Chapter 10: 6:41

The remote in my hand was the wrong tool, and I knew it.

It only moved the slideshow forward.

Then I saw the little card standing in the center of every table.

"Share your photos of Diane's evening," it said, over a square black code. "They will appear on the screen!"

Diane had ordered it for the guests.

I took out my phone.

"Virginia," Diane said. "Put that down."

"You asked for photos."

I scanned the code.

An upload page opened, and I added two screenshots.

The first was Mallory's post from the airport gate.

Her gold dress, Edgar's arm and the caption "New boyfriend for the week. Like this post and he's yours next."

The second was Edgar's text to me.

"Safe flight, babe. Client dinner is dull without you. Love you."

I pressed send.

It took only a moment.

On the giant screen behind Edgar's head, a picture of the two of us at a lake faded out.

The post faded in.

It was ten feet wide.

The little time stamp in the corner read 6:41.

Then my text from Edgar filled the screen beside it, with the same time stamp.

6:41.

For a moment nobody understood it.

Then a woman near the front said, "Oh," very softly.

A man by the fountain put down his fork.

I stepped up to the head of the table and spoke without a microphone.