He didn’t reply, and she couldn’t read his face.

Then he said, “Where?”

“At my house.”

“I heard you had a nice setup.”

“It’s a guesthouse.”

“Are you allowed guests?”

“Of course.”

“Maybe I can check it out sometime?”

Elizaveta’s chest tightened. Her mouth went dry.

Was Jack asking her out?

“If you want,” she said nonchalantly.

“Hey,” he said, “there’s something I’ve been thinking about.”

She held his eyes. “Yes?”

“I’m wondering what you might think…”

“Yes?” she repeated.

“That newspaper clipping—the one about the firecracker explosion.”

“Oh.” She didn’t let her disappointment show.

“We figured Solano caused it, killed all those people, came here to hide out and ended up staying. Well, what if his family didn’t die in the explosion. What if he didn’t leave them behind either? What if he brought them here, to the island with him?”

“Swiss Family Solano?”

“I’m serious, Eliza. It’s possible.”

“And nobody ever saw them?”

“If the cops were looking for Solano and his family, then it makes sense he would keep them out of sight. A single guy living as a recluse on an island is a lot less strange than an entire family living there.”

“But keeping them hidden for fifty years?”

“This island’s not exactly Times Square. Pepper said nobody even knew about it until the city council discovered it ten years ago. How hard would it be to keep his wife and daughters hidden from the occasional local who came by to trade dolls for produce?”

“So you’re saying it’s not just Solano after us? It’s his entire family?”

“No, I’m saying maybe I was wrong. Maybe Solano really is dead. But his wife and kids are still here, or maybe his wife is dead too and just his kids are here.”

“Why would they kill Miguel? Nitro?”

“Imagine you’ve lived most of your life in hiding. Then your father dies, the person who has protected you all that time. Then strangers begin showing up on your island. How would you react?”

She considered this in silence. Then she nodded. “You know, Jack, maybe you have solved the mystery a second time—”

Rosa screamed.

5

Bedlam ensued. Rosa continued screaming. Jesus and Pita were awake and on their feet and demanding to know what was happening. Jack was pointing the pistol at them, ordering them to stay put while telling Elizaveta to go check on Rosa.

She dashed into Pepper’s room. Pepper remained fast asleep on the bed. Rosa sat bolt upright next to him, staring at the window.

She crouched next to the bed. “What is it, honey? What’s wrong?”

Rosa turned her head. Her eyes were huge. “I saw it,” she said.

“Saw what?” she asked.

“It was looking in the window.”

“What was, honey?”

“A doll,” she said.

6