He smiled at both of us, showing yellowed teeth that could have used a good orthodontist when he was a kid. “How about we all sit down? I’m very curious to know where you’ve been.”

“I’m actually pretty tired, Detective, and I could use a shower. Could we do this tomorrow?”

“This won’t take long, Mr. Moran. Please.” He said it in a way that didn’t give me any room to say no.

The detective took a seat on one of the wicker chairs. I sat uncomfortably on a sofa near the window, and Tai sat beside me and put her hand over mine. As she caressed me, her fingers rolled over Roscoe’s ring on my hand, and I saw her glance at it with surprise.

“Since when do you wear that?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I found it in a drawer. It’s from high school.”

An unsettled look passed across Tai’s face. She was the kind of woman who noticed things like jewelry and clothes; her eye for detail was what made her a good events manager. I’m sure she was thinking that she would have spotted that ring on my finger long before now.

“So Mr. Moran,” Detective Bushing said. “Fill us in. Where have you been for the past couple of days?”

I needed to sound convincing as I made up a story, so I used a story that was at least partly true.

“To be honest, Detective, I don’t know. I woke up a few hours ago on Navy Pier, and I have no idea how I got there. I was shocked to discover that I’d been gone for so long. I have no recollection of what happened in between.”

“Navy Pier?” Bushing asked. “Really?”

“Yes. I was sleeping on a bench. Actually, a police officer woke me up. I’m sure he made a note of it.”

“Navy Pier is more than ten miles from here. How did you get there? Did you walk? Take a bus? Did someone take you there?”

“As I said, I don’t remember.”

“Well, what’s your last memory?” Bushing asked.

I hesitated, because nothing that had actually happened in this world meant anything to me. “Everything is pretty blurry. I remember I had dinner with my grandfather on Monday night. Chinese food.”

“But nothing after that?”

“I don’t think so.”

Bushing focused on Tai. “When did you say your husband left home?”

“Tuesday evening around nine. He was going to take a walk in the park.”

He turned to me again. “You don’t remember that, Mr. Moran?”

“No.”

“Do you remember anything at all from that evening?”

“Not a thing.”

“Have you ever had a blackout like this before?”

“Never.”

“Were you drinking that night?”