The conversation was always the same: Was there any chance Ken had misunderstood Arin? What would they do on the night that the Eiferman didn’t show up? If they got home, would they ever again think about leaving on a mission without allowing time for a complete service of the vehicle? All eyes turned to Derek. “Dumb,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

It was depressing.

The temple’s side door opened and Arin started across the parking lot in their direction, bringing a wave of hope. Though nobody admitted to it, Hutch felt it in her heartbeat, and saw it in the faces of her colleagues. It was ridiculous. There was nothing he could do, yet he was all they had.

But he behaved as if everything was under control.

They were all on the porch when he turned onto the walkway. He got within a few steps, stopped, and indicated they should all follow him. Then he proceeded back to the temple and opened the door for them.

It was the first time Hutch had actually gotten a look at the interior, other than the section dedicated to Arin’s quarters. Rows of benches lined a spacious section overlooked by a balcony. She saw a pipe organ off to the far side, and noticed a flowery fragrance of some sort, as well as a touch of camphor. There was little doubt that it was in every sense a temple.

Kwylla came out of the shadows and joined them as Arin led the way to a rear door and onto a circular staircase at the base of the tower. He turned on lights and they started up. Hutch thought they were headed for the balcony, but they passed it and kept climbing.

The tower hadn’t looked especially tall from outside, but it was a difficult haul up a staircase designed for climbers with considerably longer legs than the humans’. Periodically, they passed windows, which, as they gained altitude, provided an increasingly wide view of treetops, the ocean, the beach, and cottages spread through the area.

Arin saw that the stairs presented a challenge for his guests, especially for Beth and Hutch, so he slowed down and occasionally stopped to give everyone a break. They passed more doorways and eventually entered the cupola. It was furnished with thick carpeting, a sofa, a desk, four armchairs, and two lamps on side tables. A wooden chair was set at the desk. There was also a telephone and a clock. A sketch of the temple adorned one of the walls. And a framed photo of two children was mounted beside the doorway. A stringed instrument, resembling a cello, lay in one of the chairs. Curtained windows looked out in all directions. They could see the port area, which was dark except for a few lights on the piers, a docked ship, and outside the warehouses.