The note on her mirror, written in femme-fatale-red lipstick, a shade she had bought but never been courageous enough to wear out of the house, said to meet on the roof at midnight.

The windows were closed and the door was locked. The recent humidity expanded the cheap wood door, causing it to stick in the frame and she could never open it without Mrs. Montgomery sticking her head out of the next apartment and telling her to keep it down.

So whoever came in didn't come in that way.

Lucy walked through all the rooms again, checking the windows, making sure nothing else was moved or removed.

She noticed the feather the third time she walked into the bathroom. Just the tip of it stuck out from under the small window there. Lucy pushed it up and stuck her head out and looked around.

Three pigeons sat on a wire, titled their heads sideways at her.

She sat down on the edge of the tub and waited until midnight