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Marjorie shrugs. “Rhiannon never asked for the gate codeorto use the car. It seems there were some crossed wires.”
“Maybe she bailed on you,” Gia says. Her tone is flat. When Lenna glances at her, Gia stares back, unblinking.
“She’ll turn up.” Marjorie pats Lenna’s shoulder. “Once, I went on a three-day hike. Camped on the property. Perhaps Rhiannon caught that same whim.”
“I can walk around the perimeter,” Amy volunteers. “As long as you don’t mind checking on my kids. I’m already up—might as well.”
“Take the antivenom kit,” Marjorie tells her. “But thank you. Good idea.”
Amy nods and starts toward the back of the house. Marjorie follows. “Wait,” Lenna squeaks, and Marjorie turns. “Um, about me leaving. Is that possible? Someone else can drive me tomorrow morning, maybe?”
Marjorie sinks into one hip. “The desert calls us here, Lenna. Do you think the desert is ready for you to leave?”
“Yes,” Lenna blurts.
Marjorie shrugs. “Well, I don’t think tomorrow will work. We have a full schedule with the car. Can it wait another few days?”
Lenna is vibrating. Another fewdays? “But the turnoff isn’t evenfar.I can walk.”
“With a baby?” Marjorie raises her chin. “In the heat? And even if you make it to the road, it sometimes takes car services hours to get out this way.” She shrugs. “Had you mentioned this earlier, we could have worked something out. But don’t worry. We’ll get you there. Okay?”
Lenna lets her arms fall to her sides. Marjorie heads back in. Gia hangs back a moment, eyeing Lenna, her lips parted as if she intends to speak.
“What?” Lenna snaps, her patience worn thin.
“Nothing,” Gia says, almost like a tease. “Hope everything works out with your hubby.” She turns on her heel and heads inside, too.
The door finally closes. Sarah lets out a breath. “Jesus.Thatone.”
“Gia?” Lenna dares to ask. “You think she’s…”
“…Odd? Shady? Sneaky? Making it impossible to figure out what the hell she’s even doing here? Yes. All of the above.”
“Oh my God,thank you.” Lenna wants to hug her. “I felt that the moment I got here, but I’ve felt bad saying so.”
“Marjorie expects us to turn into saints when we get here, but human nature is human nature.” Sarah leans in closer. “I don’t know why Marjorie even let her be a resident.”
“Same,” Lenna cries. “And what do you think about Marjorie not letting me leave?”
“Marjorie doesn’t like when the status quo is disrupted. When I was out of town for my appointments? She called meall the time.Kept asking what I was doing at any given moment. Wanted to know exactly when I was coming back. I think she feared I was going to bolt.”
“Do you think Rhiannon never asked Marjorie for the code tonight?” Lenna whispers. “Or do you think Marjorie is lying?”
“If given the choice of trusting Marjorie or Rhiannon, I’d probably trust Marjorie.” Sarah looks around. “Because where is Rhiannonnow?”
“I just can’t think she’d leave Teddy for a night hike,” Lenna muses.
“Could she have left?” Sarah wonders. “Maybe she climbed the fence.”
Lenna thinks of Gia’s story about Marjorie’s son getting out back in the day. Maybe it was possible. “But, again—Teddy?”
Sarah shrugs. “Maybe she was sick of this place. It happens.”
A thought hits Lenna, suddenly. She pats at her pocket. “Shit.Rhiannon still has my ATM card. I completely forgot.”
Sarah stares at her. “Why’d you give her your ATM card?”
Then Lenna remembers something. “She…she said she was going to book me a hotel for the night. And then I’d get a flight the next morning.” She covers her face with her hands. Her ATM card was the only money she brought with her, besides some cash. Now she doesn’t have enough to get a hotel room on her ownora flight.
