“But Mama and Adam. I have to find both of them. Can I bring my baby with me?”

“No, my girl. Your baby has to stay here.”

“How does this work? How do I go to that land?”

Riita stood and held out her hand. Kivgalo was already waiting for her to stand. He reached under both of her shoulders and lifted her up.

“Come with us and you will see, because the best is yet to be,” sang Riita.

Bunny stood between her two closest ancestors. Felt the shawl of their protection cloak her shoulders. Felt safe and free. Warm. This is what a smile must feel like, she thought.

She was going to where she could start over again.

“Hello, this is Major General Billy Townsend,” he introduced himself to the officer on duty. “I found a dead woman on a golf course the other day. I want to know the results of the toxicology report.”

They talked a little, then the young officer disappeared. After about ten minutes, he re-emerged from the records room. “The tox screen came back clean as a whistle. Not one milligram of anything inside that woman. What about you—you found out anything?”

Billy cleared his throat, “I found out that she might be an Inuit woman. She and her mom worked 95th for a while and moved their act over to a hotel on the river. I’m trying to find her mom. No luck. Not yet.”

The cop looked at Billy. “Who have you been talking to?” he asked.

“Found an old Meth Head on 95th who knew the hoodie she wore. She’s the one who told me about their Eskimo road show.”

“The investigating officers didn’t think of that—the hoodie. We’ll put a picture of it in the Journal. Hope for a response. Stay in touch, General. We’ll let you know.” The cop leaned across the desk and Billy shook his hand.

“Thanks, officer. Do stay in touch.”

From the police station, Billy went to The Hope Mission. He stood outside the door and watched all the detritus of humanity stroll past him. Billy walked up to the only woman who was standing in the lineup. She was short. Hair cropped close to her skull.

“Hi, I’m Billy and I’m looking for a woman.”

The tiny lady looked up at him and grinned. “We all are, soldier,” she muttered.

How in hell do they all know! Billy laughed and shook his head. “Not like that. I mean, I’m looking for the girl who wore a hoodie like this.” Billy held out the picture of the hoodie.

“That’s my girl’s hoodie!” said the woman. “Where’d you find it?”

“Come,” Billy said. He led the lady off to the side of the chow line. “Are you sure this hoodie belonged to your girl?”