to proceed.

“Yes?” Caution in the voice. He probably thought she was going to try to sell him something.

“Hi. My name is Ashley Majors.” Her middle name served well when Two didn’t feel like explaining her first.

“What can I do for you, young lady?”

“This is going to seem strange, I think, but do you mind my asking you a question?”

“Go ahead...” Curiosity in his voice, mingled with trepidation. Two thought about asking him if he was interested in a credit card, fighting down a sudden attack of giggles that threatened to overtake her. Now was not the time.

“Are you the father of Tori Perrault?”

There was a lengthy pause. “Yes, I am.”

Mr. Perrault did not sound at all pleased to hear his daughter’s name. “If this is ‘Unsolved Mysteries,’ then no, we don’t want another list of phone numbers. There are a lot of girls who fit Tori’s description...”

“No, I’m not from a television show. I’ve never even seen it. But I have seen your daughter.”

“Where?” Perrault sounded exasperated, as if he’d long since given up any hope of seeing his daughter again. Two didn’t blame him. Thirteen years was a long time.

“She’s standing right next to me.”

There was another, longer pause. When Perrault spoke again, he was obviously angry. “Do you think this is funny?”

Two was taken aback. “No. No, sir, I...”

“Why is that, after thirteen years, there are still sick people out there who won’t have the common decency to let a man get on with his life?” Perrault was shouting by the end of the question.

“Mr. Perrault, I...”

“I don’t want to hear it,” He snarled. “Goodbye.”

Two listened to the dial-tone for a moment, then slammed the handset down into the receiver. “Well... fuck.”

“What is it?” Rhes was sitting with Sarah and Molly on a bench, a few feet away. Tori was looking into the display window of a jewelry store.

Two lit a cigarette, dragged at it, rolled her eyes. “The good news is: I found him. The bad news? He thought it was a prank phone call.”

Rhes sighed. “She’s been gone for over a decade, Two. I’d think it was a joke, too.”

“Is it a funny joke?” Tori asked, rejoining the group.

“I suppose it might be, to someone else. Not to me.” Two sat down on the curb, smoked, stared at the traffic.

Sarah stirred, stretched, then leaned against Rhes. “So, what do we do now?”

“I buy two plane tickets, I guess. I could keep calling until I wore him down, but what’s it matter? We have to go there. We have to take her home.”

“Are we going home already?” Tori asked, misunderstanding.

“No, Tori. I meant that we’re going to go see your Mom and Dad.”

Tori took in air to protest this, and Two held up her hand.

“It’s okay. I’m coming with you. I promised you I wouldn’t make you go away, by yourself, unless you wanted to. Right?”

Tori considered this. Acquiesced. “Okay, Two. I miss my Mom and Dad.”

Two and Rhes exchanged glances. Two turned back to Tori. “Good, sweetheart. I’m sure they miss you too.”

“When are we gonna go see them?”

“As soon as I can order us some plane tickets.”

Molly spoke up. “Are you really going to fly to Ohio, Two?”

“Someone has to, kiddo. I could drive, but what’s the point? For once in my life, money’s not a problem.”

“How are you going to get from the airport to Fort Shawnee, Two?” Sarah questioned. “You could take a cab, I guess, if any run that far...”

“I figured I’d rent a car.”

“Two, you’re nineteen, and you have no license. Most places don’t let you rent until at least twenty-one, even if you’re legal to drive.”

“I’ll be twenty in March. Also... hang on a second.”

Two pulled out her wallet, dug through it, laughed. She held up a fake license, expertly crafted. “Here we go. This one says I’m twenty-two.”

Sarah shook her head, smiling. “Jesus, Two. I’m not sure you should hang around Molly. I think maybe you’re a bad influence.”

Molly giggled. Two grinned back at her. “I think of all the people Molly’s met in her life, I’m one of the ones you need to worry about the least.”

Rhes stood up. “Okay. Let’s go do this. I’ve got to be at work in a few hours. Fridays are busy. I know a travel agent down in the village.”

He started down the street. Sarah held his hand in one of her own, Jake’s harness in the other. Two, Molly, and Tori followed.

* * *

Two purchased a round-trip ticket for herself and,