He told my sister I had thrown away her pictures and forgotten her name.

I twisted my silver class ring around my right finger and set the rank insignia back into my bag.

By seven o’clock, the hotel lobby was quiet except for the low chime of the elevator doors.

I sat in an armchair near the tall front windows, watching the rain begin to smudge the glass.

My mobile phone vibrated on the marble side table.

Gerald’s name flashed across the screen in dark gray type.