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  “Ruby!”Alanshoutedintothemagicalbox.“Areyouinthere?”

  Moreofthemost-annoying-sound-in-the-world'sbuzzingblared throughmyhome.

  “Ruby,I'mcomingin.”

  Iwashalfafraidthathewasgoingtobusttheglassoutinthedoor tounlockit,soIdidmybesttohurrydownthehalltotheapartment door,pushthechairbacktoitsoriginalposition,andmakemywayoutto thelanding.Myhopewasthathewouldseemebeforehedidanything toobrash.Callinghisnameseveraltimes,Icautiouslyworkedmyway overtothelongflightofstairsandfoundmywaydownthem,slowlybut safely.

  Ipacedoutthefourstepsnecessarytoreachthedoorandfumbled forthehandle.Oncelocated,Iflippedthelockandpulledthedoorajar forAlan,whoquicklybargedthroughitlikehispantswereonfire.

  “Ijustgotyourmessage,Ruby.Iwasonmywayover―whatin God'snameisgoingon?”

  Icouldhearhimmovingaroundbehindme.WhenIturnedtoface him,ittookmeasecondtolocatehisoutline.Icouldfeelhispanic instantly.

  “Christ,Ruby,”hegasped,mostlikelystaringatmeinhorror.“Can you―”

  “No,”Iinterrupted,cuttinghisquestionoff.“Ican'tsee.Iwokeup likethisandtotallypanicked.Cooper'sout.Seanisgone.Ididn'tknow whoelsetocall.”Istartedtofeelguiltyforcausinghimsuchalarm,butI hadmyreasonsandhewasn'tprivytothewhybehindthem.Hewas goingtowantanswersthough,andIhadn'tplannedfarenoughaheadto havesomeready.

  “I'mtakingyoutothehospital,”heordered,takingmebymyelbow toleadmeoutside.

  “No!”Iblurtedout,knowingthatwastheworstideaever.

  Unfortunatelyforme,Alanwasn'tgoingtobeeasytoconvinceofthat.

  “Youdidn'tletmefinish,”Isaidwithasigh,tryingtothinkfastonmy feet.CooperandSeanhadalwaysmaintainedthatIwasahorribleliar.I wouldsoonseeifAlanagreed.“AfterIhungupwithyou,Coopercalled meback.Ijustgotoffofthephonewithhimnow.”

  “What'syourpoint?”

  “Mypointisthatheknewwhatwasgoingon.Hesaidsomething aboutasideeffectofamedicationI'mon.Somethingaboutvisual disturbances.Idon'tknowallthedetails.Iwastoobusyfreakingoutto listen.”

  “Well,youareashittylistener...,”hemumbled,probablynot meaningtosayitaloud.

  “IknowIam.Anyway,hesaidthatitwasononeofthelabels.If anythinglikethishappened,Iwassupposedtostopthemeds immediatelyandwaittwelvehoursforthesymptomstodissipate.Ifthey don't, thenI'msupposedtogotothedoctor.”

  “Butwhywait?”'

  “Idon'tknow.It'swhatCoopersaid.I'msurehe'dbehappyto explainthingstoyouatgreatlengthifyoucallhim.I'mjusttrustinghis judgment.”

  “Fine.Canyouseeanythingatall?Areyouallrighttobehome alone?”heasked,genuineconcernseepingintohistoneandenergy,“I couldbringyouovertothehouse.Kristyjustgotbacklastnight...”

  “Ishouldbeokayhere.Icanseebasicshapesandobjects,soI'm nottotallyincapacitated,andCoopsaidhe'dbehomesoon.Besides,with allthoseroomsinyourhouseandbaby-toyfloorsnipers,I'mlikelytobe farmorehurttherethaninmyownspace,”Iarguedintelligently.They werevalidpoints.“Canyouhelpmeuptothecouchthough?Maybeturn theTVonforsomebackgroundnoise?”

  “Ofcourse,”hesaid,leadingmetothesteps.Hebroughtmeinside andpositionedmetohislikingonthesofabeforeannouncinghis departure.“I'mgoingtobelateforwork,butifyouneedanythingelse, youcallme,understand?”

