Prologue
Time: 11:30 pm, January 14, 2028
Location: International House of Waffles
"What can I get for ya, hotshot?"
The customer looked up from his computer screen at the impatient waitress and answered, "I'll just have a coffee and a cinnamon bun."
The waitress smirked. "Just here for the free wifi and a quiet place away from home?" She took delight in seeing his flustered reaction.
He scowled. "Just go and get my food."
She threw him a side smile and sauntered off. "Whatever you say."
A few minutes later, she came out with his coffee and pastry. "Here's your midnight snack. Is there anything else ya want?"
The man shook his head and returned to his computer.
"Fine," she said indignantly, "but if you're looking up ways to make a murder seem like an accident, you outta look into Antroquinine."
The man froze. "H-how did you-"
"-It's amazing the sorta things a girl can learn from a quick glance at a screen."
He glared at her. "I'm not really looking for ways to murder my wife. I'm just wondering, what if I wanted to? How would I go about it?"
She smiled and sat down. "Trust me, darlin', I wouldn't judge you even if you were. I'm in a tough place in my life right now too, and every day that goes by without me strangling my boyfriend to death is another miracle. Hope ya don't mind if I sit for a mo'. You're the last customer of my shift."
"Nah, I don't mind. In fact, I'd actually like to talk to you about maybe coming to some sort of mutually beneficial arrangement."
"Keep talkin'."
"I have to find a way to get rid of my wife without causing suspicion toward me, and I assume the same goes for you. What if we switched victims?"
"Whaddaya mean?"
"Let's say that you killed my wife at a time I had a perfect alibi. You have no connection to her, so the police would never be suspicious of you. Later, I could get rid of your boyfriend at a time when you were at work or something, and you'd be free of suspicion."
"Ah, the whole 'strangers on a train' plot. I like it."
"So… Do we have an agreement?"
"You bet your ass we do. Come back again tomorrow at around the same time as tonight, and we can discuss any details."
"Sounds like a plan."