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“Yum num,” Fernando said, and rubbed his ball belly. “Hungry for potatoes.”
“He thinks you’re so much of a potato he may just eat your head,” I told Silas.
“If you’re in need of a snack—” Silas reached in front of me.
The tiny brown hairs on his arm tickled my knee. Memories of the other night filled my head—of Silas laying his hand on mine, of Silas claiming my lips in that world-shattering kiss. I sucked in a sharp breath and tried to push the memories away.
Silas opened the glove box and revealed a stash of candy bars and one cup of sliced olives. He pulled out a bar and offered it to Fernando.
Fernando’s giant eye glistened with unshed tears of joy. Pure excitement pulled his mouth into a whole-body smile. “For Fernando?”
“It’s for you if you’d like it,” Silas said.
“Yes.” Fernando half-ripped open the plastic, but lost patience and ate the wrapper with the bar. Then he leaned into Silas’s arm and said, “Frens.”
“You don’t even eat chocolate. What are you doing keeping so many on your person?” I asked, or accused.
“You both like chocolate,” Silas said. “You’re welcome to a bar, too, Lily.”
“I’m not hungry,” I said, even though I was a little hungry.
Silas closed the glove box. “Suit yourself.”
We sat in the quiet for some time, watching darkness fall upon the rolling hills. This drive really was taking forever.
“How has your stay been so far at the hostel?” Silas asked, breaking the silence.
“It’s great. Lots of roommates to keep me company, lick my toes when I’m sleeping, you know, all the usual perks of travel. Wait, noyou don’t know.You’re staying in a nice room without toe lickers.”
“That’s terrible,” he snapped. He gritted his teeth together. “You called the police, right? Tell me you filed a report with the police.”
“Like I’d waste my time. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, if I was stuck at the police station while you were solving the mission and munching on your disgusting olives in your big fancy bed.”
“That is possibly the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said. I told you, I don’t care about this mission.”
“Uh huh, sure. You joined the library because of your love of books.” I shook my head. “Or maybe it was your selfless desire to make the world a better place.”
“There are far better paths to doing good. No, I joined the library for access to information,” he said. “Was I an arrogant yam at times? Sure. I was young.”
“Fernando eat yams,” Fernando said.
“I called you a pompous potato, not a yam,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is you still think I’m trying to compete with you when I’m not.”
I took a moment to consider his words. “You say that, yet you still parade that stupid coat around to upset me.”
“Not to upset you. I took it off the snallygaster all those years ago because I knew you wanted it, yes. Also, because it’s a great coat. I wear it still because it’s a piece of our history, Lily, you and me. You were gone, and it’s what I had left.”
All the air left my lungs. My chest felt too tight. The car was too hot. “We’re not…we never….”
Silas pulled the car off the road and parked in front of a dilapidated cottage. I couldn’t climb out of the car fast enough.
“This is it?” I asked, stretching and taking long, quick strides toward the cottage. The roof was little more than tarps. The windows had long ago been boarded shut. “I’m not sure anyone actually lives here. It appears to be abandoned.”
“This is Noah Darie’s home address,” Silas said, joining me by the building.
There was no vehicle anywhere to be seen. Vines grew up the wooden siding. Grass had grown over the stone walkway leading to the door. It seemed no one had been here in some time. Careful not to trip, I made my way over to the door and knocked.
