“You knew Peter.” Gamache saw the words slap her. “You think he’s the same man, and he’s not. If you don’t accept that, you’ll go off course. Fast.”

She stepped back. “I know he’s not the same man.” She stared at him. “Peter’s changed. He’s following his heart now. That’s my territory. I can find him, Armand. I’ll know.”

Gamache and Jean-Guy simply stared at her and she felt herself getting angry. Angry at them for not understanding, and angry at herself for not being able to explain it. And angry at the fact that it sounded so fucking lame.

“You like Peter,” she finally said. “But I love him. Laugh if you want, but it makes a difference. I’ll be able to find him.”

“If love was compass enough,” said Armand quietly, “there would be no missing children.”

Clara felt the breath leave her body. There was nothing she could say to that. It was so monumentally true. And yet, and yet, Clara knew she needed to go. And not follow Gamache, but be in the lead.

She could find Peter.

“I would never laugh at you,” Armand was saying, though he seemed so remote. “And I would never, ever mock the power of love. But it can also distort. Slip over into desperation and delusion.”

“Which is why you need to come with us,” said Clara. “Please. But I need to be in charge. I can find him.”

Gamache nodded.

“You’re in charge. We’re here to support you.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Jean-Guy whispered to Gamache as the two men walked around the car. “If things start going bad, you’ll take over.”

“They won’t go bad.”

“But if they do?”

“If they do, Clara’s in charge.”

“Following what? Her heart? Love droppings?” asked Beauvoir.

The Chief turned to him and lowered his voice. “And if Annie was missing? Would you let someone else look for her?”

Jean-Guy paled at the very thought. “Never.”

“Clara’s right, Jean-Guy. She has a better chance than anyone of knowing what Peter would do and where he’d go. If she follows her heart and we follow our heads, we might find him.”

“I guess that leaves me with the stomach,” said Myrna, who’d overheard their conversation. She held up a paper bag filled with sandwiches from Sarah’s boulangerie. “Who wants to follow me?”

She put the sandwiches and a cooler in the car while the others loaded up the men’s suitcases. They were about to get in themselves when Clara held out her hand.

Jean-Guy looked at Gamache, who nodded. Beauvoir dropped the keys into Clara’s palm, walked around the car and was about to get into the passenger side when Myrna stepped in front of him. Once again Jean-Guy looked at Gamache, and once again the Chief nodded.

The men got into the backseat.

Clara was in the driver’s seat.