It took us a solid ten minutes to fight our way to the front door, and I knew by the time we heaved ourselves into the fresh night air that Shelby would be long gone. Just to be safe, I asked the doorman if he’d seen where she went. Of course, he couldn’t remember anything. Lots of people come and go, sweetheart, he told me. I’d told him not to fucking call me sweetheart.

“Sorry you missed her,” Blue said. “It was probably my fault. If I hadn’t grabbed you . . .”

“That’s okay,” I said. I leaned against the wall. Now that I was outside, it was obvious how much of a rabbit hole igNight was. Impossible not to lose track of where you were, and even who you were. “It probably would have been like always. Nobody knows anything. Nobody ever does.”

Blue reached out and touched my shoulder. “Maybe it’s possible that she really did leave,” she said. “I mean, she hasn’t bothered you yet. Maybe she’s not going to. It doesn’t seem to go very well for her when she does mess with you. You should just let it go. Focus on something else.”

I tried to imagine a life where Luna was still out there somewhere and I was living normally, focusing on other things. Forgetting that she existed. Forgetting that she’d tried to kill me twice and had failed. Forgetting that I had caused the deaths of everyone in her family.

Not possible. Not in a million years.

But it would be stupid to try to convince Blue of that.

But she was right about one thing—I did have other things to focus on.

I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the newspaper clipping I’d found in Dad’s closet. I had pocketed it on the off chance that I would be able to work up the courage to tell Chris about my parents’ connection to the Hollises, but the time had never seemed right. It was hard to let someone in when they desperately wanted to stay out. It was hard to let someone in, period.

I’d let him in once before. And he didn’t remember any of it. I would be stupid to try it again.

I unfolded the clipping and showed it to Blue. “You see that guy right there?” I pointed at the man with white-blond hair. She nodded. “Have you ever seen him before? Like, with the Hollises?” She nodded again. “Who is he?” I asked eagerly.