At four in the afternoon, Hunter was already itching to leave his office. He had finished all the tasks he had been given that day and even went out of his way to scribble some of his new ideas for a new promotion in the coming spring. Tapping his wristwatch, he stared at the finished pile of papers on his desk. It was about five inches thick and he was amused at his boosted efficiency after listening to Danny’s words of wisdom.
Impatiently, he dialed Froy’s office number, clutching the wooden bird keychain in his palm as a smile tugged the corner of his mouth. It was a gift he had given Iris when she was only twelve. He made it to coax her when her three-year-old cockatiel died in winter. Since then, she had always carried it with her wherever she went. It never really occurred to him th
