CHAPTER NINETEENI awoke late, groggy, my mouth tasting of stale cigarette smoke.
The clock read 9:15. I’d set the alarm for 7:45. Must have turned it off and gone back to sleep. I threw the covers off and jumped out of bed, mumbling and cursing like a derelict.
After leaving a message with Zoe Weiss that I’d be late, I brushed my teeth and showered, then ran to my closet and rifled through what remained of my clean outfits. I settled on a blue suit and a light blue cotton blouse. The blouse had a coffee stain that I’d forgotten about, but if I kept the jacket buttoned, I could pass muster.
I stopped by the office, double-parked, and ran in to get the settlement papers. Sheila tried to flag me down, probably about the rent, but I yelled, “Later!” as I charged upstairs. I grabbed the file
