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“Isn’t making things a restricted zone Mr. Marlowe’s specialty?” He
nry said with a sneer.
“Death Valley? That’s a long way from Hopeful Harbor. Why Death Valley?” Sam asked.
“More importantly, it means he’s nearly ready to go again. And once he does…” Evie didn’t finish, but everyone understood the stakes. “Does it say when, Ling?”
Ling skimmed the article and shook her head. “It only says later this month.”
“That could be three days or two weeks from now,” Theta said.
“He can’t do it without us, though, can he?” Henry asked.
“Unless the King of Crows has shown him a way,” Ling said.
“What’s this?” Jericho tapped an article on the opposite page. “‘Mysterious ghost towns reported,’” he read. “‘Authorities are perplexed by recent stories of vanishing towns. Gideon, Kansas, once a thriving little spot known for its charming Main Street, is now only home to piles of dust and debris, its people mysteriously gone, much like the famous lost colony of Roanoke, Virginia. Other towns seem to have dried up as well, including two here in the Cornhuskers State—Singing Springs and Pine Bluff—with no word as to the whereabouts of the inhabitants, though in all three places, the graveyards had been desecrated.’”
“We have to get to work right away!” Evie said, standing quickly. She grew dizzy and nearly fell over.
Sam helped her back to her seat. “We’re not doing anything till you’re well enough.”
“Maybe the rest of us can work while you get stronger,” Ling said.
“Sarah Beth said it has to be all of us,” Henry reminded them.
“I can do it,” Evie said, wincing from the pain in her side.
“Lamb Chop. We just got engaged. I won’t lose you,” Sam said.
Evie caught Jericho’s eye for just a second and blushed. “Okay,” she said. “But I won’t sit it out much longer. We can’t afford to wait.”
“Nebraska. Do you suppose he’s making his way here to find us?” Theta asked.
“Don’t know, but he’s collecting an awful lot of dead along the way,” Sam said.
Evie asked Jericho to meet her on the porch. Now he was standing in front of her, and she felt as nervous as if she were facing an entire army of ghosts.
“Jericho,” she started. “I’m sorry. I should have told you before.…”
“Yes. Probably. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thank you. I don’t suppose you could be happy for me, could you?”
“I’m not not-happy for you,” Jericho said. After a pause, he added, “I will always regret what happened… what I did… at Hopeful Harbor.”
“I know,” Evie said. “Your sweetheart—”
“Guadalupe,” Jericho said and smiled.
“Guadalupe,” Evie repeated. How was it possible to feel relief, happiness, and jealousy all in one go? “Do you love her?”
Jericho blushed. “I’d prefer to keep that to myself.”
“Right. Of course. Pos-i-tutely. Say, do you remember that Ferris wheel ride up in Brethren?” Evie blurted out.
Remembering that night had kept Jericho going at times—and held him back at others. A ghost of a memory. “Yes. It was a great view from up there.”
“Yes. A truly spectacular view,” Evie agreed.
