I printed it, tucked it into the leather check presenter, walked it back to their booth, and set it down at the man’s elbow with a warm thank-you and the usual line about no rush, whenever you’re ready.

Then I turned and went to tend to another table that needed me, a party of four across the room, and I did not think anything of it, because in all my time waiting tables, in all the thousands of checks I had dropped, I had never once had what happened next happen to me.

Chapter 4 — The Empty Booth

It could not have been more than a few minutes.