Allison Carter is staring at me like she has seen a ghost, her eyes widened to twice their size. She's opening and closing her mouth, too startled to make a sound.

The other woman is the one that speaks.

"Mr. Black…" she stutters, though it from surprise and not because she's flustered. "Welcome. To what do we owe this honor?"

I return my gaze to Allison, and she looks like she wants nothing more than to sink into the floor and disappear.

"I've come to speak with Allison," I say.

Allison starts, then drops her gaze. The woman— her friend, I'm guessing, based on the dynamic here— steps closer and...