“I think Nicole was being pursued. I think she always had been.” Willa turns to look at me, and I guess I look as surprised as I feel. “Not by ghosts,” she clarifies. “Or by the sea. By something harder to identify. Something inside her own head.”

I remember what Cole said the first night I was here, when he gave me that blue sea glass.

There are lots of ways to be haunted.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have told you that,” Willa says. “But you came here because you wanted to know your mother, and I figured you deserve to know all of her.” She gives me a long look. “I think you’re strong enough to handle the truth.”

Jude pokes his head in the door and apologizes for interrupting. “Almost time for dinner. Should I let everyone go?”

“Might as well,” Willa says. “It’s been a long week. Let’s just leave it here for today.”

Jude closes the barn door, and I hear him yell that everyone can leave. Willa gives my shoulders a squeeze, then gets up and starts gathering her things. But I can’t move yet. I’m struggling under the weight of her revelation.

Willa is refolding the blanket that Cole tossed onto the prop table. I hear the jangle of bracelets. She shakes her head. “That kid never could clean up after himself.” She puts the blanket where it belongs and turns to look at me.

“Was she unhappy with my dad?” I ask. “Was there something wrong between them?” I’m grasping for a reason that makes sense. I need to know if Glory was right about her having a secret. Something she was keeping to herself. Anything that might explain what she did.

“That’s a question for your father, Avril. I can tell you what I think, but he’s the only one who can answer that for sure.” Willa comes back to where I’m still sitting. She squeezes my shoulder. “It’s a lot to process,” she says. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” I say. “Thank you for telling me.” I get up to gather my things, and Willa watches me.

“You deserve to know the truth.” She moves the ghost light center stage. Reaches down to plug it in. It starts to glow. Soft and warm. “These kinds of things are worse if you leave them in the dark.” She gives me a little smile. “Get some sleep tonight. Okay?” She looks so beautiful there, one half of her face in shadow. “I can tell how tired you are.”

“Yeah,” I say. “I’ll try.”

Val is waiting for me outside. Lex, too. He’s stretched out on a bench with his head in Jude’s lap, but he sits up as soon as he sees me.

“You okay?” he asks.