Page 8 of Return Billionaire to Sender

He glances at me and then forward. Then at me again. “Can I help you?” he asks.

I smile brightly. “Heading up to six.”

“Where’s your lanyard?” he asks.

I put my hand to my chest. “Oh…I don’t have it.”

“You work on six?”

“Uhh…no,” I say.

He shakes his head. “Floor two.” He points at the other elevator.

“Thank you,” I say.

I catch sight of the security guard watching me. He has his phone out and he’s speaking into it, watching me.

I head around the boulder fountain, toward the exit.

There’s a letter carrier coming through with her cart. Something in me calms. I hold the door for her and she thanks me and continues on. I watch her as she moves across the lobby. The security guard meets her at the elevators. He waves a card in front of the black pad. The doors open. She gets on with her cart and smiles.

The doors close.

And now he looks my way.

He really is going to toss me out now. I turn and start walking. I burst out onto the bright sidewalk…with a shocking new idea forming in my mind.

4

Noelle

I took another day off,but I’m wearing my uniform, with my trusty blue bag slung around my shoulder.

I watch myself stroll into Blackberg Plaza. I could get in trouble for this, but I remind myself that life is too short not to do the important things, even if those things are scary and possibly deranged.

And there’s nothing more important than my friends. They’re my family.

Francine and Jada were so amazed when I told them my new plan. They think I’m brave.

More like desperate.

I round the fountain and head to the security desk. The bushy-bearded guard comes out. He doesn’t recognize me from yesterday—yet. People rarely recognize letter carriers in their civilian clothes, and vice versa. When you put on the uniform, your identity is the US Mail, and you’re welcome everywhere.

I show him the small package that I’ve addressed to Malcolm Blackberg. This morning I put a red “registered mail” sticker on it, and then I added a blank sticker, where I wrote “restricted delivery” and “addressee only” in bold black ink.

Restricted delivery mail is to be delivered to the addressee only, though it can also be delivered to an addressee’s authorized agent. I’m hoping they’re not too familiar with that part of the rule.

He walks me to the elevator, opens it with his card, and gives me a smile with nary a whiff of recognition.

“Thank you,” I say, clutching my bag. I examine the buttons and hit floor six.

“Excuse me,” A pretty woman in an elegant red suit shows a card to the guard. “I’m fromBexley Partners. I have a ten o’clock on six that I’m running late for and they said to check in with you.”

“Yup, they just called.” The guard slaps his hand over the closing doors and pushes them open. “Go on.”

“Thanks,” she says, walking in with a tentative smile for me. She has short blonde hair and wonderful red and white heels

I nod and adjust my bag. My pulse races as the door closes and the elevator begins its ascent.

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