"Maybe I can help you enjoy it more."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I hope you're not one of those narrow-minded people who are afraid to experiment and try exciting new things. I'd like to show you a good time."

"Thanks, Wendy. You don't have the equipment I need."

And then, Jean Claude Parent came back on.

"Bonne nuit. Comment ca va? How are you?" How are you?"

"I'm great. How about you?"

"I have missed you. I wish very much to meet you in person."

"I want to meet you, too. Thanks for sending me your photograph. You're a good-looking bloke."

"And you are beautiful. I think it is very important for us to get to know each other. Is your company coming to Quebec for the computer convention?"

"What? Not that I know of. When is it?"

"In three weeks. Many big companies will be coming. I hope you will be here."

"I hope so, too."

"Can we meet in the chat room tomorrow at the same time?"

"Of course. Until tomorrow."

"a demain."

The following morning, Shane Miller walked up to Ashley. "Ashley, have you heard about the big computer convention coming up in Quebec City?"

She nodded. "Yes. It sounds interesting."

"I was just debating whether we should send a contingent up there."

"All the companies are going," Ashley said. "Symantec, Microsoft, Apple. Quebec City is putting on a big show for them. A trip like that could be kind of a Christmas bonus."

Shane Miller smiled at her enthusiasm. "Let me check it out."

The following morning, Shane Miller called Ashley into his office.

"How would you like to spend Christmas in Quebec City?"

"We're going? That's great," Ashley said, enthusiastically. In the past, she had spent the Christmas holidays with her father, but this year she had dreaded the prospect.

"You'd better take plenty of warm clothes."

"Don't worry. I will. I'm really looking forward to this, Shane."

Toni was in the Internet chat room. "Jean Claude, the company is sending a group of us to Quebec City!"

"Formidable! I am so pleased. When will you arrive?" I am so pleased. When will you arrive?"

"In two weeks. There will be fifteen of us."

"Merveilleux! I feel as though something very important is going to happen." I feel as though something very important is going to happen."

"So do I." Something very important. Something very important.

Ashley anxiously watched the news every night, but there were still no new developments in the Dennis Tibbie murder. She began to relax. If the police could not connect her with the case, there was no way they could find a connection to her father. Half a dozen times she steeled herself to ask him about it, but each time she backed off. What if he were innocent? Could he ever forgive her for accusing him of being a murderer? And if he is guilty, I don't want to know, And if he is guilty, I don't want to know, Ashley thought. Ashley thought. I couldn't bear it. And if he has done those terrible things, in his mind, he would have done them to protect me. At least I won't have to face him this Christmas. I couldn't bear it. And if he has done those terrible things, in his mind, he would have done them to protect me. At least I won't have to face him this Christmas.

Ashley telephoned her father in San Francisco. She said, without preamble, "I'm not going to be able to spend Christmas with you this year, Father. My company is sending me to a convention in Canada."

There was a long silence. "That's bad timing, Ashley. You and I have always spent Christmas together."

"I can't help-"

"You're all I have, you know."

"Yes, Father, and...you're all I have."

"That's what's important."

Important enough to kill for?

"Where is this convention?"

"In Quebec City. It's-"

"Ah. Lovely place. I haven't been there in years. I'll tell you what I'll do. I haven't anything scheduled at the hospital around that time. I'll fly up, and we'll have a Christmas dinner together."

Ashley said quickly, "I don't think it's-"

"You just make a reservation for me at whatever hotel you're staying at. We don't want to break tradition, do we?"

She hesitated and said slowly, "No, Father."

How can I face him?

Alette was excited. She said to Toni, "I've never been to Quebec City. Do they have museums there?"

"Of course they have museums there," Toni told her. "They have everything. A lot of winter sports. Skiing, skating..."

Alette shuddered. "I hate cold weather. No sports for me. Even with gloves, my fingers get numb. I will stick to the museums...."

On the twenty-first of December, the group from Global Computer Graphics arrived at the Jean-Lesage International Airport in Sainte-Foy and were driven to the storied Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. It was below zero outside, and the streets were blanketed with snow.

Jean Claude had given Toni his home telephone number. She called as soon as she checked into her room. "I hope I'm not calling too late."

"Mais non! I cannot believe you are here. When may I see you?" I cannot believe you are here. When may I see you?"

"Well, we're all going to the convention center tomorrow morning, but I could slip away and have lunch with you."

"Bon! There is a restaurant, Le Paris-Brest, on the Grande Allee Est. Can you meet me there at one o'clock?" There is a restaurant, Le Paris-Brest, on the Grande Allee Est. Can you meet me there at one o'clock?"

"I'll be there."

