“Oh, ‘80’s Aquanet, hello.”,
“Oh, look, tan in the shade of a hate crime.”
Until I see a picture that steals my breath away.
I have to do a double take. Slapping the pages shut, I hold the book but don’t say a word.
What the hell? Oh my God... what the damn hell?
I can’t focus on what he’s saying. The picture knocks me completely off balance. Rippley’s warning comes to mind.
No. Not Bizzy.
“...rumors. There is no proof. But it wouldn't be a secret society if you could prove it existed.”
Deo ushers Dr. Wiley out. I’m still clinging to the book he brought along. No one seems to notice, or care, that he leaves without it.
I’ve never actually seen a picture of E.B. Houseman. Elizabeth Houseman.
Hart sits down beside me. “Crazy how much they resemble each other, huh? Now we do the right thing.”
The right… oh my God, I’m going to be sick.
“I didn’t want to say anything around Wiley, but Tullis gave a clue where the cipher is,” Hart continues.
“Oh, wow.” I don’t want to hear anymore.
I want to close my eyes and wake up to find out this is just a nightmare. Just a bad dream.
Rett finds us. “Told Bizzy I’d find out about dinner plans.”
Deo steers him out of the room, whispering. He could be telling him about the picture or planning some drunken debacle for all I know.
I can’t think straight.
Soren pats me on the back. “It’ll get sorted.”
That’s what he has to say about this?
Still clutching the book, I follow Soren and Hart to the library, where they start debating the phrasing of the poem Tullis left behind, or what it means.
I’m not listening. I’m fighting back tears.
When Deo comes back he hands me a shot. “You look like you need it, man.”
Where did Rett go?
I don’t ask. I just down the shot. Hart picks up the dark liquor on a side cart and pours me another.
Time passes as they argue over where they think the locations are… the fountain, the green. I couldn’t care less.
Food is set in front of me. I push it aside, pouring myself another drink.
I can’t do this. I can’t do what I need to.
When I stand to go back to my room, to find Rett and to see Bizzy, I can barely stay upright, much less walk. I plunk back down into the chair.
Hart rests his hand on back. “Get some sleep.”
