“We’re not being weird,” I said. “We’re just aware. And so is Allie. She’s worried. Didn’t you know that?”
“Yeah. I did,” Eliza said. “We talked a little bit about it yesterday when Mindy wasn’t around. And I told her what I’m telling you. Don’t worry about it. She’s a cool kid. She’s going to be fine.”
My smile felt watery as I put my arms around Eliza and gave her a quick hug. “If I haven’t said it recently, I want you to know that I’m glad you’re in my life. And I’m glad I didn’t kill you when I met you in Rome.”
“Yeah, well, same goes.”
For a moment we all stood in silence, remembering those early days when she’d both longed to get to know me, but also was secretly betraying me in the hopes of saving her mother, the aunt I’d never known.
It hadn’t worked out for my aunt, but at least I now had a cousin. An actual family member who shared my blood. It was a new feeling, but a nice one.
Beside me, Eliza cleared her throat. “Um, listen, I should probably get back down to San Diego today.”
Cold shock crashed through my body. “What?” I realized then that I’d assumed she was going to move to San Diablo permanently. It was probably a foolish assumption, since she’d grown up in San Diego. Her family might be gone now, but surely she had friends she wanted to get back to.
Even so, I didn’t want her to go, for her sake as well as for mine and Allie’s. “Do you think you should be alone right now?”
“Oh, no. I’m okay. Really. And I’m not moving back there. I mean, if it’s okay with you, I was, you know, thinking about moving to San Diablo.”
I exhaled, surprised by the intensity of my relief.
“Of course, that’s okay. I was hoping you would. So why do you need to go today?”
Her cheeks flushed a bit, and I wondered if there was a boy. I was about to ask, but then she said, “It’s just that I have stuff. I might have some stuff in my mom’s boxes that you would want. Sentimental stuff and maybe demon-hunting stuff. She was tracking your mom after all.”
“I’ll happily look through anything you have.” I’d grown up an orphan, and now I was eagerly clinging to any piece of my history that crossed my path.
“I’ve got to get some of my stuff, too. I’ve been wearing the same clothes since I left for Rome. I thought I’d check the bus schedule and head down today.”
“Are you sure? I don’t like the idea of you out there on your own. Why don’t we go shopping today for new clothes? For that matter, you could probably put together a whole wardrobe between me and Allie.”
“Yeah, but I really want my own things. And this isn’t about me, right? I meanthe one who is new? Does anyone really believe they mean new to town? It’s Allie, right? It has to be.”
“All the more reason to have you here.”
She nodded. “I get that you’re worried. But it’s not like there’s ever a good time. There will always be demons, right? And it’s not like you’re going to let her go wandering around on her own. I mean, she usually has Mindy with her, and now it looks like she may have someone else watching her back….”
She said the last with a glance toward the playscape, and I grimaced. I had no idea what this guy’s story was, although I couldn’t deny that he had come to her rescue once. That alone makes me want to trust him. But then again, maybe that was all part of his game.
“I’m not staying away forever. A week, if that. I need to get my stuff and contact my mom’s friends. And I need to see about selling the house. All that stuff. Father Corletti’s getting me a death certificate, and we’re saying she had a heart attack. I can’t tell them the truth.”
She sniffed, then looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “I’m going to arrange some sort of memorial service for sometime next week. Can you guys come down? And then maybe I can follow you back in my car?”
“Of course,” I said gently. “Of course, we’ll be there for you.”
“I might miss Timmy’s birthday party,” she said. “I don’t want to, but?—”
“I get it. You have things to take care of.” Now I was kicking myself for not having already helped her to deal with that, but having met her in Rome, already seeming so independent, I’d let myself forget how she’d come to be alone in the first place. “And as for Timmy, he won’t have a clue. Give him a hug and a candy bar when you come back, and you two will be more than squared away.”
She laughed at that. “Right. Okay. Well, I’ll tell Allie I’m heading out and then get on my way.”
“Not by bus, you aren’t,” Stuart said. “I’ll drive you.” He looked at me. “I’ll take Eliza to San Diego, then stay overnightin Los Angeles. The firm’s got an office there, and I’ve been meaning to go take care of a few things anyway. A few meetings, then I’ll head back home.”
“Really?” I asked. As a rule, Stuart hates road trips.
“Totally not a problem,” he said.
“That will work great,” Eliza said, then turned to look at me. “I can send Stuart back with a few boxes of my mom’s, too. Family stuff that you and Allie can look through if you want. Or you can wait until I get back. Whatever.”