  Hisvoicewaskindbutfirm.Hewasn'tmessingaround.

  “Yes,sir,officer, sir! ”Ijoked,tryingtoletthesmilereachmyeyes andsethisatease.Ihadnowayofknowingifmyeffortswere successful.

  “Where'syourphone?”heasked,pacingabouttheroom.Ittookhim aminuteorsoofsearchingthehousetolocateitandbringittome.“Use itifyouneedto,Ruby.For anything.Anythingatall.”

  “Thanks,Alan.”

  Hehoveredsilentlyforamoment,hisenergytentativeand uncertain.

  “Ruby,”hesaidsoftly,hesitationtaintinghisdelivery.“I'vegot somethingI'vebeentryingtoshowyou―”

  “Ha!”Iscoffed,“wellthatmightbeaproblem...”

  “Yes,Iseethatnow―nopunintended.”

  “Whatisit?”Iasked,proppingmyselfuponthecouch.

  “It'saletter,”hesaid,sittingdownonthecoffeetableinfrontof me.“It'sfromMcGurney.”

  “Buthe's―”

  “Dead.Iknow.Itwassenttomebyhisdaughter,”heexplainedas heworriedthepaperinhishands.Thecrinklingsounditmadewas calming,buthisenergywasfarfromthat.“Shegotitinthemailadayor twobeforehedied.Itcametoherwithmynameandaddressonitand instructionstosendittomeifanythingshouldhappentohim.”

  “Whatdoesitsay?”Iasked,leaninginclosetohisface,desperate togleansomethingfromtheexpressionIcouldn'tsee.

  “It'scrazytalk,Ruby.You'llthinkI'mnutsforevenrepeatingit,”

  hestarted,exhalingheavily.“Thepointisthatsomethingpushedhim overtheedge.Whateverhefoundoutmadehimcrazy,andhedied becauseofit.”

  “Alan,”Isaidtersely.“Whatdoesitsay?”

  Hehesitatedbeforestartingtotalk.

  “Heramblesonandonaboutaconspiracy.”

  “And?”Iprodded,needingtoknowmorethananythingexactly whatwaswritteninthemadman'snote.

  “And,”hesighed.“Youwon'tbelievetherest.”

  “Alan,”Isaid,grabbingathim.“Tryme.”

  Beforehecouldanswer,footstepsechoedupthestairwellandAlan quicklyshotuptohisfeet.

  “Someone'scoming,”hesaid,stuffingtheletterintohisjacket nervously.

  Thedoorswungopen.IrecognizedCooper'senergystraightaway, andIsighedwithrelief.

  “Iswearonallthat'sholy,Ruby,therearetimeswhenIwanttogive themback,”hebarked,beforecuttinghimselfshort.“Oh,hey,Alan.

  What'sup?”

  “Nothingmuch,Cooper.Rubycalledmeinapanicabouthereye situation,soIcameovertomakesureshewasokay.ButI'vegottarun.

  Timeforwork.”

  IwaswillingCoopertoplayalong.Icouldn'ttellifAlanwas lookingathimorme,butIshotalookinCooper'sgeneraldirectionthat said'readbetweenthelinesplease'.Hedidjustthat.

  “Well,youknowRuby.Dramaishermiddlename,”hejoked, headedtowardthecouch.Icouldheartheboysupstairsandprayedthey weregoingtostaythere.Theymayhavebeenpack,buttheystilldidn't knowallmynuances.

  “Exactly,”Alanrepliedwithahalfheartedchuckle.“I'llseeyoutwo later.”

  Alanslippedoutoftheapartmentdoor,shuttingCooperandmein withtheCFoftheday.

  “Eyesituation?”Cooperinquired,histonedubious.

  “I'mdowntofourofmyfivesenses. Thatsituation,”Idelicately toldhim.“Ican'tsee,Cooper.I'mgoingblind.”

