Parker managed to catch up to the corner, and said into the phone, "Right, like I'd leave you out of it?" Then turned to smile brightly at the guy with the newpapaper. "//Excuse me,//" she said in very badly accented Russian, much worse than usual, "//Can you tell me which way is Hermitage?//"

He pulled down his sunglasses a little, then answered in accented but understandable English, "It is on the other side of the square. Two blocks. It does not open for another hour. Too bad."

"Oh, thank you. You speak English?" Parker cocked an eyebrow at him. "I apologize for my Russian."

"No, yours isss, very good." He looked at his wristwatch with regret. "I would show you the way, but, am late for an appointment." He cast her a look of regret as he hailed a taxi. "But welcome to Moscow, Miss...?"

"Parker." She smirked a little, and stepped back from the curb. "Thanks anyway."

"No, thank you--" He paused. "Perhaps, we share a cab, yes?"

"One second." Parker took a couple steps away and whispered into the phone, "Score!"