Chapter Ten
The following day was overcast with wind that gusted headlong onshore. The forecast had called for light rain, which Alfred had noted on telegrams and the regional forecast, but the forceful winds had taken the entire bureau by surprise. It had been a constant source of annoyance as the window panes rattled with each gust and the drafts at the sills whistled throughout the day until the front moved offshore and left the island with a light, warm breeze. When Alfred left the office, a headache was raking his mind raw, growing steadily worse as he bicycled back toward the boardinghouse more than ten blocks away. When he finally made it to his bed, he debated whether he would join the house for supper or skip the meal altogether and sleep through the evening. His body was giving
