“And can you do me one more favor?”

“What sort of favor?”

“Can you contact . . . Anna’s parents?” She almost says adopted parents but swallows the words. Whoever they are, these people are Anna’s parents. “And warn them that someone may be looking for her? Just tell them to be careful and not talk about where Anna came from.”

“That’s an odd request, Rachel. What’s going on? Are you in some sort of danger?”

“Please just tell them.”

“Honey, if you need some help—”

“This is all I need,” Lynell says. “I just need to make sure she’s safe.”

“What sort of warning am I giving her parents? Who’s looking for Anna? Her father?”

Daniel must hear Mother Adella. He squeezes Lynell’s hand and she rubs his knuckles with her thumb. “No. Someone else. Someone dangerous.” She wants to tell Mother Adella everything. She wants to explain how serious the situation is. But mentioning Eric Elysian may cause more harm than good. The nuns don’t believe in the Registration and Lynell doesn’t know what they would do if they knew Eric Elysian was interested in a past resident’s child. And besides, the fewer people who know Lynell’s true identity and her connection to the Elysians, the better.

“Tell them that Anna’s birth mother has enemies and they may try to use Anna to get to her,” Lynell says. She steps back into Daniel’s chest, and he wraps his arm around her, holding her steady.

“Oh, darling. What have you gotten yourself into?” Mother Adella asks. “Are you sure we can’t help?”

Lynell shakes her head even though Mother Adella can’t see her. “You can help by warning them and calling me.”

Mother Adella takes a deep breath, and Lynell imagines her leaning back in her chair, rubbing the back of her neck like she does when she’s tired or stressed. “Okay, I will do that. But you have to promise me you’ll take care of yourself.”

“I promise,” Lynell says.

“Be safe, Rachel.”

“I will. Thank you again, Mother Adella,” Lynell says. They exchange quick goodbyes, then she hangs up, setting the phone on the table.

“Everything good?” Zach asks.

Lynell nods and fishes through the bags Daniel brought back, finding the hair dye and bleach. By bleaching her hair first, the red will be a brighter, more noticeable change, rather than just giving her already dark hair a slight red tint. She sits at the table. Daniel wraps an old towel around her shoulders and doesn’t even glance at the directions before pulling out the different instruments, clearly remembering the steps from when Lynell used to make him dye her hair years previously. He pulls the gloves on and gets to work, scratching her scalp periodically like he used to.

When Daniel is halfway through his work on Lynell, Zach emerges from the bathroom, showered and changed, with pitch-black hair.

Daniel whistles. “Looking good, Zach!”

“Shut up,” he says, grinning as he rubs the towel over his hair. “I’m going to make some grilled cheese. Want some?”