Josie smiled. Just thinking about her old friend gave her a sense of comfort. “Penelope’s the best,” she said. “We’ve been friends since fourth grade. She’s a lot like you, actually. Smart. Practical. Loyal.”
“Interesting.” Penelope gave herself a shake, as if tossing off a bad memory, then glanced at her watch. “It’s late. We should get going.”
Six thirty. Yikes. Mr. Byrne was expecting her for dinner.
“I have an idea. About how to fix our little BOOM problem,” Penelope said simply, as she packed up her books and carried them to Madison’s car. “In case you strike out with the file. I’m going to borrow Mr. Baines’s laser rig from the lab. Can I set it up here?”
“Sure,” Madison said, her old swagger returned. “Knock yourself out.”
Josie paused at the door of the black BMW. “Thank you,” she said. “Both of you.”
Madison rolled up the door. She didn’t exactly smile at Josie, but there was something like a nod of acceptance. Whatever. Josie took it.
As she backed out of the warehouse, she felt more hopeful than she had in days. Her mom was here. She had friends. She wasn’t alone in this. She looked up as she turned the wheel to leave; something caught her eye. A shadow ducking around the side of the warehouse. She craned her neck as she drove around the building. She was sure she saw someone. Positive.
But there was no one there.
THIRTY-SEVEN
7:00 P.M.
JOSIE MADE IT JUST IN TIME FOR DINNER.
Mr. Byrne was already seated at the table when Josie burst into the house. “Perfect timing.” He smiled at her warmly. “I’m glad to see you’re finally making an attempt at punctuality.”
So Jo was flakey with time. Good to know.
Teresa arrived the moment Josie sat down at the table with an enormous tray of homemade lasagna. A bowl of string beans was already on the table. She served both, silently as usual, then disappeared back into the kitchen.
“So?” Mr. Byrne asked. She could tell he was trying to sound casual. “How did it go?”
“Better.”
“Yes?”
Josie nodded. “She knew who I was.”
Mr. Byrne caught his breath. “I knew it. I knew she was improving. Dr. Cho said it was probably just false hope on my part, that her psyche was too damaged from the effects of the explosion, but I knew. I could just tell last time I saw her that there was something . . . more.”
Josie’s heart ached. He was so excited at the idea that his wife was getting better. The worry lines above his forehead instantly disappeared, and that pinched look around his eyes vanished. He looked ten years younger, and even more like Josie’s own carefree dad. She felt guilty that she was hiding something from him, even if it was for his own good.
He leaned toward her. “Thank you, princess. We’re going to get your mom back. I promise.”
Speaking of . . . “Daddy?” Josie put down her fork and folded her hands in front of her. “That place she’s in. Old St. Mary’s. It’s . . .”
“Awful,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I know. But she was part of a Grid-sponsored experiment at the time of the accident, dealing with top secret information. They need to keep her at a secure facility for her own safety.”
Josie was tempted to bring up the scars on her mom’s arms and legs, but she didn’t want to have to explain to Mr. Byrne how she knew what they were, and besides, the poor man really didn’t need something else weighing on his mind. “Is there any way we can get her out of there? Moved somewhere closer to home?”
Mr. Byrne rubbed his chin. “It’s not like I haven’t tried, princess. But Dr. Cho feels like it’s the best environment for your mom.”
Best environment for them to get what they want out of her, more like it.
“But,” he continued, “if your mom shows signs of improvement, I don’t see why we couldn’t move her close by. Heck, maybe even bring her home permanently.” His eyes lit up at the idea.
“Awesome.”
“I can definitely make a few phone calls tomorrow.” He laughed softly. “What’s the point of having all my connections at the Grid if I can’t pull a few strings once in a while?”
Josie beamed. “Oh, and one more thing, Daddy.”
“Yes?”
“You know how you offered Nick a job up at Fort Meade?”
Mr. Byrne laughed. “Of course.”
“Well, he was thinking he might be interested.” That would be news to Nick when she told him. “And we were wondering if maybe you could arrange a tour of the Grid? Maybe an interview?”
“Yes, of course. Absolutely! Tomorrow after school?”
“That,” Josie said with a smile, “would be perfect.”
3:59 A.M.
“Hello, Nick,” Jo says. She’s waiting by his car in the parking lot, leaning against the trunk.
Nick’s eyes grow wide. He scans her from head to foot and back again.
“Oh. Hey, Josie.”