“Barbara’s right,” Samantha said. “You are amazing. I wonder if—”
The phone rang just then. Samantha excused herself and went to answer it. Wil Sherer was on the other end.
“I’ve been checking with Social Services about any orphanages in the area,” he said. “There are only a few in this state, and none of them list a man named Henley on their staff. Since you ‘came to’ in Durango, and it’s so close to Four Comers, I’ll check those nearby states.”
Samantha was amazed. Four Corners was the only place in the USA where four states met. Colorado was joined by New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.
“If we have to go that far,” she said, “we may never find who we’re looking for.”
“Have faith,” Wil said.
And suddenly Samantha did. After all, Wil had gone as far as Africa to find another child.
“I’ll get back to you on it,” Wil said. “But I thought you’d want to know. Try mentioning the other states to the kid. Maybe something will ring a bell.”
“I will,” Samantha promised.
As before, Wil hung up without saying good-bye. Samantha returned to the living room to find Julie breezing through Double Jeopardy. She was so brilliant, Samantha thought, that she almost seemed beyond human.
20
ONCE THE CHILDREN were out of the way, Eric requested that he and Rachel have a talk in the den.
“We need some privacy,” he said.
“If you want,” Rachel said without much interest. As far as she was concerned, this whole thing was being blown out of proportion.
When they’d shut the door, Eric spoke as gently as he could.
“Rachel, what’s wrong?” he asked. “You’ve never been unreasonable, especially with the girls.”
“Maybe that’s the trouble,” Rachel said. “They’ve gotten away with too much, especially Tatiana.”
“They’re good kids,” Eric insisted. “You know that too. Rachel, I believe our daughter. I think Ralphie Mercken did cause some trouble, and Steven is too shy to talk about it. I respect his right to privacy, but you have to respect Tatiana’s right to be believed. She isn’t a liar!”
“Steven said nothing happened in the woods,” Rachel said.
“I know what he said,” Eric replied. “But it’s only right to be on the side of my own flesh and blood before I believe a virtual stranger.”
Rachel turned and gazed out the window. She could see Tatiana pushing one of the neighborhood kids on the swing in their yard.
“She really isn’t my flesh and blood,” Rachel said in a quiet tone.
Eric could not answer his wife, he was so stunned by her comment. When he finally did find his voice, he said, “I’m going upstairs, Rachel. I’m going to talk to Steven myself, man-to-man.”
Rachel swung around so quickly that it seemed she might be ready to attack.
“You will not disturb that child!” she cried. “Hasn’t he been through enough?”
“Rachel, it’s the only way to learn the truth!”
“Let’s forget it, Eric,” Rachel insisted. “It isn’t that important.”
“It is to Tati.”
They did not realize it, but at this point their voices had escalated enough to be carried through the heating ducts into the upstairs. Steven crouched near the vent, listening. He didn’t mean to cause such trouble in this family. He felt inexplicably close to Rachel, yes, but he didn’t want her to love him back so exclusively that everyone else resented it. He didn’t want to be hated, but he thought that maybe Tatiana did hate him.
No, he had to tell Eric what he wanted to know. He had to set things right.
Steven pulled open the door and headed to the staircase.
Stop!
Steven froze instantly. He listened, expecting to hear one of the girls, or perhaps Helga, behind him. But the upstairs of the house was silent. He could still hear Eric and Rachel arguing below, but their voices had faded.
Steven turned around. The hall was empty. It had only been his imagination. He began to walk again.
You can’t go down there! Wait!
Now Steven recognized the voice of the mysterious boy named Marty. He felt a chill rush over his skin, to think how easily the boy had picked up on his thoughts. He wrapped his arms around himself and stood still, his mind keenly alert to Marty’s presence.
What are you doing here?
I’ve come to prepare you. It’s time to join with us, Steven. You must come to us, tonight.
How am I going to do that? I don’t even know where you are.
I will guide you. There is little time now. We must unite or die.
I’m not going to die! And I don’t want to leave Rachel.