There was one more mission Vanessa had to perform before her world was perfect.

Her dad had moved out of that hotel and into a not very impressive apartment. Possibly this too was meant to be temporary, but Vanessa shook her head in disapproval as she pressed a button on the outside of the building to communicate with her father on the intercom.

"Who is it?" Walter Claiborne said in a hesitant voice.

"It's me, Dad," Vanessa said sharply.

There was a long pause before Walter finally pushed the buzzer to let her in.

She marched up to the third floor, where Walter had his place. When he opened the...