Chapter 21
“So Graham broke into the Navarros’ and planted all those, too, huh?” I say to Seth as we begin our trek into the desert. Brady really did do a number on the landscape. What was once fairly flat now looks more like rolling hills.
“It’s not impossible,” Seth grumbles. “He was in Madison last Friday.”
“He never went in the back rooms.”
“That you know of.”
I scowl at him. “And how did he get into your house again?”
Seth doesn’t answer because we found five bugs in his place. He knows chances are low that Graham could have bugged all three of our houses. Juan spying on us makes a lot more sense, even if they aren’t using the information they should have got.
It’s so dark tonight that we probably should have flashlights, but it’s too risky. So we slowly make our way through the new landscape, trying to be as quiet as possible. There are more signs of others out here than I’d like to see—tire tracks here, dig sites there, and even lights far to the right. My cut leg trembles as I attempt to climb a four-foot cliff made by Brady’s fists. It gives out on me, and I land in Seth’s arms.
“Told you to take another day off,” he says. “You’re pushing yourself too hard.”
“You’re one to talk.” I wiggle away from him, even though I know I’m being mean. But after all we’ve been through, how much we’ve changed to be together, I thought he’d have more faith in my family than he does. “Brady, I’m sorry, but I think you’re gonna have to help me.”
“Here.” Brady holds out his hand from where he stands on top of the small cliff. I take it, and he lifts me like he’s lifting a stuffed animal. He carries me the rest of the way. The trip goes much faster.
When we get to the giant boulder hiding the cave, my heart begins to flutter with all the memories I have of this place. Brady pushes the rock aside, and I can’t help but remember the first time I watched him do that. It was a night I thought my dad was coming for me, one filled with fear and yet hope, too.My first steps into the tunnel are shaky, and a hand I know is Seth’s finds mine. Part of me wants to pull away, but how can I when memories of us together in the water swirl in the cool air? I can’t count how many times he’s kissed me here. There isn’t a spot in the world that means more to me than this one.
The blue light grows brighter as we near the pools, and I hate how glaringly obvious it is that this is what everyone’s looking for. This is merinite. I want to pretend I don’t know just a little longer. As Seth pulls test tubes from his backpack, I say, “Maybe we should just destroy it now, even if it’s risky.”
Both boys look at me, horrified. Brady especially. “It might not be merinite. We don’t know for sure. We’ve never been hurt by swimming in it.”
I fold my arms, knowing a glare won’t mean anything to him. “Do you really believe that?”
“Yes…” He looks away, an awful pout on his face. “It’s just that this place has been my hideout since I was a kid, since my father told me what I did to my mother. I ran out after that and planned on never coming back—that’s when I found this place. It made me feel better, and I was going to live here forever.”
“Except I followed your divot trail,” Seth says, a small laugh escaping. “There was no way I was about to let you go all Peter Pan out in the desert.”
Brady tries not to, but one side of his mouth curls, making his dimple show. “I offered to let you stay with me.”
“Then I reminded you of the merits of air-conditioning.” Seth dips one of the test tubes into a pool. “And you called me a bed-wetting pansy.”
“That’s right!” Brady sits next to Seth and puts his hand on his brother’s shoulder. Now that I’m around them so much, I sometimes forget all they had for a long time was each other. “I stand by that statement.”
“Psh.” Seth tries to shove Brady, but it doesn’t work very well. “You came running back the second you needed a toilet to—”
Brady covers Seth’s mouth. “Okay! Fi’s heard enough!”
I laugh, my heart warming at the sight. No, I can’t take this place away from them permanently if I don’t have to. There has to be a way we can protect it, because I want to keep them and these secret pools forever. Walking over, I sit by Seth and lean on his shoulder.
“Being nice again, huh?” he says as he fills another tube.
“For now.” I want so badly to dip my feet in the water, but now that I know it’s probably not just water it seems smarter to stay away from it. “No fighting at the pools. Especially if it’ll be a while until we can come back.”
They both grow still.
“I guess this could be our last time, huh?” Brady says. “If I have to bury it.”
“I hope not.” Seth finishes off the samples and takes my hand. “We’ll find another way, bro.”
“Well, just in case…” Brady shoves his hand into his pocket and pulls out a worn picture. My heart skips as I catch the figure of a woman with bright red hair. “I think I should leave her here to watch over this place.”
Seth’s hand tightens around mine. “You sure?”
Brady nods slowly.
“Is that…?” I’m hesitant to ask, but I want to see the picture up close.
“Our mom? Yeah.” He extends his hand out to me, and I gently take the wrinkled image. “She was pretty, huh.”
“Beautiful,” I say as I study the picture. Their mother has the same big smile as Brady, dimple included, but she is tall and thin like Seth. Her red hair is wavy and vibrant. She holds a guitar while she stands at a microphone. “She liked to sing?”
“In her journals it says people called her a siren,” Seth says. “I guess she had perfect pitch, to the point that sometimes people would become obsessed with hearing her. She could have been famous, but the stalking freaked her out.”
“Stalking isn’t fun.” My mind goes straight to The Phantom appearing in my jail cell, and I cringe. “Is that how she ended up in Madison? To hide?”
Seth nods. “My dad grew up here, and when she came into town he fell head over heels. Guess her voice was pretty powerful, because he’s still…well, you’ve seen it.”
“No talking about him here either.” Brady snatches the picture from me and stands up. “As I was saying, I feel like carrying this picture made it so Mom could watch over me. Maybe leaving it here will let her watch out for this place.”
“Then who will watch out for you?” Seth asks in his sarcastic tone. “You’ll be all alone.”
Brady rolls his eyes. “Don’t be a smart ass.”
“He’s incapable of being anything else,” I say.
Seth pulls me close, his lips on my ear. “Don’t make me throw you in the water.”
“Do you want me to be mad at you forever?” I poke his sides, and before I know it we’re on the verge of a tickle fight. He makes it way too easy to forgive him.
“You guys are weird.” Brady walks towards another pool, holding up his mother’s picture. “I’m gonna find a good place to put this.”
For some reason things feel weird between Seth and I when Brady is out of hearing range, as if we’re both waiting for the other one to apologize. It sure as hell won’t be me. Doesn’t seem like Seth is budging on it either. Finally, he lets out a long sigh. “You know Brady sees you as a sister, right? You’re like part of our family.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Um, random?”
“It’s just…I’m trying to say I…” He shakes his head and zips up the backpack. “Never mind. We should get these samples back to test.”
“Okay…” A familiar awkwardness comes between us—it seems to be doing that more often—and I’m not sure why. What’s his problem?