“No, nobody.”
I hadn’t thought so.
“Except... Let me think.... I think Wind Spirit came by right after. It’s possible I mentioned it to her, just, like, in passing.”
“Wind Spirit. You’re sure?”
“Yeah, dude. She used to be named Amy, and Wind Spirit doesn’t seem to fit her, in my view, but whatever she wants—am I right? Also, that doughnut dude was there.”
“What doughnut dude?”
“Not doughnuts...” He frowned, as though the word escaped him. “Cupcakes!That’s what it was.”
“The cupcake dude? Do you mean Jamie?”
“Right, Jamie. That’s the one.”
“He came by? Was he with Wind Spirit?”
“Not ‘with her’ with her. Least, I don’t think so. Not that the Con is always up in everybody’s business or anything like that.”
“Did he say anything? Do anything? Did Wind Spirit?”
“Don’t really remember. I think they just happened to be passing by. Everybody loves the Haight—am I right?”
“Right. Okay, thanks. So, please, everyone,” I said, getting back to the subject, “err on the side of caution for the next few days, until I can figure this out.”
Part of me hoped if I kept saying I would be able to figure it out, I would manifest a resolution. If only it worked that way.
“And does ‘erring on the side of caution’ apply to you as well, Lily?” Bronwyn asked, forehead wrinkled in concern.
I smiled. “It does. Besides, I have Oscar to protect me.”
“Quite the ferocious guard pig,” Maya’s cousin Kareem said.
We all glanced at said guard pig, who was now lying on his back on the purple pillow, short little legs kicking in the air, a huge porcine grin on his face.
“Maybe not so ferocious,” Duke said dryly. “Lily, I hate to be a wet blanket, but you should take additional steps to protect yourself while you’re home alone.”
“Yes, please, Lily,” Bronwyn continued. “We worry about you.”
Maya and Selena nodded in agreement, and I felt a wave of warmth wash over me. With friendship, I was learning, came the obligation to take reasonable precautions with one’s well-being. “You’re right. I’ll be extra careful. And to that end: Maya, would you call a locksmith? I want to change the locks. I left my keys somewhere.”
“I’m on it,” Maya said, and went to the computer to look up the number.
Oscar huffed even louder.
“When did Oscar start acting like this?” I asked.
“A little while ago,” Bronwyn replied. “He just keeps snickering. He’s also been eating everything in sight.”
“Well, at least that part is nothing new. Maya, whileyou’re on the computer, any chance you could find a symbol that looks like this?”
I took my handkerchief out of my pocket, unwrapped it, and laid it on the counter. Maya looked at me curiously, but reached out to smooth the napkin.
“It looks like the symbol on the map,” Selena said immediately. “When they finish it, anyway.”
I glanced at the map with its red thread figure. Selena’s drawings of cupcakes with black icing were now encircling it, held up by bits of Scotch tape.
