Nest nodded. “Thanks.” She looked around at the empty seats, deciding where to sit.

“What’s your name, young lady?” The black woman regained her attention.

“Nest Freemark.”

“Nest. Now, that’s an unusual name. Nest. Very different. I like it. Wish I had a different name like that. I’m Della, Nest. Della Jenkins.”

She stuck out her hand and Nest shook it. The handshake was firm and businesslike, but warm, too. “Nice to meet you,” Nest said.

“Nice to meet you, too,” Della said, and smiled now. “I work intake here at the center. Been at it from the start. How do you know John? Isn’t anyone ever came in before that knows John. I was beginning to think he didn’t have a life before he came here. I was beginning to think he was one of those pod people.” She laughed.

Nest grinned. “Well, I don’t know him very well. He was a friend of my mother’s.” She shaded the truth deliberately, unwilling to give anything away she didn’t have to. “I was in town, and I thought I ought to stop in and say hello.”

Della nodded. “Well, how about that? John was a friend of your mother’s. John doesn’t talk much about his past life with us. Hardly at all. A friend of your mother’s. How about that.” She seemed amazed. Nest blushed. “Oh, now, don’t you be embarrassed, Nest. I’m just making conversation to hide my surprise at anybody knowing John from before him coming here. You know, really, he spends all his time with Stef—that’s Stefanie Winslow, his … oh, what do you call it, I always forget? Oh, that’s right, his ‘significant other.’ Sounds so awkward, saying it like that, doesn’t it? His significant other. Anyway, that’s what Stefanie is. Real pretty girl, his sweetheart. Do anything for him They came here together about a year ago, and neither one of them talks hardly at all about what went on before.”

Nest nodded, distracted. The uneasiness was stealing over her again, a persistent tugging that refused to be ignored. She couldn’t understand where it was coming from. She had never experienced anything like it.

Della stood up abruptly. “You want a cup of coffee while you wait, Nest? Tell you what. Why don’t you come with me, and I’ll introduce you to a few of the people who work here, some of John’s friends, let them catch you up on what he’s been doing? He’s downtown at the Seattle Art Museum checking things out for tomorrow night. Big dedication party. Simon’s giving a speech John wrote, thanking the city and so forth for the building, their support and all. You probably don’t know about that, but John can fill you in later. C’mon, young lady, right this way.”

She led Nest around the intake desk and down the hallway toward the elevator. Nest followed reluctantly, still trying to sort out the reason for her discomfort. Was Ariel responsible? Was the tatterdemalion trying to communicate with her in some way?