The next day, as Nora cooked lunch outside, Lana summoned us for a meeting.
We were seated inside the guest room, gathered around a round wooden table. The chairs were simple, unadorned wood, a stark contrast to the plush velvet seating found in the cities.
To my right, Evelyn meticulously applied purple lipstick. Beside her, Lucy, still in her nightgown well past noon, stifled a yawn with a hand covering her mouth.
Lana produced seven photographs from a leather bag and spread them across the table. Her gaze met mine from across the table. "These are photos of our suspects," she began, her voice low. "One of them is likely the Key, an illusion monster."
Next to Lana, Cupcake slid a photo closer, examining it intently.
"Ella," Cupcake announced, holding the picture up to eye level. "I met her yesterday," Cupcake added, gesturing to her white jacket, its fur collar playfully tangled with her twin tails. "She and Nora took me to a clothing store. That's where I bought this jacket."
