Only three letters were visible.
L-A-K.
That was enough.
That evening, Sophie searched online.
She found dozens of restaurants in Duluth.
Then she narrowed them down.
One had been open in 2016.
Lakeview Diner.
Old photographs showed the same brick wall.
The same green awning.
The same window frame.
Sophie’s pulse jumped.
She called the restaurant.
A woman answered.
“Lakeview Diner.”
Sophie tried to sound casual.
“Hi.”
“I’m trying to reach someone who may have worked there around 2016.”
“What’s the name?”
Sophie looked at the photograph.
“I don’t know.”
There was a pause.
“That makes it difficult.”
“I have a photo.”
“Can I email it?”
Another pause.
“Sure.”
Sophie sent it.
Ten minutes later, her phone rang.
“This is Lakeview.”
“Yes?”
“The woman in your picture.”
Sophie held her breath.
“Her name was Claire.”
“Claire what?”
“Claire Mason.”
Sophie nearly dropped the phone.
PART 4
Sophie went to Margaret’s room before sunrise.
