I stood up from the table, my chair scraping against the floor.

Several people at the main table looked over, including Sam.

I forced a smile and waved my hand to signal everything was fine.

“I’m going to step outside,” I told Derek.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Derek asked.

“No,” I said. “Stay here. Keep the team happy.”

“Don’t let them know anything is wrong,” I added.

“Be careful, Sarah,” Derek said. “You know how she gets when she feels cornered.”

I walked through the restaurant, the air getting cooler as I neared the front entrance.

The hostess smiled at me as I passed her desk.

I pushed open the heavy glass door and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

The San Francisco night was damp, the fog rolling in low over the hills.

The streetlights had a soft halo around them.

I walked a few yards down the block, away from the restaurant’s outdoor heaters, until I was standing in the shadow of a closed boutique.

I pulled my phone out of my coat pocket.