CHAPTER NINE
MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2027 7:10am
Present Day / (03:08:18:33)
Hannah Caine’s preferred table stood empty suggesting the day had potential. She balanced the small plate holding a blueberry scone on a mug of coffee spoiled by cream and decaffeination in her right hand. In her left she cradled a real cup of coffee, black, supporting no pastry at all.
She hurried to the open table and got all the breakfast unloaded just as Drummond arrived. He fell into the chair opposite her, nudging the table enough to rock the coffees back and forth. A splash of hers stained the paper table cloth pretending to be linen before she grabbed the porcelain mug to stop its dance with disaster.
“Drummond, you i***t,” she said. “You know the importance of the morning’s first cup of coffee. Have I tau
