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Then Theo spoke, and Tean turned his attention back.
“People who believe in conspiracy theories,” Theo said, “are typically…let’s say, open to those ideas for a few common reasons. Most of them are experiencing some degree of anxiety, which, I recognize, can be a mental illness. They’re also typically isolated. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re loners living off the grid, but they feel alone, lonely. And many of them feel disconnected from society at large—like the world has moved on, or they’ve been disenfranchised or marginalized or otherwise decentered from the world they knew.”
Jem opened his mouth, but he shut it again when Tean nudged him and said, “The conspiracy theories provide a sense of community.”
Theo nodded. “Exactly. A particularly tight sense of community, similar to what you see in cults—the belief that you are part of an exclusive group, with access to special knowledge. And, of course, conspiracy theories often offer an explanation for why the world is the way it is. Those explanations are a kind of…palliative, I guess.”
“It’s not their fault,” Jem said grudgingly.
“Yes,” Theo said. “That’s a very good way of putting it. Conspiracy theories validate these people’s feelings that they’ve been left behind, but they also explain that phenomenon in a way that makes someone else responsible.”
“And you think this is how Una feels?” Tean tried to play it out in his head. “This is why she became a…a believer, I guess, in Birds Aren’t Real?”
“I think none of those traits suggests violence.”
“Ever heard of the Unabomber?” Jem asked.
“I didn’t say that no one who believes in conspiracy theories is capable of violence. I’m saying that belief in conspiracy theories doesn’t, on its own, suggest mental illness or a predisposition toward killing someone.”
“Right,” Jem said again, “Unabomber.”
In the weak light, Theo’s jaw tightened. Tean nudged Jem again, and Jem ignored him.
“Are we done?” Theo asked.
Auggie looked helplessly between his—well, Tean wasn’t sure if Theo was his husband or his boyfriend—between his partner and Jem and Tean.
“You followed her here?” Tean asked.
Theo jerked out a nod.
“How?” Jem asked. “Did you teach a lesson on that in school too?”
Even Auggie caught it this time, his eyes widening slightly. “Hey, we know what we’re doing. Believe it or not, we’ve found people before. People nobody else could find. We’re good at it.”
“That’s not what he meant,” Tean said. “It’s been a long day. A long couple of days, actually. Right, Jem?”
The silence limped past. “Right.”
“We called around to motels in the area,” Theo said. “We described her. We had a whole song and dance. Once we found the motel where she was staying, Auggie insisted on confirming that she was actually there before we called you.” His tone suggested how he felt about that. “Of course, when we got to the motel, she was leaving, so we followed her here.”
“And she didn’t notice you,” Jem said. “The paranoid conspiracy theorist.”
“No,” Theo said, finally baring the edge in his voice. “Unless this is an elaborate ruse. Either way, you can discuss it with her at your leisure. Auggie, let’s go.”
“Hold on—” Auggie began.
“No, Theo’s right,” Tean said, opening the door. “Thank you both so much. Jem?”
The struggle played itself out in Jem’s face. “You did a good job.”
Theo made a disgusted noise and stared out the windshield.
Looking miserable, Auggie sank into his seat. “Her car’s up the road. We can keep watch while you check it out.”
“That isn’t what we agreed,” Theo said.
“We won’t be doing anything,” Auggie said in that low voice couples use when they’re trying not to argue in front of others. Tean had used it a few times himself. “We’ll be sitting here in the car, exactly the same way we’re sitting here now.”