  30

  Hisemotionsassailedme.Beforehesaidanotherword,heturnedtheTV

  uptotheloudestpossiblevolumethatstillallowedmetohearhim.He cametokneelbeforeme,hislargehandsencirclingminedelicately, pryingmycellphoneaway.Withmyhandsfree,theywandereduptohis face,exploringitslowly,workingtheirwayacrosseverylineandcrevice.

  “Talktome,Ruby.Whatthefuckisgoingon?”

  “Iwokeupthismorningandeverythingwasgone.AllIcanmake outisgeneraloutlines,”Itoldhim,gettingchokedup.“Ican'tseethe detailinyourfaceatall.”

  “Sotheblurryvisionlastnight...?”

  “Wasaprecursortothis,Iimagine.Infact,alotofthingsare startingtomakesense,actually.Walkingintowalls.Myeyesconstantly feelingtiredandweak.Somet
hingistrulywrongwithScarlet,Cooper.

  Whereversheis,she'sfadingaway.”

  Beforehecouldreply,myphonesprangtolife,demandingour collectiveattention.

  “Hello?”Coopersnipped.Hedidn'tlovebeinginterrupted.“Whois this?No,notuntilyoutellmewhothisis.”

  “Cooper,”Icalled,reachingoutforthephone.Ihadaninklingthat Iknewjustwhoitwas,andwithCooperhome,Ifeltwaymoreconfident aboutgettingthoseanswers.Cooperwasgoingtowantthemtoo.

  Hedidn'targue,justslippedtheBlackberryintomyhand.

  “Hello?Gavin?”

  “He'sverytesty,”Gavinsneered.“Ifhewantstocontrolapack,he's goingtoneedtogetaholdofthoseemotionsofhis.”

  “Yeah,well,weallhavefaults.Someofusarehotheads;othersare creepy,evasiveassholes.I'dcallitevenattheendoftheday.”

  “I'mdisappointedthatyoutrustmesolittlethatyouwouldcallin thecavalry,Ruby.Idon'tknowhowmanytimesIhavetotellyou―I'm nottheenemy.”

  “Thenstartactinglikeafuckingallyandtellmewhatyouknow,”I fumed.

  Coopercametositbesideme,wantingtohearallthathecouldof theconversation.That,orwhiskthephonefrommeoncehegotpissed offenoughtostartlayingdownthelawtotheoldman.

  “Ruby,youneedtounderstandthatsomeofwhatIkeepfromyouis inyourbestinterest.Noteverythingcancomeoutatonce.Itwouldjust betoomuchforyou.”

  “Thatsoundsoddlyfamiliar.”

  “Do notpresumetolumpmeinwith him.Mytruthswillbe revealedintime.Hiswon't.Thatisthedifferencebetweenmeandhim.”

  “Theonlydifference?”Iasked,baitinghim.

  “Hardly.”

  “Whatever,Gavin,enoughstalling.Iwanttoknowhowyouknew whatwasgoingon,andbetteryet,howyouknewIwasblindbefore.”

  Icouldhearhimtakeadeepbreathinpreparation,butnothing came.Noexplanationfollowed.ThenIheardGingerinthebackground, urginghimtotellme. Sosheknowstoo...

  “Iwillanswerthelatterquestionfirst.Probablybesttostartthere,”

  hestarted,soundingcontrolledonceagain.“Iknewyouwereblind before,Ruby,becauseI'veknownyousinceyouwereachild.Sincethe dayyouwereborn.”

  Ifelttheblooddrainfrommyface.Itcouldn'tbetrue.

  “Iknewyourparents,Ruby.Verywell.”

  Mybloodrancold.

  “AsforwhyIfeareditwashappeningagain,let'sjustsaythatIdid mybesttokeeptabsonScarletwhileyouwere indisposed.”Hepaused foramomentbeforecontinuing.“She'saverydeviouscreature.Youneed togetabetterhandleonthatone.”Anotherpause.“Ifyou'reever affordedtheopportunity.”

  Iwasinshock,andgiventhelackofcommentaryfrommyalpha,he wastoo.Thatwasawholelotofshittoabsorbinamatterofafew seconds,anditreallyonlybeggedfurtherquestionsratherthanprovide answers.

