“Good Lord, Myra, don’t say something like that!” Annie cried. “Getting in touch…that way would mean Charles is dead.”

“No, no, Annie, he’s not dead!” Myra assured her. “No, he’s doing that thought transference thing. I know how…silly that sounds, but I feel it. I really do. It’s a good feeling, Annie.”

“Oh, well, in that case, home in on him and maybe he’ll get a message to you. I’m going to take the clothes out of the dryer. I wonder if the Christmas party is still on tomorrow,” Annie mumbled.

Myra wasn’t wrong in what she was feeling. Charles Martin, less than a mile away, was saying over and over, “I’m coming, Myra. I’m coming.” He stopped his litany just long enough to stare at the building he was approaching. At first he thought he was seeing things, possibly becoming delusional, but within seconds he knew Lady Luck was riding on his shoulder. The Post building!

Charles steered the Hummer as close as he could get to the curb, which was piled high with snow. He turned off the engine and got out, then climbed and waded his way over the mountain of snow to the sidewalk, where the snow was thigh deep, then to the door, the dogs alongside him. He pushed and shoved and finally got it open. He literally fell through the revolving door onto the marble floor, the dogs jumping over his prone body. He got up and ran as fast as he could to the elevator, which, magically, was working. He pressed the button for Maggie’s floor and sucked in his breath. The moment the elevator door opened, he bellowed at the top of his lungs, “Maggie!”

Hearing her name ricocheting around the empty newsroom, Maggie blinked, then blinked again. “Charles! Oh, my God! Charles, is it really you? How did you get here? What’s going on? Are the dogs all right? Is everyone okay? I can’t believe you’re here! Come with me. I just made some coffee. No one is here but me. I sent everyone home so they could be with their families. Oh, Charles, I haven’t heard from anyone,” she said breathlessly. She gave each of the dogs a stale doughnut and watched as they gobbled them down. She then filled a bowl with water and set it on the floor. Both animals drank greedily.

“I know. That’s why I’m here. I have a vehicle. How far is it to the apartment where the girls are?”

“Six blocks. Here, drink this hot coffee, and we can leave. I was afraid to chance it, or I would have gone myself. Where did you get a car?”