Chapter 66

The morning sun was warm, soaking the entrance of the courthouse in a golden glow. Elsie had been waiting there for two hours, long enough to become a small spectacle. A food delivery guy brought her coffee and breakfast, a restaurant owner from across the street dragged out a table and chairs for her, and a street magician started performing nearby out of boredom. "..." Elsie watched blankly as he pulled an orange kitten out of his hat, completely unfazed. "You should go," she said flatly. The magician hesitated, "You’re leaving?" Elsie stood up. "Yeah." Like he'd been granted a pardon, the magician quickly packed up his props and vanished, cat in hand. The towering buildings of the CBD stood cold and detached in the background. The streets weren’t crowded—just a few sharply dressed men and women rushing past, some with coffee in hand, some stuck on endless phone calls. Elsie caught a cab to the Harding Group. The moment she stepped in, the receptionist recognized her instantly. Her l