The file
Twenty Questions
Think of a thing. A bike, a mayor, a banana, a dog. Don’t say it. The desk asks. Yes, no, or sometimes. It narrows the file. It does not pretend to read the room.
Eighty-seven suspects
Open the file
Bikes, cops, fruit, pets, weather, tools, and the usual junk from Happy Valley. If it isn’t in the file, the desk will say so and write the name down.