Valentina
I'd prepared as much as I possibly could. William thought I was visiting Chrissy for the day, so I was out by myself in one of his less flashy vehicles. There was nothing else to do except to walk into the coffee shop where I'd arranged to meet with Barrett. I took a deep breath, then pushed through the door.
Adult contemporary music played softly in the shop, and a teen in a blue apron smiled beatifically at the cash register. Then a chair was scraped back with a squeal, and Barrett made himself known as he stood up from a table in the corner. He waved awkwardly, glancing around nervously as he did so.
I nodded curtly to him and made my way to the counter to order. I would need the caffeine to bolster myself. Two minutes, a subtle evaluation of the other cafe-goers, and a hot
