As if summoned by his empty stomach, Madeline knocked on his office door lightly before walking in and placing a wrapped sub on his desk. He looked up and thanked her with a tired smile. She was a good - no, great - assistant and knew him better than he knew himself most of the time.

“There’s an email from the PR firm in Melbourne that I need you to look over and your mother is on line two.”

“Thanks Madeline,” he replied. “Are our flights home booked for ...