Suzanna trailed off with a glance at Kevin. There was no point in worrying the child, she reminded herself. Just because Megan was never late, that was no reason to assume something was wrong.
Maybe she's in the garden.
She
smiled and handed the baby to Holt.
I can go look.
I'll do it.
Nathaniel stood up. He didn't really believe Megan had forgotten their date for dinner and gone walking in the garden, but looking was better than worrying.
If she comes in while I'm gone
But then he heard her footsteps and glanced toward the doorway.
Her hair was wild, her eyes were wide. Her face and clothes were smeared with dirt.
And she was smiling, brilliantly.
I'm sorry I'm late.
Megan, what on earth?
Dumbfounded, Sloan stared at her.
You look like you've
been crawling in a ditch.
Not quite.
She laughed and pushed a hand through her disordered hair.
I got a
little involved, lost track of the time. Sloan, I borrowed some of your tools. They're in the tower.
In the
But she was crossing the room, her eyes on Colleen. She knelt at the old woman's feet, set the box in her lap.
I found something that belongs to you.
Colleen scowled down at the box, but her heart was thrumming in her ears.
Why
would you think it belongs to me?
Gently Megan took Colleen's hand, laid it on the dusty metal.
He hid it under the
floor of the tower, her tower, after she died.
Her quiet voice silenced the room like
a bomb.
He said she haunted him.
Megan pulled the transcribed code out of her pocket, set it on top of the box.
I can't read it,
Colleen said impatiently.
I'll read it for you.
But when Megan took the sheet again, Colleen grabbed her wrist.
Wait. Have Coco come in. I want her here.
While they waited, Megan got up and went to Nathaniel.
It was a code,
she told
him, before turning to face the room.
The numbers in the back of the book. I don't know why I didn't see it
Then she smiled.
I was looking too hard, too closely.
And today I knew. I just knew.
She stopped, lifted her hands, let them fall.
I'm
sorry. I should have told you as soon as I'd solved it. I wasn't thinking.