One “Norah? Is that you?” Valerie Bloomfield’s voice rose expectantly. She’d been trying to reach her sister for the past hour with no success. “Valerie, where are you?” “I’m on a layover in Chicago.” She glanced around the departure lounge and surveyed the other passengers. “How’s Dad?” Norah hesitated, and that slight pause sent Valerie’s worry escalating into panic. “Norah…” she began. “He’s doing as well as can be expected.” “Did you tell him I’m on my way?” Valerie had been in the middle of a business meeting in New York when she received the message. Her youngest sister had called the Houston office, and they’d passed on the news of her father’s heart attack. Valerie had left immediately, catching the first available flight. Unfortunately that meant going to Oregon via Chicago. “Dad knows you’re coming.” “Were you able to get hold of Steff?” Norah’s sigh signaled her frustration. “Yes, but it took forever and my Italian is nonexistent. She’s planning to catch whatever she can out of Rome, but she has to get there first—she’s in some little village right now. It might take her a couple of days. The connection was bad and I couldn’t understand everything she said. Apparently there’s some sort of transportation strike. But she’s doing her best….” Valerie’s sympathies went out to