Officer Dick Crawford read over the file for what seemed like the millionth time that day. He had been working on the case for more than a month and still had no leads. The Robinson-Clark Law firm in Chicago had lost fifty million dollars while it was being wired from a client in Brazil to their bank in New York. Just a few months earlier, one of the partners, Misty Martin, had mysteriously disappeared. Misty had quit eight months before the money was stolen, and no one had heard from her since.
Through high school, Misty had been an average scholar; she had been more interested in texting than paying attention during class, and much preferred partying to doing homework. Though much of her time was spent in detention, she somehow managed to graduate. When her boyfriend continued to undergraduate school, he met another girl and broke up with Misty. Devastated, she followed him to law school in an attempt to get him back. While she was there, she saw her ex-boyfriend for what he was – a jerk; however, she discovered a great interest in the legal system and graduated at the top of her class.
During her last months at law school, Misty was bombarded with job offers all over the country. She accepted an associate's position at the Robinson-Clark firm in Chicago. Being a small-town girl herself, the big city looked like a great place to work. She made partner in only six years, a position she held for five years before putting in her two weeks' eight months before the fifty-million-dollar scandal. Apparently, she had made enough money to retire, this verified by her paycheck records.
Crawford had studied the case for hours and couldn't find anything wrong with Misty. Yet something just felt suspicious. He couldn't explain his feelings; somehow he just knew there was a lie somewhere in the file.
Frustrated with himself, Crawford slammed the file shut. So what if the girl had left the firm? So what if no one had seen or talked to her since? She was a millionaire and was probably in Paris shopping. Dick left the office, drove home, and tried to relax and watch television. Suddenly he bolted straight up in his chair.
A reporter stood at the scene of what seemed to be a car fire. "…vehicle appears to have run off the road. Police are not yet sure what started the fire. The car is registered to a Misty Martin, though further investigation is needed to positively identify the body. Stay tuned for m-"
Crawford shut off the TV and went off to bed. At least he wouldn't have to slave over the Robinson-Clark file anymore. Finally he drifted off into a restless sleep.
Veronica Perrot stepped outside her house in Nice, France. She saw another woman sitting in her lawn reading a book. The woman looked up, and seeing Veronica, jumped to her feet and jogged over.
"Salut! Je suis Lena Thomas. Quel est votre nom? J'ai été demandent qui propose à la chambre. Où êtes-vous? Vous voulez aller se faire un espresso plus tard?" Hi! I'm Lena Thomas. What's your name? I've been wondering who moved into this house. Where are you from? Do you want to go get an espresso later?
"Bonjour, Lena. Je suis Veronica Perrot, et je suis du Brésil. Mes parents étaient en français, mais notre famille a déménagé au Canada lorsque j'étais très jeune. J'aimerais beaucoup avoir un espresso plus tard. J'ai pas été ici pendant des années, et j'ai besoin quelqu'un de me montrer autour. Merci," replied Florence. Hi, Lena. I'm Veronica Perrot, and I'm from Brazil. My parents were French, but our family moved to Canada when I was very young. I would love to have an espresso later. I haven't been here for years, and I need someone to show me around. Thanks.
"Regardons maintenant! Il y a pas de meilleur moment que le présent, et je sais que ce grand café..." Let's go now! There's no better time than the present, and I know this great cafe...
Lena led Veronica down the street to the bus stop. As they waited for it to come, they engaged in conversation, get-to-know-you kind of talk.
Veronica was a beautiful woman in her early forties, but she looked in the late twenties. She loved to travel and had been in many countries around the world, including Brazil, where she met and married her husband. However, the marriage was hasty, and they found out the hard way about the struggles to maintain a relationship. They filed for divorce after only a year.
Once her husband was gone, Veronica continued to travel in South America. She went on a Caribbean cruise and toured Central America. Then she flew to Italy to see ancient Rome. Next on her list were Spain, Portugal, Greece, England, Germany, Poland, and finally France. She ended up loving the country so much that she decided to buy a house and live there. Of course, she had also been born in Nice, which only encouraged her.
Lena was several years older than Veronica and had lived in France all her life. She had traveled around the country and been in many cities including Paris and the Eiffel Tower, but never crossed the border. As a result, she knew all about France and its history and fun places to visit. She was determined to share her experiences with her new neighbor.
By now the bus was here. The two ladies got on and sat in the middle, continuing to chat. When they arrived, they ordered chocolate and croissants. Lena told Veronica about France, and Veronica told Lena about her travels. They talked all afternoon, and by the end of the day they were becoming close friends.
Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Dick Crawford closed the Robinson-Clark file for the last time. Police had determined that Misty Martin had been killed in the car accident. The firm had hired private investigators, who continued to search for the money; but the trail had grown cold, and there was nothing more the police could do with their only suspect dead.
7 Years Later…
Veronica Perrot called the Côte d'Azur Airport in Nice, France, and made reservations on a flight to Australia the next day. Her old adventurous spirit had been tugging on her heart for the past months, and though it hurt to leave, she wanted to feel as free as she had while exploring different parts of the earth. She broke the news to Lena, who had become a very good friend during their time together. Her neighbor was upset, but she understood Veronica's need to travel. The house was sold, and everything in it. One week after she left, a new family would occupy Veronica's home.
The plane ride was rather uneventful, and Veronica breathed a sigh of relief when they finally landed in Sydney at noon. She checked into Park Hyatt Sydney, a five-star hotel at the water's edge of Circular Quay. The room was beautiful with a lovely view of the harbor. She flopped down on the bed and opened her travel book. By the time dinner arrived via butler service, she had a two-page list of places she wanted to visit.