The Centre des Congres de Quebec on Rene Levesque Boulevard is a four-story, gla.s.s-and-steel, state-of-the-art building that can accommodate thousands of conventioneers. At nine o'clock in the morning, the vast halls were crowded with computer experts from all over the world, exchanging information on up-to-the-minute developments. They filled multimedia rooms, exhibit halls and video-conferencing centers. There were half a dozen seminars going on simultaneously. Toni was bored. All talk and no action, All talk and no action, she thought. At she thought. At 12:45, 12:45, she slipped out of the convention hall and took a taxi to the restaurant. she slipped out of the convention hall and took a taxi to the restaurant.

Jean Claude was waiting for her. He took her hand and said warmly, "Toni, I am so pleased you could come."

"So am I."

"I will try to make certain that your time here is very agreeable," Jean Claude told her. "This is a beautiful city to explore."

Toni looked at him and smiled. "I know I'm going to enjoy it."

"I would like to spend as much time with you as I can."

"Can you take the time off? What about the jewelry store?"

Jean Claude smiled. "It will have to manage without me."

The maitre d' brought menus.

Jean Claude said to Toni, "Would you like to try some of our French-Canadian dishes?"

"Fine."

"Then please let me order for you." He said to the maitre d', "Nous voudrions le Brome Lake Duckling." "Nous voudrions le Brome Lake Duckling." He explained to Toni, "It is a local dish, duckling cooked in calvados and stuffed with apples." He explained to Toni, "It is a local dish, duckling cooked in calvados and stuffed with apples."

"Sounds delicious."

And it was.

During luncheon, they filled each other in on their pasts.

"So. You've never been married?" Toni asked.

"No. And you?"

"No."

"You have not found the right man."

Oh, G.o.d, wouldn't it be wonderful if it were that simple. "No." "No."

They talked of Quebec City and what there was to do there.

"Do you ski?"

Toni nodded. "I love it."

"Ah, bon, moi aussi. bon, moi aussi. And there is snowmobiling, ice-skating, wonderful shopping..." And there is snowmobiling, ice-skating, wonderful shopping..."

There was something almost boyish about his enthusiasm. Toni had never felt more comfortable with anyone.

Shane Miller arranged it so his group attended the convention mornings and had their afternoons free.

"I don't know what to do here," Alette complained to Toni. "It's freezing. What are you going to do?"

"Everything." Toni grinned.

"A piil tardi."

Toni and Jean Claude had lunch together every day, and every afternoon, Jean Claude took Toni on a tour. She had never seen any place like Quebec City. It was like finding a turn-of-the-century picturesque French village in North America. The ancient streets had colorful names like Break Neck Stairs and Below the Fort and Sailor's Leap. It was a Currier & Ives city, framed in snow.

They visited La Citadelle, with its walls protecting Old Quebec, and they watched the traditional changing of the guard inside the walls of the fort. They explored the shopping streets, Saint Jean, Cartier, Cote de la Fabrique, and wandered through the Quartier Pet.i.t Champlain.

"This is the oldest commercial district in North America," Jean Claude told her.

"It's super."

Everywhere they went, there were sparkling Christmas trees, nativity scenes and music for the enjoyment of the strollers.

Jean Claude took Toni snowmobiling in the countryside. As they raced down a narrow slope, he called out, "Are you having a good time?"

Toni sensed that it was not an idle question. She nodded and said softly, "I'm having a wonderful time."

Alette spent her time at museums. She visited the Basilica of Notre-Dame and the Good Shepherd Chapel and the Augustine Museum, but she had no interest in anything else that Quebec City offered. There were dozens of gourmet restaurants, but when she was not dining at the hotel, she ate at Le Commensal, a vegetarian cafeteria.

From time to time, Alette thought about her artist friend, Richard Melton, in San Francisco, and wondered what he was doing and if he would remember her.

Ashley was dreading Christmas. She was tempted to call her father and tell him not to come. But what excuse can I give? You're a murderer. I don't want to see you? But what excuse can I give? You're a murderer. I don't want to see you?

And each day Christmas was coming closer.

"I would like to show you my jewelry store," Jean Claude told Toni. "Would you care to see it?"

Toni nodded. "Love to."

Parent Jewelers was located in the heart of Quebec City, on rue Notre-Dame. When she walked in the door, Toni was stunned. On the Internet, Jean Claude had said, "I have a little jewelry store." "I have a little jewelry store." It was a very large store, tastefully done. Half a dozen clerks were busy with customers. It was a very large store, tastefully done. Half a dozen clerks were busy with customers.

Toni looked around and said, "It's-it's smashing."

He smiled. "Merci. "Merci. I would like to give you a I would like to give you a cadeau cadeau-a gift, for Christmas."