Chapter 8 — Twenty Seconds

Alton beamed, sure I was about to give a warm toast to his health.

I looked at the room, and then at my watch.

“In about twenty seconds,” I said, “the people at this table are going to understand why I’m done being quiet.” Roxanne blinked, her glass halfway to her mouth.

“What are you talking about?” I didn’t answer her.

I want to be honest that there was no magic to what came next, no trick of timing — I hadn’t rehearsed anyone’s reactions, and I couldn’t have predicted them if I’d tried.