She pops up and returns to the computer. She begins to search academic journal articles about water policy, water and terrorism, and water contamination. Within minutes, she’s found a mention of a terrorist attack on a water supply in Istanbul. From there, she follows the citations trail.
Flush with victory, she takes out her phone and calls Naya at the office. She can’t tell her what she found, but she wants to hear her voice anyway.
“This is Naya Andrews.”
“You and Will haven’t run my firm into the ground since I’ve been gone, I hope.”
Naya snorts. “We’re managing just fine, five whole workdays into your absence. And I have it on good authority from Jordana that your house is still standing.”
“Excellent news.”
“Have you started planning your gala?”
“Not yet.”
“I can’t get over the idea of you planning a party.”
“It’s a fundraiser, not a party.”
“I got the save the date card, Mac. It’s definitely a party.”
“Yeah, yeah, I just called to say hey. I gotta run. Talk soon?”
“Talk soon.”
She tucks the phone away, pulls out a notebook, and starts scrawling.
1991. Lethal quantity of potassium cyanide stolen from silver mine is dumped into rooftop water tanks at a joint Turkish/U.S. Air Force base. No fatalities, dozens fall ill. No group claims responsibility. No known motive. No arrests made.
She remembers the question she asked Hank that night in the shed, before she read the book. Who’s the bad guy? Now she knows the answer. She draws a line under the first entry and writes:
The Payback. Lethal quantity of potassium cyanide stolen from silver mine is dumped into rooftop water tanks at a joint Turkish/U.S. Air Force base. Protagonist sounds the alarm, saving lives. Pursues the antagonist across Turkey. Bad actor was an environmental activist protesting government silver mining practices. He’s framed for by the government for the murder of his girlfriend and sent to prison for nearly a decade. He spends the years behind bars plotting the attack as payback.
She draws another line, under which she summarizes the current events.
2026. Lethal quantity of potassium cyanide stolen from silver mine is liquified and delivered to closed water system at a joint Turkish/US Air Force base via coordinated drone attack. 10 dead, dozens critically injured. No group claims responsibility.
Beneath the thriller trappings of a race between a hero seeking justice and a villain seeking revenge, Caleb’s novel resurfaces a long-forgotten attack. A real attack. And within a month, it’s updated to a far more deadly iteration.
Pizza night needs to go off without a hitch.
The doorbell rings at 6:07.
Connelly’s in the kitchen stretching homemade pizza dough while the twins cheer him on. With enough encouragement, he’ll throw and catch it like he’s a professional pizzaiola from Naples.
“I’ll get it,” Sasha calls. She doubts anyone can hear her over the barking dog, the chanting children, and Connelly’s classic rock coming through the smart speakers.
Caleb and Emmaline stand on the porch. Caleb has a baby carrier strapped around his torso. Inside, tiny baby Henry is snuggled against his father’s chest. Emmaline looks happily dazed. Her dark hair is piled in a messy bun, there are smudges under her eyes from sleep deprivation, and her smile is wide and brilliant.
“Come in!” Sasha ushers them inside.
Finn and Fiona emerge from the kitchen, drawn by the presence of a baby. Connelly’s right behind them.
“Can I hold him?” Fiona asks.
“After dinner,” Emmaline says gently. “Right now he needs to stay close to me for feeding.”
They settle in the living room. Connelly pours wine for the adults and sparkling cider for the kids. Henry wakes up and starts to fuss. Emmaline retreats to the quiet sitting room with the window seat so she can nurse him in peace, leaving Caleb alone with Leo, Sasha, and the twins.
