“And what is that, exactly?”
“Let’s have that conversation with Miss Blue. After all, she’s our expert. She may be the oldest woman I’ve ever known, but her mind hasn’t dulled at all. Even I, who have spent my whole life researching this—and I’m old too—don’t know as much as she.”
“How is she even alive? And how are you here with her? Does my grandmother even know?”
Steven’s mouth twitched. “It’s complicated, William. But the short answer is no. Lynn—your grandmother—doesn’t know.”
William leaned forward. “She doesn’t know her own mother is alive?”
Steven shook his head. “Sadly, she’s never even read the letters.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. How can the Corcillium have them and my grandmother does not? Especially given that my great-grandfather, Bud, didn’t even want to communicate with Rex Martin.”
“Bud did later have a change of heart. But only because he later needed the Corcillium’s assistance.”
“I don’t understand.”
“After Rex Martin died, the Corcillium continued to reach out to Bud to try and study the abduction site where Lynn was taken. They repeatedly reminded him that he would not have his daughter if it weren’t for Rex Martin and his research. So Bud, at last, conceded and allowed a group of Researchers to come to the property. Apparently Lynn witnessed the Researcher’s arrival, and Bud swore to never allow them to come again until she had moved away. When Lynn married Tom and left for Illinois so he could go to law school, Bud learned he had liver failure. It was at that point he asked for the Corcillium’s help.”
“Help?”
“To keep Lynn away from the woods. If we assisted in making sure she never moved back, he would allow access to the site, and give the letters he wrote for Lynn to the Corcillium, as well as his correspondence with Dr. Martin. As you can imagine, the Corcillium certainly made sure a job opportunity was presented to Lynn. I became one of Bud’s contacts at the university. No one, including myself, could have imagined what would happen next.”
Steven rubbed the back of his head. “I shouldn’t delay your time with Blue a moment longer. But listen, son. You seem like a nice young man. Raised well. I know you’ve gone through hell in the last forty-eight hours. But this is a lot for someone of her age. Hell, it’s a lot for me, and I’m a kid compared to her.”
Steven rounded the counter and William followed him through the butler’s pantry, down the hall, and through the porch doors, where the two burly guards were still stationed. William stepped between them and stopped immediately in the doorframe.
Quincy sat directly beside Blue, with Lily standing on her other side. Both had changed clothes, Lily to a blue dress and Quincy into an ill-fitting shirt and pants. At William’s arrival, Blue clasped her hands together, Lily shyly smiled, and Quincy stood up.
“William! She’s your great-grandmother!” Quincy said, pointing to Blue.
“Mr. Martin, a bit of decorum, shall we?” Blue asked.
“Come on girl, we’re old friends now,” Quincy said, reaching down to gently pat her hand. “One believer to another, right?”
“He knows?” William asked, looking at Quincy. “You told him?”
“Of course she did. She knows who I am. She doesn’t know my taste in clothing or my actual pants size. She figured this is the size I would wear, which means a serious juice cleanse is in my future.”
“You decided to let him out?” Steven asked.
“More like he complained his way out.” Blue looked up to Quincy’s grin. “Miss Lily and I were having a nice talk when all we could hear was stomping and cursing upstairs. So I sent for him.”
“Against all of our better judgments,” Rudd said, from where he leaned against the pillar.
“Now wait a minute. Wait a damn minute,” Quincy said, walking towards Steven. “I know you! You’re Steven Richards.”
“Mr. Martin. Let’s give them a minute,” Rudd said. “You said you were hungry. I will happily stuff your mouth with anything to keep you from talking for five minutes.”
“No way. This is a gold mine right here. Everything I knew was real, is right here before my eyes. It was almost worth almost getting my butt blown off.”
“Let’s go.” Rudd took him by the arm. “Let them talk. I don’t agree with you knowing anything, but now that you do, I’ll be keeping a close eye on you.”
“Let it be known,” Quincy said, holding up a finger as Rudd led him to the door, “I spent half my fortune on trying to unravel the truth. I know my phone got either blown up or tossed somewhere, but give me a way to call and I’ll have a jet here within the hour. I can get us somewhere truly safe—”
Rudd closed the doors behind them.
“I know you disagree, Steven, I can tell by the look in your eyes,” Blue said. “But you know why he’s been on our radar all these years.”
“And there are reasons why the Corcillium ultimately never reached out to him,” Steven responded. “Enthusiasm is one thing. But he’s a glorified cell phone salesman. Who just happens to have made millions on a nifty hologram idea with a horrible name. But he’s in deep now. Even he doesn’t realize how deep. There’s no turning back for him. For any of us.”
“William, will you help me into my wheelchair? I need to move,” Blue said, reaching up with her hands.
He walked over, seeing the delight in her eyes. Nanna’s mother. My God.
She seemed as light as the pages he’d just flipped through, as fragile as bone china. There was a fierce grip to her, though, as he lifted her from the rattan to the wheelchair.
“You’re so handsome. Even more so than you are in all those pictures in the magazines,” she said, placing her hand on his bearded cheek as she settled into the chair. “You resemble your grandparents so much.”
He heard Steven clear his throat again. “Do you want me to push you, Blue?”
“No. I want my great-grandson to push me,” she said. “Lily, want to come with us out into the yard? Go see the dragonflies at the fountain? Take the ramp right there, William.”
He took the handles of the chair and guided her across the wood floors and down the ramp onto the grass. The wheels bumped a bit on the uneven soil, but Blue didn’t seem to mind, reaching out for Lily. The little girl took her hand.
“Go on, run now. We can talk more in a bit.”
Lily scampered across the grass. She hesitated a bit, seeing the flurry of red-and-green dragonflies hovering above the water.
“They won’t hurt you, honey, I promise,” Blue said.
She walked to the edge of the fountain, climbing to stand on the stone. Slowly, she began to walk the perimeter, making a loop around the water, grinning at the hovering insects.
“Watch your step!” Blue said.
Lily waved slightly.
“Remarkable girl, that one,” she said. “I can’t imagine what she’s been through. But look at her. That’s the wonderful thing about children: Despite whatever’s happened to her… she’s playing. Smiling. She’s just a regular child.”
“There is nothing regular about her,” Steven said, walking beside William.
“No. And she didn’t ask for it. Just like my daughter didn’t ask for it. Or you, my boy.” She reached over her shoulder to pat his hand.