Indigo’s gasp broke the silence. “I found something,” she said. “It’s a hand-scribbled note on the edge of the page. It says, ‘Andrews group—DF to Gladstone’ with a question mark.”
Axel spoke up. “That could verify that Gladstone was a destination. Might be evidence of the illegal transport scheme. Let’s put any papers with tips like this aside.” He got up and took the page from Indigo and placed it on the far end of the table.
“Illegal transport doesn’t quite define this situation,” said Omar. “If Gladstone is protected by dark magic, it would prevent the transport, regardless of whether it was legal or not. I fear something wicked is behind this. Something powerful that can break through the shield.”
“I thought the same thing,” said Axel. “Why is this box so important? It could be the list of names. People willing to pay these high sums.”
“Hayden,” Axel said.
I winced at the harsh tone he put into my name and looked up from my file.
“Have you researched the names?”
“I have.” I took a breath and fought to control the quiver in my voice. “I was searching the names in the Observer database. I found a match yesterday. A dancer by the name of Claire-Marie Renavand. She owns a small studio in town. I went to see her . . .”
“Dear God, Hayden!” Grandmother’s voice filled the room. “You could have put yourself in grave danger!”
“Let her finish,” said my father. “This may be helpful.” He rarely spoke up against my grandmother, but I think his concern for Sapphire overrode his usual silence.
She nodded. “Proceed.”
“The dancer became defensive and angry when I asked about her mother. She said she was obsessed with the ferry, youth, and beauty. She said her mother disappeared and left her penniless.”
“Anything else?” Axel asked.
“No. She refused to speak to me after that.”
“The Gladstone possibility,” said Axel. “I’ll call Jaxson. He may want to send someone over to question her.” Axel turned his back to the room to make the call.
Everyone else returned their attention to their files.
“Hey. This is bizarre,” said Cobalt. “I’ve found another entry with Emily Caldwell’s signature. It also says ‘Denied.”
Cobalt had no idea how his words affected me. I pressed both hands to my stomach, closed my eyes, and sucked in a breath. I attempted to stay calm. My mother had tried to take the trip twice, and was denied both times. I thought about Oliva’s hint that she lived in Gladstone, but I didn’t know if these attempted trips were recent or from years ago. My ears were ringing, but I saw Cobalt hand the page to Axel, who added it to the other page with the note about Gladstone.
Axel sat down and we went back to silent shuffling. I was doing my best to focus on the pages in front of me, but feelings of fear, anxiety, and regret were churning inside me. I pushed the feelings down and pressed my fingers to my temples as I forced myself to read the pages.
Jaxson was walking around the table peering at the documents. As he came close to me, I noticed his expression change to one of anger. I started to explain, “Jaxson, I was going to tell you this morning, before you left --”
“Another one!” yelled Cobalt, as if he got Bingo in a game show. He waved the paper in the air. “Emily Caldwell. Denied.”
I glanced over at my father. I’m sure he was thinking the same thing I was. Three attempts? Were these recent or old history? My mother disappeared when I was two days old, and neither of us had ever heard from her again. Could she possibly have gone to Gladstone? Could she be in Gladstone even now?
Cobalt added the page to the stack that was set aside. The shuffle of papers around me sounded loud in the quiet room.
“Found something!” yelled Omar. He stood up. “A used receipt book. From the dry cleaner downtown. Used as scratch paper. Covered with names and numbers. And one copy has a date—from three weeks ago.” He handed it to Axel, who was already dialing Jaxson.
Through the loud whooshing sound that appeared in my head, I heard Axel’s voice as if from a distance.
“Possible location,” he said. “Island Dry Cleaners. West Avenue. Meet you two blocks from there, corner of 34th.”
While Axel was talking to Jaxson, my grandmother, always sharp in a crisis, began barking orders. “Cobalt and Omar. Go with Axel to meet the sheriff. The rest of us will continue to search the documents.”
I stood up fast, knocking papers to the floor. “Grandmother, please! Let me go with them!”
Axel grabbed his keys off the counter. The men were rushing out the door.
“Please. I need to do this.” I looked at her, my eyes wild with desperation.
My grandmother paused for barely a moment. Then she nodded briskly. “Go.”
35
We arrived at West and 34th just as Sheriff Jaxson was getting out of his car. Another officer, who I’d never met, climbed out the other side of the vehicle.
Jaxson pointed at the man. “Deputy Ryan.” They were both wearing gun belts, which increased my anxiety level.
Another car pulled up behind us, and I worried that we’d been followed. That made no sense even as I thought it, but I was jumpy.
The driver leapt out of the car. It was Han. He was holding a gun and looking far too comfortable in the situation than an insurance investigator ever should. Even with one arm in a sling, he looked awfully healthy for someone recovering from a fall off a cliff.
“Let’s move,” said Jaxson.
Cobalt, Omar, and I followed behind Jaxson, Han, and the deputy. From this viewpoint, the street was empty. It was just getting dark and the streetlights were on. Unlike the usual cozy glow that I felt when I saw them, they appeared like evil, yellow eyes today.
We slowed to a crawl two stores
