Philadelphia. The top floor of the Saint Claude Building.
The massive terrace floated over the city like an isolated island.
Below, Benjamin Franklin Avenue blazed with lights, the traffic converging into a flowing river of light that stretched toward the Art Museum in the distance.
Leo Wallace leaned against the marble railing.
Between his fingers was a freshly cut Cohiba cigar.
Grayish-blue smoke rose slowly into the night, then dissipated into the Philadelphia sky.
He took a deep drag, the spicy and mellow flavor filling his mouth.
The Leo of today was finally starting to get used to the taste of cigars.
Evelyn Saint Cloud stood beside him.
She wore a deep black evening gown, a silver fox fur shawl draped over her shoulders.
Both of their gazes were fixed on the tablet resting on the round terrace table.
The screen was playing footage from the Harrisburg State Capitol Building.
