Hidden Heir

Victoria Colby-Camp sat in the coffee shop on the first floor of the building she called her second home. The place where the Colby Agency had been born, where it thrived more than twenty years later.Located mere blocks off Chicago's glorious Magnificent Mile, coming to work every day was a treat for the senses. She loved the excitement of the city. Her city. The sounds and smells; the good and the bad that went along with living in an ever-expanding metropolis.She should be getting back to the office. Lucas -- she smiled -- would be wondering where she'd gotten to. Every woman who had loved and lost, whatever the circumstances, should have a second chance at the kind of love she had found with Lucas Camp.Victoria thanked God every day for him, as well as for the health and well-being of her family.She sipped her Earl Grey and studied the patrons swarming in and out of the small coffee shop. There were only six tables, each with two delicately formed wrought iron chairs. The seats weren't cushioned, most likely to prevent anyone from growing too comfortable. The owner needn't have worried; most who entered the shop were in a hurry. They were either in a rush to get to work or simply needed to get away from the office for a few moments. Smoking was no longer permitted in the building, so those who partook were forced to go outside to do so.Of course, there was coffee and tea of all sorts in the lounge on the fourth floor just down the hall from Victoria's office. Or Mildred, her secretary, would have been happy to see after her refreshment needs. Each morning when Victoria came to work, she found coffee, her favorite blend, waiting for her in an elegant carafe. Mildred had a kind of sixth sense when it came to anticipating the needs of most everyone at the agency. This one had been no different.But, like those with cigarettes and lighters in hand, this morning Victoria had come down to the lobby for a different reason. Escape, for only a minute or two. She couldn't say precisely why she had felt the need. All was well at home and in the office. She simply needed a few moments, not necessarily alone but to herself.She watched the men and women rush through the main entrance and across the expanse of polished marble floor only to have to wait in line while security scrutinized their possessions as well as their persons. To move beyond that checkpoint, one had to have proper identification and be thoroughly screened for anything that might be used as a weapon.It was a nuisance, but unfortunately a necessary one in today's climate of unrest.Victoria settled her attention back on the swiftly cooling tea. Maybe the reason for her desire to have a moment alone was more apparent than she realized. For the first time in almost two decades, everything in her life was exactly as it should be. Her son Jim and his wife Tasha, were at long last happy, and the first Colby grandchild was on the way. The horrors that had haunted Jim since his return home were now finally under control.A smile toyed with the corners of Victoria's mouth. And her other baby, her agency, was better than ever. She'd hired more new recruits, bringing the total to five. The energy from those young men and women had provided just the transfusion of excitement the agency had needed recently.Unstoppable.That was the one word that truly defined her agency as it moved toward its third decade of operation.She felt completely satisfied for the first time in far too long a time. Satisfied and extremely lucky.That smile that had tickled her lips now spread across her face as she caught sight of her husband in the lobby. Confidence radiating from him, Lucas strode straight into the coffee shop. He didn't glance her way, but she knew he was aware of her presence. When his turn in line came, he placed his order -- coffee, the strongest Colombian blend, no doubt. Cup in hand, he bypassed the side counter holding various sweetenersWebb, Debra is the author of 'Hidden Heir ', published 2006 under ISBN 9780373887088 and ISBN 0373887086.