Come on, Jack. You just need to break through this.

Straighten out your mind.

Just keep going.

You’ll be okay.

He sat like that for a while. Trying to make the worst seem better.

Time passed.

An hour.

Or two.

Maybe he should call Ava.

He knew he shouldn’t call, but he looked for the Tracfone anyway. When he found it, he saw the text.

YOUR DAD WANTS TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.

His pulse started throbbing. He read the phone number.

It was from Bev.

“What?” Matty said.

Matty was looking at him.

It could be a trap. Of course it could.

But Bev is nice.

She wouldn’t hurt you.

But Bev would do whatever Red said. No, the danger was Red.

What was the smart thing to do?

“Let’s go for a walk,” Jack said.

Matty looked at him. “I don’t think we should go anywhere.”

“We won’t go far.”

“Ava said stay here.”

“We’ll come back.”

“You never do what I think.”

Matty turned away. Jack pulled him close, but Matty’s body stayed stiff.

“Listen to me,” Jack said.

“What?”

“Bev sent a message. I think we should go see her.”

“Why?”

“She wants to tell us something. Maybe something important.”

“What if the bad guys are looking for you?”

“They might not even be out there anymore.”

“Why can’t we just wait?”

“We have to try. We can’t just stay here.”

Matty looked up at him. At last, he nodded.

“Get your coat,” Jack said.

XXIX

Why did Jack leave that motel room? Why?

I don’t know. Maybe he needed to act. To act, to move, to do. To not be acted upon.

It’s like standing at the edge of a cliff.

You step back,

or you take a step forward.

They passed the motel entrance and Jack checked for the knife in his pocket, the metal shape of it. They set out up Barley Street and crossed an old iron bridge that spanned the river. At the street corner they stood watching. The stoplight flashing red. The fallen snow, soft underfoot. There was cold in the wind. They crossed the white intersection and headed along the street. Past Hunter’s Drug & Hardware. Pink Petals Floral. The worn storefronts. He looked at Matty. His beanie pulled down over his ears, his small face tight with fear. His feet dragging. Jack took Matty’s hand.

“Just stay close,” he said.

“Okay.”

“We’ll be all right.”

“What if something bad happens?”

Jack didn’t answer.

“I’m sorry,” Matty said.

“What for?”

“About what I said.”

“What did you say?”

“How you never do what I think.”

“Well, sometimes I don’t listen very well. I’ll do better.”

“Okay.”

Jack opened the door of Happy Hair & Nails, and they went in. The girl at the counter put down her nail file. She wore thick black eyeliner and a pink faux-fur sweater. She looked at Matty.