one hundred ninety-one. [Privately, they each think separate thoughts.]
No one is certain what happened to Doctor Lofting; she’s been missing for a week now. The Lofting twins are still in school; one brother keeps threatening to go home, because they have a good excuse, because their father needs them. The other always shrugs away his brother’s protests and says that this is what their mother would want them to do -go to class, do their homework, prepare for their exams, go on with life as usual. Privately, one twin thinks the other is a sentimental fool. Privately, one twin thinks the other is heartless. They never speak of this.