High heels clicking on the marble floor, the woman paused as she passed the open doorway. The woman inside, although obviously hard at work, did not seem familiar.
In silence, the woman watched the stranger.
She recognized her face, but could not discern exactly where she knew the other woman from. Quickly taking in her reflection in the nearby full-length mirror, the woman absently began to smooth down the lines of her designer dress, then tuck back into place a few stray strands of hair. For some reason, one that she could not quite identify, the other woman unnerved her.
Continuing to watch the other woman, Laura Spencer noted how the woman moved about the room with an effortless grace.
Strength.
That was the one word that came to Laura's mind as she observed the woman in action. Clearing her throat, Laura attempted to get the woman's attention.
The woman gave Laura nary a thought and continued to move about the room, surveying her surroundings.
''Excuse me,'' Laura began.
