Chapter 24: Day Ninety-Nine

On day ninety-nine, three people knocked on my door at seven in the morning.

I knew all three of them by the knock.

Asher stood in front with a coffee.

Elliott stood behind him holding a clipboard.

Valerie stood at the back with a paper bag, trying very hard not to smile.

"We're here to escort you," Elliott said.

"To where?"

"That's classified until five o'clock."

"Elliott, you're holding a schedule."

"It's a very good schedule."

He turned the clipboard around.

Each hour had a line.

At eight I had a breakfast, and at ten a haircut I had not requested.

At noon there was a lunch, with a note beside it that said: Do not let her leave.

"This is a kidnapping," I said.

"It's a favor," said Asher.

"It's a kidnapping with a coffee."

"It's your coffee. Four swallows, no sugar, oat milk, extra shot."

"That's yours."

"Right." He looked at the cup. "Then I've just given you mine."

I drank it.

It was better than I expected.

Valerie came forward and held out the paper bag.

I looked inside, and there was a long green scarf, a little wrinkled, with one pulled thread.

My grandmother's scarf.

"How?" I said.

"I found the man with the cheekbones," Valerie said. "He was at the bus stop. He had a bus."

"He did say he had a bus."

"I explained what the scarf meant to you. He was extremely sorry, and he cried a little."

"Did you threaten him?"

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