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day?
    “Please,” the man pressed
urgently, “I meant only to show you the folly of believing rumors.
Despite what you may have heard, you don't know me.”
    “Well, this is not the way to introduce
yourself.”
    Tessa could no longer stand the suspense; she
carefully peered around the edge of the doorway.
    The sight that greeted her eyes could not
have shocked her more.
    Little, petite Liset stood, hands on her
hips, defiantly glaring up at a much larger man. Though Tessa could
not see his face because of the shadow cast by the corridor light,
she could discern the very dark, perhaps black, color of his hair,
and his tight fitting t-shirt revealed defined muscles. Why this
man would fear Liset completely escaped Tessa's comprehension, and
the thought sent a chill up her spine.
    “I have much to be afraid of,” he replied,
this time his voice hushed, “but you are not it. Since you will not
hear me, though, I will leave. I have as much reason to avoid
exposure as you if not more.”
    “Fine, then.” Without taking her leave, Liset
turned immediately to reenter her apartment.
    What happened next occurred so quickly that
Tessa almost doubted her eyes. The man grabbed Liset's wrist to
restrain her, and though he did not seem to harbor any overt
aggression, Liset spun rapidly upon the man. She adeptly twisted
her own arm and her own body in such a way that she, as a result,
stood behind the man, her arm free from his grasp. He knelt tensely
on one knee, and his arm bent painfully behind his back. He winced
with some sort of discomfort.
    “Please, Liset,” he pleaded. “I am sorry. I
only wanted to ask you a favor.”
    Tessa's heart pounded against the inside of
her chest.
    “A favor?” Liset did not release him, but her
tone seemed receptive. “Why in the world would I want to help
you?”
    “That is the favor. Just come have coffee
with me so I can explain myself to you. I have information for you
that I believe you will find very interesting. It's regarding your
client.”
    Her client? confusion churned in Tessa's mind. What kind of client would Liset have?
    Liset paused, obviously considering. “I will
not meet you. Tell me now,” she demanded.
    “It is too much,” he replied, then glanced
furtively back and forth along the hallway. “And too sensitive to
share in an unsecured hallway.”
    Tessa's rapidly beating heart suddenly
stopped. Though Tessa had immediately ducked back into the alcove,
she knew that her quick movement had caused a shuffling sound, or
at least a whistle of wind. Would they have heard her? Waiting, she
listened carefully for any indication betraying the fact that one
of them had seen her. For a pregnant moment, she heard no sound,
and her mind raced with new, more pressing questions than her
curiosity about Liset. Most importantly, would she have time to
run? And equally as important, could she find her way out through
the maze of hallways running full-tilt?
    Liset's sudden, whispered reply relieved
Tessa's frozen heart and let it beat again. She risked one last
peek around the corner.
    “Fine,” Liset allowed.
“Meet me at La Parisienne tomorrow morning.” She
relaxed her grip on his arm as she spoke, and he rose to face her,
now tentative.
    “I can't wait,” he replied, a sarcastic
twinge replacing his earlier bravado.
    Tessa's former anxiety returned as she heard
Liset say, “Until tomorrow, then.” and his reply of, “Goodbye.”
    Again, Tessa froze against the door frame, as
motionless as she could possibly stand. Still constantly debating
with herself about whether or not to run, she listened as Liset's
door shut firmly. She paused what seemed an infinitely long time,
though in reality, she stood still for only a few minutes. Then,
anxious lest she encounter the man, Tessa again peered cautiously
down the corridor. To her relief, the two people had disappeared;
Liset, into her apartment, and the man, no doubt exiting the hall
along some other route. After pausing