Message number one: "Hello, this is Dr. Bernstein calling for Julia
Nelson. Your uncle Justin became dehydrated today and will be at St.
Joseph's for a while. We'll call you as further developments arise
at…"
Uncle Justin in the hospital! I'll have to call the Manager and let him know she needed tomorrow off, she thought. Would he buy that? Oh great, I'm going to lose two jobs in two days!
Before she could rewind, message number two began: "Hon, this is Justin!" Julia gasped and dropped Cecil, who landed perfectly and returned to rubbing her shins. "Don't believe any messages you get about me unless they're from me! I shot a fella who got into my house… well, sort of shot him. I did and I didn't. He was there one minute and then Poof! Anyway, there's no body here, so there's no need to call the cops, but he left behind a clipboard that said he was going to call you and leave a message about me! I don't know what the hell this is all about, but it's not right! Say hello to that cat for me." The message ended, and Cecil, not contented with the action he was getting at foot level, jumped up to the counter just as Julia began dialing her uncle to find out just what the hell was going on.
19. The Meeting
"He that communicates his secret to another makes himself that other's
slave."
— Baltasar Gracian
Supervising Manager Denny was stocking shelves when the Lab Coat Man approached him.
"Denny?"
"How'd you get in here?"
"Back door."
Denny stopped shelving Snack Ramen (6 for a $1) for a moment and looked at his fellow conspirator. "The back door? We unlock one of the most important secrets of space and time, and you walk in through my back door?"
"We, uh… lost a clipboard."