help when we get to the Wall Street area. Streets and avenues are in a grid all through Midtown, but they make no sense in lower Manhattan.”
“No problem. I can find my way.”
Thirty-five minutes later Riley drove up to the massive Federal Reserve building. It occupied an entire block on Liberty Street, and it looked to her like a limestone fortress, a positive citadel of finance.
“We need to find a parking place on this block,” Emerson said.
Riley scanned the street. “There aren’t any.”
“Then we’ll have to wait for one.”
Riley circled the block four times, and on the fifth pass found a vacant space in front of Blane-Grunwald’s New York office.
“Perfect,” Emerson said, opening the glove box and pulling out what looked like a remote control timer for a camera. He set the timer and returned it to the glove box.
“What was that all about?” Riley asked.
“It’s part of my plan.”
“You aren’t going to blow something up, are you?”
“I thought you weren’t asking questions.”
“Right. I don’t want to know, but it would be bad if you blew something up. And it wouldn’t be good for your karma.”
“I’m touched that you care. Rest assured, my karma will stay intact.”
“Okay then. Have a nice day. Adios. Goodbye. Arrivederci.”
“The ‘arrivederci’ is premature. We’re not parting yet.”
“The deal was that I drive you to the Federal Reserve building, and then I get to drive home.”
“Not exactly,” Emerson said. “The Silver Shadow stays here.”
“How am I going to go home?”
Emerson got out of the car. “I’ve made arrangements. Follow me.”
Riley grabbed the key out of the ignition and scrambled to keep up with Emerson. “Where are we going?”
“That’s a question again,” Emerson said, crossing Nassau Street.
“I’m not going to just blindly follow you around.”
“Of course not. You’re going to keep your eyes open. And if you must know, we’re going to the subway stop on Broadway.”
Okay, that might be promising, Riley thought. The subway could lead to Penn Station. “Are we heading toward Amtrak?” she asked him. “If I get an early train, I might be able to check in at the office before everyone leaves for the
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