I take the tokens, get up, and buy, actually, two Cokes, because today is TwoferTuesday, wherein you get two of whatever you order for the price of just one of those things.

“We’re such generally nice people, our community,” Kiko says, before I am even all the way sitting down. “Do you ever wonder why, occasionally, we’re so violent?”

“Maybe it’s because we care,” says Shirley.

“I think that’s exactly right,” Kiko says. “We live in close quarters, and hence, to preserve positivity and order, have developed a system distinguished by its rigor, discipline, and ferocity.”

Kiko’s fingering her whistle, on an orange cord there around her neck.

And now sees me looking at it.

And casts a quick glance around Dining.

“Decent-sized group in here today,” she says.

“Do you have anything you’d like to tell us, Brian?” Shirley says. “Anything at all?”

“We hear you’re having a thing with Amy,” says Kiko.

“My Special Assistant,” says Shirley.

“We find ourselves having some doubts about this whole Gwen situation,” says Kiko.

“With respect to Amy,” says Shirley.

“With respect to Amy’s apparent shocking lack of judgment,” says Kiko.

“Based on the testimony of two solid eyewitnesses,” says Shirley.

“Bret Freeze, Katy Freeze,” says Kiko.

“We’d like to underscore that, in terms of you, all is not lost,” says Shirley. “You’re in a position to be First Individual Forthcoming.”

“We have bigger fish to fry,” says Kiko.

“To land a giant, well-respected fish like Amy,” Shirley says, “a strong body of evidence is going to be key.”

Poor dears! It all seems so petty.

Knowing what I now know.

I slide to them, between my Cokes, Rolph’s letter.

And watch their faces go red as they read.

“So, uh, let me get this straight, Bri,” Shirley says, sliding it back. “If I’m understanding this right. All these years, Dennis and Al have just been, what? Stashing those death bags up in this, um, cave, or what have you?”

“Must be getting pretty crowded up there,” Kiko says.

“So crowded that whenever Dennis and Al go up there to add someone new to the mix,” Shirley says, “they basically have to heave-ho the corpse up as far as they can, onto this, what? Teetering, slippery hill of the dead?”

“Easy, Shirl,” says Kiko.

“And now they’re all worried that next time will be the occasion on which the deceased comes sliding down and zips over the edge and a few minutes later comes shooting out of the frigging Spout?” says Shirley. “Which, how is that my deal?”

Then looks at me with eyes suddenly wet.

To my amazement.

“Well, shit, congrats, Bri,” she says hoarsely. “You’ve just joined a small fraternity, sworn to secrecy for the good of all.”

“Don’t tell Amy,” Kiko says. “Do not. The fewer folks who know the better.”