My first stop is Springside Long-term Care. If my hunch is wrong, then I’ve wasted a great deal of money brewing a great many pots of coffee. If my hunch is wrong, Malcolm is lost forever. Everything depends on a hunch. The thought makes my stomach jump. My hands, however, are steady. I carry a single thermos with me of some of the best coffee I’ve ever brewed and head for Mr. Carlotta’s room.
“Katy-Girl!” His face brightens when he sees me. “I was just talking to Jack. He’s thinking about driving down from Minneapolis this weekend.”
“How nice for you.” I point to the brand new chess set on a side table. Its carved wooden pieces are glowing in the low lamplight. “Are you going to beat him again?”
“He’s not coming down for this old man, Katy-Girl.”
I shake my head, going for ignorance.
