Page 64

CHAPTER 62

YUKI WAS FINISHING her chicken wings while listening to Cindy’s thoughts about the Orlofsky murders when Rikki’s steel drums burst into the “Happy Birthday” song. She looked up to see a pink, blue, and yellow cake with flaming candles being carried to a nearby table. Cheers and singing “How oh-old are youuu?” rang throughout the room. But there were no cheers from the booth at the rear.

And that’s when Yuki’s phone sounded with the muted wail of a police car siren. That ringtone was Brady’s inside joke, but now Yuki grabbed the phone and said to her husband, “Hon? Is everything okay?”

Yuki listened to Brady while her friends looked on.

“Great. Thanks. See you soon.”

Yuki clicked off, saying, “He’s sending a couple of patrol cars for me. He’s worried.”

“Me too,” said Cindy. “The smoke bomb outside the courtroom? The cards inside the box had the names and addresses of the court officers.”

“Including mine,” Yuki said.

Less than ten minutes later, Lorraine approached. “Yuki, there are police officers at the front door. For you.”

“That was quick.”

Yuki put two twenties on the table beside Claire, who said, “You’ll text me when you’re home?”

“You’re Claire-voyant, you know that?”

Yuki hugged Claire and Cindy good-bye, then went out to the street, where four uniformed officers were waiting to escort her home.