She took it down and turned around, finally seeing Robin. She avoided his gaze, looking down at the picture of the cat with a longing that would never be satisfied again. She balled up the poster and threw it in the bin beside Robin.

Robin watched her sadly. She glanced momentarily at him, with nothing in her face but sorrow, and walked away. He looked at the noticeboard, now with an open spot. Maybe he should make a MISSING poster for Matthew M—

Wait.

Robin stood up. The Mittons poster had been half covering up another one. It was a poster of a blue sky with clouds. He stepped forward to the noticeboard, reached out for the poster, reading the small print.

It was a poster for a gathering at the church dated three months before. A Church Counseling Group. The name was at the top in big gold lettering.

ASCEND.

He ripped the poster off the board and stared at it.

Maybe it was time to wing it some more?

It was time to go to church.

Chapter Forty-Two

The church of Marsden was much as it was at the vigil—modern, all pine and light. But now it was empty, and when Robin entered into the small hall area, then through a set of double doors to the church proper, with pews running up to the altar, he could look around a bit more. There was no one around, and the place was so silent, he would guess that there was no one else in the building.

He looked around the entrance area, which didn’t look unlike a doctor’s waiting room. There were two stands full of pamphlets, all about a various aspect of religious life. Robin stepped forward and picked one up absentmindedly. “Grief and God.” He slotted it back into the stand. Even the big man upstairs couldn’t help him there.

There were posters on the wall, but from a quick scan, Robin couldn’t see any others for the Ascend group. He wasn’t surprised, seeing as the group had passed and the posters inside were probably changed quicker than the ones outside.

He reached into his pocket and pulled the poster out again.

Ascend. A journey of Acceptance—learning to live with the path God has set you on. Location just said “the church.” He looked around again—didn’t even know what he was looking for.

“A lost soul,” a kindly voice said, and Robin wheeled around.

A man, tall but not imposing, was standing in the double doorway into the church. He was watching Robin with kind eyes. For some reason, Robin suddenly realized what a state he must be in. He hadn’t showered, or cleaned at all, since pulling Loamfield out of his car, since being just outside of the blast radius of an explosion. He still felt singed, and his clothes were covered in dirt. He must’ve been sweating profusely, as he felt constantly damp.