Analisa spreads her arms wide. “Well, this is exciting! Two office staff here on the same day. Are you ready for a private tour of the breeding center? My husband works there and I volunteer for their outreach events—”

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” says Graeme. “But was this tour already scheduled for Henley?”

“Yes, is that okay?” says Analisa. “I thought it would be easiest to combine our meetings and give you both a tour at the same time. Then we can talk more about our operations in the region and I can answer any questions you may have.”

My muscles relax a fraction. Graeme didn’t know about my meeting and reached out to Analisa independently. It looks like great minds think alike.

Graeme shifts his weight. “I don’t know. I don’t want to intrude…”

“It’s fine,” I chime in. “No problem.”

Analisa looks between me and Graeme and then to Walsh, who’s edging away. I grab her arm and tug her back over. “Analisa, I’d like you to meet my sister. Walsh, this is Analisa Mendoza. She’s our regional liaison for the Galápagos.”

“A pleasure to meet you. Would you like to join us as well?” she asks Walsh.

Walsh shrugs one shoulder, shaking her head as she looks between me and Graeme. “I—I don’t want to interrupt…”

“Come on, you’re not interrupting,” I say.

“Please,” Graeme offers.

My sister’s cornflower eyes meet mine, and her perky facade cracks. For an instant, I see uncertainty—vulnerability, even—swimming beneath the surface. I furrow my eyebrows.

One of the younger guests jogs over. She’s about our age and is traveling with her parents, if I remember correctly. “Ready, Walsh?” She nods toward a group that’s already started walking toward the breeding center.

“Yeah, I’ll be right there.”

Grinning, the young woman rejoins her family.

“I’m good, thanks anyway,” Walsh says to Analisa before inclining her chin toward me. “Meet you after?”

“Definitely.” We have at least two free hours this evening to explore the town. It’ll be the perfect chance for us to talk.

Walsh flashes me a thumbs-up before she scurries over to join the departing group.

Analisa claps her hands. “Okay then, let’s start the tour.”

We begin walking down the paved sidewalk toward the breeding center. Hitching his bag higher on his shoulder, Graeme leans over to murmur in my ear. “Are you sure you don’t mind that I’m tagging along?”

My phone weighs heavy in my pocket, the first task on my to-do app blazing in my mind.

Task #1: Defeat Graeme Crawford-Collins.