  Gavinknewwhathadhappenedduringthosethreeweeks,andI couldtellhewasn'tgoingtogivethatupeasily.Italsomeantheliedto me.

  “Youlyingshit!”Ispat,wishingIcouldstormdownthereand punchhimsquareinhisarrogantoldface.“Youtoldmeyouhadn'tseen meforawhileonthedocksthatday,butyoureallyknewexactlywhereI was,oratleastwhereScarletwas,thewholetime!”

  “Ididn'tlie,”hereplied,soundingtrulyaffronted.“ItoldyouI hadn'tseenyouaround hereforawhile,whichIhadn't.That'shardlya lie.”

  “Splittinghairsmuch?Youshouldhavetoldmerightthenandyou knowit.”

  “Andwhatwouldthathaveaccomplished,Ruby?Youwerealready traumatizedenoughandhadplentyonyourplate.WhatIknowabout Scarletwillkeepfornow.Ipromisethatwhenthetimeisright,Iwilllet youknow.”

  Myhandsshookwithanger,butIknewthattherewasnowaytoget himtotellme.Ihadnoleverageinthesituationwhatsoever,andthough itwasmaddening,thatwasmyreality.I'dhavetosuckitupandplaynice withGavinuntilthen.

  Cooperseemedfarlessinclinedtofollowthatgameplan.He snatchedthephoneawayfromme.

  “Listenhere,youslimyshit!You'regoingtotellmerightnowhow tofixthisfuckingmess,understand?Ifyoudon't,I'mgoingtomakeyour lifeimmenselypainful.We allwill.”

  IheardCooper'sbreathingspeedupashelistenedtowhatever Gavinwassaying.Whenmyphonecrashedintothewallbehindme,I couldonlyassumethathewasn'ttoothrilledwiththeoutcomeofhis conversation.

  “MotherFucker!”heyelled,pacingawayfrommetowardthe kitchen.“Whothefuckwasthatguy?”

  Isighed,notwantingtohavetoexplaintoCooperaboutthemanI hadnoanswersabout.

  “Remembertheoldguywholeftthenote...?”

  “Yes,”heaskedwithdubiousinflection.

  “So,he'snot reallyanoldguy.”

  “AmIgoingtoenjoythisstory?”

  “No.Probablynot.Idon'tloveitmuchmyself,”Irepliednervously.

  “Here'stheshortofit.GavinistheChameleon.”

  Thatdidn'tringanysupernaturalbellsforCooper.

  “And...?”

  “He'skindastalkingme,butIcan'ttellifit'sagoodorbadthing.

  Heknowssomuchaboutme,Cooper,evenwhereScarletwentwhileshe heldmecaptive.Thestrangestthingabouthimisthatheseemstobeona missiontoprymeapartfromSean,thoughIhavenocluewhy.Thosetwo haveahistoryofsomesort.He'sconstantlyfeedingmehalf-factsabout Seanandwhohereallyis.Idon'tknowwhattomakeofthewholething.”

  “What'shisendgame?”Cooperasked,angerrollingoffofhim freely.

  “Idon'tknow.That'swhatI'mtryingtofigureout.”

  “Willhetrytoharmyou?”

  “That'sthething,Coop.Idon'tthinkhewantsto...notphysically anyway.He'sreallyfuckingwithmyheadthough.”

  “Iwantyoutostayawayfromhim.”

  “AndIwouldlovetodothat,Cooper,butit'simpossible.Hepops upeverywhereIamwhenthemoodsuitshim.”

  “Wellthen,heandIaregoingtohavealittlecome-to-Jesustalk.”

  “Ithinkthat'sabadidea.He'stheonewiththeanswersthatIneed.

  Youcan'toffhim.Notyet,anyway.”

  “Iwouldn'tcountonthatifIwereyou.”

  “Seriously,Cooper.Ifyouwanttotrytoscarehimabitor intimidatehim,that'sfine.ButIneedthetruthaboutSeanandother things.Ineedhimalive.”

