Page 259 of Eternal
I then lean back, clutching the mug of water that's long gone lukewarm. My blanket’s still wrapped tight around my shoulders. I haven’t taken it off since I sat down two hours ago, not even when Vik called to check in.
The files are still open on my laptop. The last image of Lena, now Emily, is frozen on screen. In every picture, she looks like she’s somewhere else. She was never there by choice.
I exhale. Finally, something that feels like progress. Something my mother never found.
I get up, stretch, walk around the penthouse like it'll help me think straighter. The windows reflect the city, and the silence up here feels less suffocating than usual. Maybe I’ll grab a shower. Maybe food.
I’m halfway to the bathroom when I hear it. Ding.
Email.
I turn around. My heart hits my ribs once, hard. Already?
Back at the desk, I check the screen.
Subject: Re: Gathering of the Chosen Inquiry
From: [email protected]
Hi. Can you please call me on this number?
Tonight if possible.
-E.
There’s a number underneath. Nevada area code.
Weird. But not unexpected. If she’s hiding, she wouldn’t put anything in writing.
I stare at the number for a second, then grab the burner. Dial. One ring. Two. Three.
Then a voice, low and cautious: “Hello?”
I don’t use a name. Neither does she.
“You got my email?” I ask.
A pause. Then: “I’ve been waiting for someone to ask the right questions for a long time.” Her voice sounds older than I expected. “I’m not in Vegas right now,” she says. “But I live just outside. I could meet you somewhere in between.”
I nod even though she can’t see it. “I’ll be back in four days.”
“Good,” she says. “Don’t bring anyone. Just you. There are things I can’t say over the phone.”
“Understood.”
Another pause. “Thank you... for reaching out.”
Then she hangs up.
I sit back down, staring at the screen, the church photo still frozen behind my tabs. She’s real. She’s alive. And she wants to talk.
That’s more than I hoped for.
I open my notes, mark the date. Four days. I’ll be back in Vegas. And for once, there’s a clear next step. A good lead. I let myself lean back. Just a little. Let the weight shift off my chest.Finally,I can rest tonight. Just a little...
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