I dialed Mike’s number. Without hesitation he agreed to give me more time off, let me borrow one of the garage’s trusty run-around cars, a sprightly orange Ford Fiesta, and said it would be dropped off within the hour. After thanking him a million times, I took a duffel from the closet in the hallway and marched to my bedroom, where I pulled out pants, shirts and underwear, stuffing them into the bag. I’d use some of the cash I’d found in Jack’s apartment to pay for my trip to Newdale, I decided, and find a way to return it.

As I finished packing, I asked myself if I was being impulsive and irrational, stupid even. Most certainly, I decided. Maya might have told the truth. Maybe she wouldn’t talk to me and would throw me out of the Cliff’s Head, or call the local cops. Regardless, I was done sitting at home, wallowing and waiting. If I wanted answers, I had to damn well go after them myself.

Once I had the keys to the car, I tried to rest for a while, but sleep wanted nothing to do with me. I spent a few hours tossing and turning, half of my brain trying to talk me out of going to Newdale, while the other half ordered me to get up and move. I complied with the latter and set off a few minutes after 1:00 a.m., settling in for the long drive ahead.

Hours passed, the sun came up, and I still wondered what the hell I was doing, and what I’d say when I found Maya. When I stopped at a gas station to fill the car and use the bathroom, I made sure to pay for everything with cash. Heron and Stevens hadn’t said anything about having to stay in town, but until they checked out my alibi and cleared me, driving off—no matter the reason—was surely ill-advised.

I continued, so lost in thought I barely registered when the GPS indicated Newdale was a mere hour away. Not a lot of opportunity for me to calm my nerves, but plenty of time to try and talk myself into taking the next exit, turning back and scurrying home.

I wasn’t sure why the thought of meeting Maya made me break out into a cold sweat. Something in how her tone had switched from guarded and annoyed to sweetness and light. My mind went into overdrive, cataloging the gazillion different ways our face-to-face encounter could go, and in almost no time at all, I’d arrived at the Cliff’s Head right in time for lunch.