  “Whatotherthings?”

  Iblewoutaheavybreathbeforeanswering.

  “Inmypurse,there'sapicturethathegaveme.It'sofmeandsome womanIdon'trecognize,forobviousreasons.Heknowswhosheis.

  Apparently,Seandoestoo.He'stryingtoforcemetoshowittoSeanfor answers,butIdon'ttrusthismotives.Ihaven'tdoneityet.I'mhoping thatifI'mstubbornenough,Gavinwilltellme.”

  “Thatsoundslikeapromisingplan,”herepliedsarcastically, gettingupfromthecouchtoretrievethephotoinquestion.“She's beautiful.”

  “Iknow.”

  “Andyouhavenoideawhoshecouldbe?”

  “Shecouldbeanyone,Coop.Ihavenowaytonarrowitdown...”

  “Idon'tknow,”hesaidsadly,shakinghishead.“Idon'tlikethis plan.”

  “Youneverlikemyplans,”Ichuckled,knowingthatperhapshewas rightnotto.

  “Afterlastnight,canyoublameme?”

  BeforeIcouldreply,aknockatthedoorstartledusboth.

  “Everythingokayinthere?”Alistaircalledfromoutsidethedoor.

  “We'refine,Ali.Youcancomein.”

  “NO!”Cooperroared,movingtowardthedoor.

  “Cooper,we'regoingtohavetotellthemsoonerorlater,”Isaid aloud,givinghimawinkthatIprayedhesaw.Whenhedidn'targueany further,Iassumedheh
ad.

  IheardAlistairentertheroomtentatively,comingtositinthe recentlyrepositionedarmchair.

  “Weheardshouting,”hesaidcautiously.

  “Cooperwasupsetwithme,”Isaid,lookingtothedoorwhere Cooperstillstood.“Ididsomethingstupidasalways.He'sworriedthatI mayhavereallydonesomedamagethistime.”

  “What?”Aliaskedworriedly.

  “I'vebeentakingtoomuchmedication,anditseemstohave seriouslyaffectedmyvision.Ican'tseeathingrightnow,”Itoldhim carefully.“CooperisworriedthatImayhavedonepermanentdamage.”

  “Buthow?Wastheresilverinit?”

  IhadplannedtoletslipthatScarletandIdidn'thealthesameway thatheorotherwerewolvesdid.CooperandIhadagreedtokeepasmuch informationregardingmydifferencesawayfromtheboys,butitwasallI couldthinkofinthemoment.Ihadn'teventhoughtofplayingthesilver card,butthankstoAlistair,Ihadtheperfectout.

  “No,notthemeds,butthedropsIputinmyeyestohelpthe blurrinessdid.Ihonestlydidn'teventhinkwhentheladyatthehealth foodstoresuggestedcolloidalsilver.”

  “Youputbloodysilverinyoureyes?”hegasped,shootingoutofhis chair.“Haveyougonemad?”

  “Ali,I'mstillnewatallthisshit!You'vehadguidanceallalong.I didn'tgetthatuntilrecently.Youcan'tplanforeveryhazard.”Icouldfeel hisuncertaintywithmywell-being.Itwarmedmeslightlyonadaythat notmuchcould.“I'msureit'llbefine.Pleasedon'tworry.Ineedtotalk toCoopaboutsomethingpersonalthough.Doyoumind?”

  “'Coursenot,love,”hereplied,asadsmileplaguinghisvoice.“I'll lettheothersknow,ifthat'sallright?”Hisquestionwasclearlyaimedat Cooper.

  “Youmay.ButIdon'twantthemdownherefussingoverher.She needstorestandheal.Ifshecan.”

  “Right.Willdo.”

  CoopershutthedoorbehindAlistairasheleft,thenmadehisway overtome.

  “Youdoneedtorest,”heordered,helpingmeoffthecouch.“Let's takeyoutobed.”Hestartedleadingmedownthehall,butIstoppedhim partway,somethingeatingatmethatIcouldn'tquiteworkout.