After a difficult divorce, Sinclair devoted his time and concentration to his work as a stock analyst, a fairly efficient way to forget about the pain still anchored in his chest.

His old secretary quit and he had to hire someone just as qualified, the interview was over the phone, so he didn't know his new secretary's face beyond a faded, semi-blurry photograph on the CV, but he was content.

Sinclair's secretary would report for work at eight o'clock, and as Sinclair no longer liked to spend too much time at home, he waited in his office and fiddled with a pen.