“We should get some coffee,” Ethan said.

“I’ll go,” I said. “You don’t want to wake her.”

I stood up and walked down to the small cafeteria on the first floor.

The cafeteria was nearly empty, the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead.

I bought two paper cups of black coffee from the vending machine.

The coffee was hot and tasted slightly burnt, but it was warm.

As I walked back toward the elevators, I saw a man standing by the reception desk.

He was wearing a wet overcoat, his collar turned up against the cold.

He was talking to the receptionist in a low, hurried voice.

I stopped, my boots frozen on the linoleum floor.

He turned his head slightly, and the light hit his face.

It was Paul Raskin.

He looked pale, his hair damp from the snow.

He saw me and immediately started walking toward me, his hands deep in his pockets.

“Evelyn,” Paul said, his voice tense.

“What’s wrong, Paul?” I asked, holding the two coffee cups tightly.

“Is it Vance?”

“No,” Paul said, looking around the empty hallway.

“It’s about the company.”