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I let the call go to voiceready to leave, he calls two more times, and then sends a text

Tobin: 911! ICall me!

I wonder if he’s found another bit of information that I can’t tell him will lead to another dead end, but I decide to respond or he’s probably not going to stop all day

Me: Can’t talk now

Tobin: Then I’ain He’s texted me a picture It’s of a list of nairls who’ve gonefrom town The one in ht to… and I saw that a new name has been added Look at the bottom of the list…

I enlarge the picture and scan through the typewritten names--and then land on the na at the bottoirls! What does that mean?

I know exactly what it irls goingit happen

But I can’t tell Tobin this right now I can’t tell him via text--or phone call, even--that his sister is dead and his parent is somehow involved in what happened I can’t think of a worse betrayal than that

A new text comes in, but this tio? I can be there in fifteen et back I send him a text

Me: I really can’t talk about this now Call you later

And then I send a text to Haden, telling him I’m on my way over to his place I know I could wait for hiht I don’t want to sit around waiting oneanywhere with an underworld prince who’s full-on admitted that he wants to steal e hisininto a Tesla Model X in his garage It’s a strange car, with three rows of seats and doors that raise up like falcon wings instead of opening outward Haden nods when he sees me, and an expression of relief crosses his face--as if he’d convinced hi

He takes my suitcase and places it in the trunk next to his

"Where’s your Model S?" I ask, referring to the car he usually drives It had kind of become synonymous with him in my mind His electric black chariot …

"Dax took it out this s are still strained between the two of theured this car would bewith us?" I wasn’t sure if he would, but I had kind of liked the idea of having a buffer in the car

"He said so like, ‘This is your journey to take, Haden’ "

"How very Gandalfy of him"

Haden raises his eyebrows like he has no idea what I’ve just said "Are you ready?"

"As I’ll ever be" I look around the garage "Did he give you the information?"