Dawn

He'd been driving all night.

Burt had called him at 11:45 to tell him to get there by dawn or he'd be too late. He'd dropped everything, jumped in the car and was burning up the freeway when his watch beeped midnight.

Dawn's rosy fingers were already in the east when he pulled up outside Burt's place. The little Ma and Pa diner was dark. Only a faint light in back showed the place was even occupied.

He hammered on the window. "Burt!"

Burt trudged through the restaurant and slowly unlatched the door.

"Sorry, son. You were five minutes over."