Herb woke, but the sun was already up. He checked his watch, but he must have slept through the alarm. Rubbing his face, he squinted out the car window. Movement caught his eye. His ex-teacher reached into the mailbox to send out some cards and pulled out the surprise he’d left her. She wadded it up in her fist and almost ran back into the house.

It was a paper doll, and scrawled across it, a mathematical function. There was no mistaking who it was for. He’d also drawn a dagger through the heart and X’s for eyes. She was going to be terrified now, probably submit it as evidence to the police. No matter.

Herb drove off. He’d come back later after her panic had dissipated. He wanted her to begin to feel safe. The ideal was for her to be alone, and she wouldn’t be alone again until things had cooled down. Better go back to his hideout and follow the investigation on his laptop.

Besides, with his truck ‘found’ and he not having picked it up, he had his own disappearance to account for.