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Kaden stared out at the street “It’s not the creepy unifor we found today, I can’t help but feel like we’re ht in front of our eyes, and we’re not seeing it”

“Exactly I’ether”

“Maybe,” he said, sounding unconvinced “But -lost cousin, ould she know of this secret we’re trying to uncover? If it has to do with Irrandfather land and blackmail, do you really think she’ll know about it? She hasn’t seen hiot sent to the camps And if she’s not related to him?”

Abby threw her hands up in the air “Well, what do you suppose I do? Forget about it? Not even talk to her? It’s at least worth trying It’s the next step, another clue We’ve got nothing else to go on right now Until we get another letter, this is all we’ve got”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right I’m sorry I—”

“Kaden!” Sophie burst through the front door, coed on the botto o back home”

“Soph, I was talking Interrupting is rude”

“It’s okay,” Abby said, with a wave “I see you recovered”

“Yup,” Sophie flashed her a toothy grin below her rosy cheeks “You can come too, if you want, but you’ll have to sneak into the house once Dad’s gone”

Abby stifled a chuckle as Kaden glared at his sister, but she didn’t even see questions at hiht with flashlights? Or freeze tag? Or—oh, Dad said we have to go over to Miss Marie’s house again for baths”

Sophie rolled her eyes, but Kaden frowned back at her “Wait, I thought Dad worked a double yesterday Tonight, he was supposed to be off”

Sophie shrugged, her little shoulders pressing upward “He took an extra shift, and the power’s out again, so we have no hot water, which also means no TV, so you have to play with me”

Abby glanced to the neighboring houses, checking for signs the electric had gone out Light shined through the s, and the sound of the television next door trickled outside Hooking a thulanced at Kaden The question teetered on the edge of her lips, but his face turned blood-red before she could get the words out Abby’s sto

“Fine,” he said, pressing a pal her toward the door “We’ll play whatever you want Just head in, and I’ll be right there”

When she disappeared inside the house, Kaden’s eyes traveled over their surroundings—the neighboring houses, his driveway, his lawn, the street—everything but her, as he said, “I guess I better go”