Adeline backed her bike down the ridge, out of sight, and moved behind a rock.
Using her phone, she began recording a movie and zoomed in on the scene.
Where the excavator had been digging, Daniele took a shovel from the bag, unfolded it, and began moving sand and rock away. Elliott got another shovel out and fell in opposite her, helping to dig.
Soon, Daniele was on her hands and knees, using a small brush like a painter—or archaeologist—might use.
That thought brought a dark possibility to Adeline’s mind. What if they were looking for her father’s remains? Were they digging for his bones out here?
Was this the part of Pangea where he had arrived? What would his bones tell them? His exact date of death?
No. That couldn’t be right. Adeline reminded herself that Absolom had sent him to an alternate universe, not this one. They were digging for something else. But what?
She heard Daniele call something out, but she couldn’t discern the words.
The tent flaps parted again, and another figure waded out into the late afternoon sun, lumbering with effort, head covered in a white scarf.
Constance.
They were all here. Each with their secrets. Digging up another secret, buried for how long?
*
Adeline was starving by the time she left Death Valley. She ate alone at a small roadside diner. After, she returned to the Walmart. There was one other thing she needed: a laptop. If she assumed Daniele had hacked her phone, her computer was likely also compromised.
At her home, she stowed her bike, the burner phone, and the new laptop in the garage. It was dark by the time she walked back to Daniele’s house.
Inside, she found the first floor empty. Her first instinct was that Daniele and Ryan had gone out.
In the kitchen, she picked up her phone and read the missed text messages and social media communications. There were the routine checkins from a few friends and a question from Daniele wondering if she would be home for dinner—and if so, what she might want.
Upstairs, she heard the sound of laughter. Ryan’s laughter.
Adeline ascended the stairs, following the sound. The two sets of glass pocket doors that led to the library were closed. Through the closest one, Adeline saw Daniele and Ryan sitting on a banquette, a wall of books behind them, a color e-ink tablet sitting on the long table. Ryan was writing with a stylus, eyes down, concentrating. Daniele was leaning over, watching. She said something. He smiled. She continued, and he laughed, and she put her arm around him in a quick hug.
Adeline’s cheeks flushed with rage.
Daniele looked up and spotted her through the glass pocket door. Adeline turned and stalked down the hall to her room, where she closed the door with a little too much force and plopped down at her desk.
She was still stewing when the door opened. Daniele stood at the threshold, studying her for a moment. “Where were you?”
Adeline didn’t look up. “I went for a walk.”
“See anything interesting?”
Adeline’s heart beat faster—from either the fear or anger rising up inside of her. Or maybe both. Her next words came from a place of hurt. And the strength of her voice surprised even her.
“You’re not his mother.”
Daniele gently closed the door, but she lingered close by, keeping her distance.
“Is that the best you can do?”
Daniele’s response caught Adeline off guard. “What?”
“You lost your mother. Then your father. It wasn’t fair. Neither of those things. In the case of your father, it was a wrong very few ever come close to in a lifetime. You feel betrayed, Adeline. You feel alone. Ryan is all you have left. Now, you’re scared to death of losing him.”
“You don’t know how I feel. You can’t even imagine.”
“I can.”
“What do you want from me?”
“When I was young, someone helped me. In the darkest chapter of my life, she was there for me. I wouldn’t have made it without her. I want to be that for you. So give me all the hurt you’re bottling up. Blame me. Shout at me. If it helps you, give me the hate you feel for this unfair world.”
“Get out.”
*
That night, Adeline lay in bed, checking her messages. She opened the BuddyLoc app and once again found Hiro at the home in Las Vegas.
What was he doing there?
Through the closed bedroom door, Adeline heard the faint sound of talking. Daniele talking.
Adeline checked the time. It was after 10 p.m.
At the window, she drew the curtain and scanned the street. There were no cars parked outside. No one had come to visit. Daniele was talking on the phone.