“They can be really pricey, Ally.”
“But it would hardly be a frivolous expense,” I say, surprised at his knee-jerk reaction. Doesn’t he want answers as much as I do?
“No, I understand. I’m just not sure what one of these guys would be able to tell you.”
“Many of them specialize in missing persons.”
“I know. Our firm often uses private investigators on cases, and thanks to technology, they can turn up a lot these days. But one of the key ways they find missing people is surveillance. How would that work with you? There’s nothing to surveil because you’re home now.”
I shrug, half chagrined, half annoyed at his response.
“There doesn’t seem to be any harm in checking it out,” I say.
“You just have to be prepared for the fact that there might not be much they can do—though they wouldn’t necessarily tell you that up front.”
“I get it, Hugh, and I’m not going to give money to some con artist. But I have to figure out where I was. It’s driving me nuts.”
“Of course—I understand. But I also think it’s important to focus on the present, how you’re doingnow. I’m eager to hear what the neurologist will say on Wednesday.”
“Speaking of not getting one’s hopes up, I hope you’re not banking too much on that. They were pretty clear at the hospital that my situation wasn’t the result of a neurological event.”
“At least we’ll be crossing all ourt’s.” He rests his fork on the rim of the pasta bowl and studies me. There’s somethingweirdly cool and distant in his gaze. But then he lays a hand over mine. “How are you feeling about doing the podcast tomorrow?”
“Pretty good, I guess.”
“Would there be any merit in postponing it a week?”
It’s not a bad question, especially in light of what’s happened with the flowers. Maybe I should lie low for a few more days and not push my luck. And yet I can’t stand the idea of bailing.
“It’s such short notice at this point, Hugh. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“But will it be too stressful? I thought you were being encouraged to take it easy.”
“I’ll be fine. I mean, it’s not like it’s super stressful for me anymore.”
“You don’t sound a hundred percent convinced.”
I glance down, aimlessly stabbing pieces of penne.
“Something happened tonight,” I say. “Not anything big, but it’s scaring me a little.”
“What do you mean?”
“You remember Sasha, the woman who came by Friday night and brought those roses? Well, at some point last night or this morning, I managed to stuff them in the garbage and wash the vase without any memory of doing so.”
“Ally...”
“It’s like I was in some kind ofmini-fugue state. I’m wondering if I should call Dr.—”
“Ally, hold on. You haven’t forgotten anything. I tossed the flowers out.”
I’ve been massaging my brow with one hand, my gazestill lowered, and as Hugh’s words sink in, I lift my head and stare at him.
“Youtossed them out?” I say, simultaneously relieved and baffled. “If they were in your way, why not just move them? I’m sure they weren’t cheap.”
He shrugs. “The petals had started to drop. Gosh, I’m sorry to throw you off that way.”
“You tossed them out because the petals were dropping?”
