Then as a movie cuts to the next scene, she and Todd were lying out by the river. The sun was cooking their skin, making them smell of sweat and suntan lotion. He slid over her body and kissed her. She pulled back, even though that wasn’t what she’d done in the moment. Studying every line and detail of his face, she could feel tears welling up with the knowledge of what was to come for them and what would never be.

“What’s wrong with you?” he said, laughing. He raked his hair and touched her chin.

“I just want to look at you,” she said.

“You have a lifetime to look at me.”

That he chose those words gutted her. This beautiful boy in front of her didn’t get a lifetime of anything. “I’ll always love you.” She wondered if he’d be annoyed at her at this moment, like he could get when she got too sentimental, but this version of Todd didn’t.

He stroked her face with the back of his hand. “I know you will.”

Lara held on to him, too tightly. She knew that. In the real moment, she’d never done these things, but she felt his skin now, the warmth of it and the hair on his arms. Tears flowed down her face and she kissed him deeply. A profound feeling of sadness washed over her. The horse slowed and Todd faded in and out, like he was illuminated by a faulty lightbulb.

When the ride stopped, Lara looked up to see that both Cecile and Margot stood there waiting at the controls.

Lara could see versions of her face in both women. It was like a time-lapse projection with Margot being the bridge between Cecile’s rather frost-like features and the warmer complexion that she’d inherited from Audrey.

“It’s a horrible machine,” said Margot, staring at the carousel. “They aren’t real, you know. When I first came here, I rode it for hours to see my Dez.”

Cecile touched her daughter’s arm. Lara could tell how fragile Margot was and how protective Cecile was toward her. This was her family, her legacy. And Lara considered how a painting had brought her here.

“I tried to give you clues all along,” said Margot. “The record and the Ouija boards. I wanted to help.”

“You sent the message in the record?” And Lara remembered the description of the woman who’d dropped off the Ouija board at Feed Supply.

She nodded proudly. “I also sent a message to that detective of yours through the board.” Margot laughed a little too loudly, her whole body rippling like it came from somewhere deep inside. “He looked terrified.”

“You did?” Lara held Margot’s hands. She thought of Ben Archer, so far away, yet connected to her by this mystery.

“I gave him a clue,” said Margot. “To steer him on the right path.”