Going to a dinner party alone, in a closed club, at night, in an unfamiliar city in a foreign country, by an anonymous invitation - is unreasonable, extravagant and dangerous. I was clearly aware of this, and even a month ago I would have twisted my finger at my temple and did not even think about going.

But that was a month ago. Now I was looking for options on how to sneak out of the hotel unnoticed.

Here! The tree near the bathroom window grows close enough that you can climb down it. Difficult, of course, but quite real. And the second floor of everything, not very high.

At...