Chapter 2
The Flatiron Building stands looking down Broadway like a giant wedge of grey cheese waiting for a hungry mouse. It was New York's first skyscraper and for over a century it has watched the comings and goings of one of the city's busiest streets.
Coco Crabtree controlled her vast sports shoe empire from a suite of luxury offices on the Flatiron's 15th floor. Her own office had windows down the thin point of the building and she sat at her desk like an eagle on its nest eyeing everyone striding by on the sidewalk below.
From her vantage point she could tell who was wearing Footprint trainers. There was a spring in their step and a bounce to their walk. Coco Crabtree noticed such things. Feet were her passion. Thanks to her, Footprint wearers walked on a sidewalk that felt like a bed of feathers.
The Footprint sports shoe was a small piece of heaven on earth and Coco Crabtree was the goddess who had created it. And now she was ready to take the world's feet onto a level of style and comfort that no toes or soles had ever experienced before.
She was excited. In a few weeks time, the new Footprint would be launched at the New York Foot Fair and Coco would grab back her crown as the Queen of Footwear. Her rival designer, the talentless Dr Agapanthus, might just as well throw his designs into the rubbish bin now. He did not stand a chance against the almighty Footprint.
'Professor Pamplemousse is here to see you, Ms Crabtree.' An elderly secretary burst into the office and Coco shot up from her desk.
