Page 102 of The Paradox Club

“And you said that the closer objects are to each other the greater their gravitational pull?”

“Correct. That’s why stars that are millions of light-years away have almost no gravitational effect on the earth even though they might be thousands of times as massive as our sun.”

“But the closer the object, the greater the pull?”

“You’ve got it.”

“So, if I’m close to something…or someone…eventually I’ll be even closer?”

“I think it’s time for bed.”

“Is that why you and me are pulled together on the dock every night? Because of gravity?”

“You and I.”

“Answer the question.”

“No, we’re pulled together by a much stronger force than gravity. We are pulled together by love.”

“Love is stronger than gravity?”

“Love is the strongest force in the universe.”

MEANWHILE, IN MADISON

As soon as Montag 5 had disappeared into Marie’s house in Madison, Valentine 6 and Nemo 7 had snapped into action. The Uber Valentine 6 called took fifteen minutes to arrive. By that time, Nemo 7 had ascertained that Montag 5 had locked the car, so there would be no easy access to the trunk and the radio. He could pick up one of the landscaping pavers in Marie’s front yard, smash a window, and pop the trunk, but no doubt that would set off the car alarm, and he didn’t think he had a chance of getting away with the radio if an armed and angry Montag 5 came bursting out of the house. He’d simply have to wait and watch.

The only light burning at 125 Vilas Avenue when the Uber dropped off Valentine 6 came from a window in the rear of the house. Valentine 6 picked her way across the front lawn and up the steps in the moonlight. A suitcase lay on its side on the front porch and the door was unlocked. Inside, she flipped on the nearest light switch. A garbage bag overflowing with blankets and comforters lay at the bottom of the stairs and a set of car keys nestled among receipts and rubber bands in a tarnished silver dish on a table inside the door. Valentine 6 took the stairs two at a time, arriving at the top to find a wall of books along the upstairs corridor and landing.

It took her nearly twenty minutes to find the Darwinn volume. If she had started at the top left shelf, like a normal person, she would have been out of the house in five minutes, but no—she had to be clever and start in the middle. When she finally did spot the book, she whisked it off the shelf and grabbed the keys to Vivian’s minivan off the table by the door. Just as she was about to dash out, she thought to pick up the bag of blankets and the suitcase, which she tossed into the back seat. She opened Vivian’s directions on her phone and headed to Maxwell’s Island. Three of the four Maxwell UFOs had now been secured.

Nemo 7 hoped that Montag 5 would spend at least thirty minutes in Marie’s house—but how could Marie know she needed to delay him? Richard, Vivian, and Tess had lost time driving on back roads and stopping for supplies, while Montag 5 had pushed his speed past eighty most of the way. When Montag 5 pulled away from the house only fifteen minutes after arriving, Nemo 7 had no way of knowing which car was closer to Maxwell’s Island. Now the race was on. If Montag 5 arrived at the island before Tess, he could lay a trap for her. Nemo 7 wanted more than anything to hit the gas, speed past Montag 5, and get to the island first. But Richard had been precise in his instructions, so he watched as Montag 5 sat in the car in the glow of his phone for two minutes, then slipped in behind the black sedan and followed it around the corner to the left at the end of the block. If he had waited another thirty seconds, he would have seen Marie.

Marie had no time to waste. Harry had been very specific.

“When October fourteenth, 2015, is approaching,” he’d said, “people might want to get to the island.”

“What people?” Marie had asked.

“Pilgrim 3 and her minions.”

“Why are you telling me this, Harry?”

“In case I’m not here when the time comes. If someone tries to get you to give up the position of the island, give them this.” He’d handed her an envelope. “You can hide it in my desk in the drawer with the false bottom.”

“It says Tess.”

“Because anyone who comes for it will assume I’d never mislead Tess.”

“What is it?”

“A map to the island.”

“But I know how to get to the island.”

“Yes. But this map shows a slightly longer route.”

“How much longer?”