“Enchanté,” said Adil, giving her a little bow. He was extremely good-looking, tall, and slim, with caramel skin, jet-black hair, and amazingly long eyelashes.

“Your mother? I thought you were sisters,” said Malik, who was shorter and heavier, but whose cheeks dimpled when he smiled. Lucy had the feeling she’d seen him before, his name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t place him.

“Don’t mind him,” advised Elizabeth. “Malik can’t help being charming. He does it to get tips.”

“No, no,” insisted Malik. “I was telling the truth. You could be sisters.”

Lucy was blushing and shaking her head. “Does this sort of flattery really work?”

“You’d be surprised,” said Adil, extracting a tiny paper cup filled with tarry liquid from the coffee machine. He sat at one of the tables and ripped open a packet of sugar, adding it to his coffee.

Malik joined him at the table, unwrapping a chocolate bar and breaking off a piece. “Would you like some?” he asked, offering it to Lucy and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth shook her head, indicating she didn’t want any chocolate.

“No, thanks,” said Lucy, sipping at her water. “I’m in a bit of trouble, and I wonder if you could help me,” she began, getting a sharp look from Elizabeth.

“Bien sûr,” said Malik. “What do you need?”

“Just a bit of information,” said Lucy, glaring at Elizabeth. “As it happened, I witnessed an, um, accident and I called for help. They took the victim away in an ambulance, and I want to know how he’s doing. Do you know where they take people who’ve had accidents?”

“L’Hôtel-Dieu,” said Malik.

“Where’s that?” asked Lucy.

“Near Notre-Dame.”

“The cathedral?”

“That’s right,” replied Malik, rising to his feet. “Back to work.”

“Gee, I’ve got to go,” said Elizabeth, realizing she’d overstayed her break and hopping up.

“I shouldn’t have kept you,” said Lucy, automatically accepting some of the blame.

“Let me know what happens,” said Elizabeth, surprising Lucy with a quick peck on the cheek.

“I will,” promised Lucy, replacing the cap on her water bottle as she followed Elizabeth and the two boys down the hall to the lobby. There she tucked her bottle into her purse and made her way to the exit, where a liveried doorman asked if she’d like a taxi. “I would,” she said. “Merci.”