a deadly storm, an unsolved disappearance, and a small town brimming with secrecy;
an outcast girl, a boy who only knows how to hide, and the world against them;
what could go wrong?
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The following morning, Boo wakes to a call from Ashton.
"News already?" she croaks into the phone, still rousing herself from sleep. Harry stirs restlessly next to her, mumbling something about don't take the dinosaurs away.
"Not a whole lot, unfortunately," Ashton answers. Boo can hear the grimace in his voice. "But there is something. I thought you'd be interested to know that I began the process to reverse the autopsy cancellation. Nathaniel may have authority over the local department, but I've got a little bit of pull with the county office so I'll do what I can to make that happen. The appeal may take a little bit of time to go through but I think we've got a solid chance."
A sigh of relief leaves her lips. "Thank you, Ashton, really."
"I also wanted to let you know that I'll be sending off that hammer you gave me for analysis. I don't have anyone to run the DNA against yet, if there's even anything useful on it, but I have a feeling I will soon enough. That bruise on Hosk's face raises enough suspicion for me."
Boo feels a lump rise in her throat. So close to a tangible answer, and yet still so far. "How . . . how long does that take?"
"Getting a profile from the hammer should take a couple days, once I've got a sample to run it against it's between twenty-four and seventy-two hours," Ashton explains. "I'm working on it, Boo, don't worry."
"Sorry," she breathes out shakily. "Can't help myself."
"Is there anything else you think I need to know right now?"
Boo wracks her brain. "Nana made a secret tape a couple weeks before she died. She had some . . . visitors, and it's obvious it wasn't a friendly visit. I think maybe she knew . . ."
She trails off, choking on the words that surface. Ashton hums in realization. "You've listened to it all the way through?"
"Yes, but we didn't understand most of the conversation."
"I'll be needing that as soon as possible," he replies. "Would you mind dropping that off at the Harrisford department today?"
"Yeah," she murmurs. "I'll let you know when I'm on my way over."
« • »
Boo gathers up her scraps of evidence into a small cardboard box, feeling a bit shameful at how little physical progress they seem to have made. Once Harry is awake and powered by a cup of black coffee, they begin the short drive to Harrisford. In Boo's lap sits the box containing the tape recorder with the tape still inside, the wooden fish from the fairgrounds, the remainder of Martha's journals, the photo of Damien that Boo stole from Hazel's house, the yearbook given to her by Luke, the notes she made regarding the police files she "borrowed", and the polaroid of Nathaniel standing astride her late grandfather. She couldn't bear to part with the photo of teenage Martha; that stayed safely tucked away in her room, hidden in her nightstand.
