"Earth to Angela," Peter Burton teased the next day as the two of them sat in his office, poring over a stack of files. Somehow, Angela's mind had drifted while he was describing a horrific traffic accident in which a client lost a leg.

Angela jumped to attention. "I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know what's wrong with me today." She sat up straighter in her hair and focused on him. "Please, go on."

"Did I get your coffee wrong?" he asked, looking at her full cup.

"No, ...