Emma Lynn chewed on her nails and looked at me with eyes full of sadness. I felt like I’d told a child that Santa Claus wasn’t real and they hated me for shattering that dream. She was innocent and hadn’t seen such an evil potential to her art. I felt like crap taking that innocence away from her.
“Yes, you’re right. They would feel any of those negative emotions.”
I’d need to think on this. There was such potential for harm in her magic to manipulate people.
“What would happen if you wanted to leave here?”
“I’m not a prisoner. I can leave at any time.”
“Can you? Have you tried to leave and see your parents?”
“No, I’m not ready to face them yet.”
“I know that you’d prefer not seeing them. Can you at least tell me any places they might have gone to, so I can check that they are safe?”
“I do, but it’s not somewhere I can easily explain how to get to.”
“Then ask for permission to see them. Just this once. Lead me to this location and you don’t even have to get out of my car. Hell, you can hide in my trunk to avoid them if you want. If there is nothing wrong with this place, then the request should be granted.”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t you want to know that your parents are safe?”
“Yes. I’ll – I’ll do it.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Isa returned and we went throughout our typical day: mediation, sermons, meal time, study group and a karaoke night.
After karaoke night Emma Lynn pulled me aside.
“I have to talk to you. Can I come by your room later?”
“Sure.”
She looked relieved and rushed off. I had a feeling that I wouldn’t like what she had to tell me.
In the middle of the night, a soft scratching at my door got my attention. I opened it and quickly ushered Emma Lynn into my room.
“You’re right. They denied my request. They said my parents want nothing to do with me and signed my custody over to them.”
“Did they show you paperwork to back that up?”
“Yes, but my parents would never do that. I’m worried. Do you think they are hurt? Can you leave and check?”
“I’ll do my best, but earlier you were adamant that I couldn’t find the place you thought they’d be at. Can you describe it or draw me a map?”
“I’ll try.”
“Listen, I’ll find your parents. Before I can go after them, I have to do one thing. Do you know any of the blood donors?”
“What blood? We don’t donate blood.”
Of course she wouldn’t know about them. What were their names?
“Do you know Francesca, Sid, or Morgan?”
None of those names except Morgan sound familiar. We have two men named Morgan. What does the Morgan you know look like?”
He looks like a god, all shiny blonde with soft lips, green eyes and a libido-inspiring smile.
“Oh, that Morgan,” she said with a laugh. “He was in my intake class. He’s not here often since he doesn’t live here at the Institute of Reawakening. He and a select few others have authorization to live off-site.”
“You need permission to live somewhere else?”
“Yeah, I didn’t question it and loved the concept of an immersion learning program. But now, I wonder. With what you told me about my parents and them not letting me leave, well, I’m worried. Am I safe here? I’ve always felt safe, but how safe am I, if they won’t let me go?”
“I won’t let anything happen to you. Get me a way to talk with Morgan. I think once I hear from him, I’ll be able to come up with a plan. For now, don’t make any changes or do anything different. I don’t want them thinking or suspecting that you question their motives. Can you do that?”
“Yes. Will it be odd for Isa to talk with you?”
“It doesn’t happen a lot, but it wouldn’t be odd for her to?”
“Perfect. I’ll send Isa to tell you that I’m ready for my art lesson. We’ll have the lesson and I can tell you the plan then.”
“I don’t know if I can do this. I wear my emotions on my face. Everyone knows what I’m thinking just by looking at me. I can’t lie. I’ve never been able to.”
“Just breathe.” I took her cold and clammy hands in mine. “You aren’t alone. And, you are stronger than you think. Let’s take this a day at a time. Go back to your room. Pay attention to what you hear and see. You never know what could be useful.”
“Okay. And Marty, thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. We aren’t out of this place yet.”
She smiled and slipped out the door.
32
The next day Morgan came to see me at lunch.
“Marty, right?”
“Yes, I hear we have a friend in common,” said Morgan.
Isa looked back and forth between us, but didn’t ask any questions. It was obviously that she was dying to ask how we knew each other. I’d told her that I didn’t know anyone here and now I’d mentioned knowing Emma Lynn and obviously knew Morgan. If this got back to Jarl, I’d need to get Emma Lynn quickly. They were using her for something, I just didn’t know what.
“Would you like to walk in the gardens? My dog could use some air,” I said.
“A walk sounds wonderful,” said Isa.
“Oh Isa, can I talk with you?” said a women I hadn’t met before.
“I was about to go on a walk,” she said.
“It won’t take much time and you can catch up to Marty on the walk.”
I could hug Emma Lynn for giving me a chance to speak to Morgan alone. She was more resourceful than she gave herself credit for. She’d make a great investigator. No one would expect a small and innocent thing like her of being on the hunt for a criminal.
We chatted about the sermons and what my experience was like so far. Once we got to the gardens, Morgan put his finger over his
