Epilogue: Two Months Later

                                    

                                          
I look down at a lonely stone. The person below the grave had stood like the stone does now, strong, but all alone in the thin coating of snow, which is a miracle in and of itself. There are no flowers except for a few curled up roses, her mother's favorite. Even with begging, Mrs.Laurent could not convince the rest of her family to bury Joy along with the rest of her family. At least that is how the rumors go. I'm tired of rumors.... and relieved because the camera flashes when I walk outside have died down. Madeline's golden hair appears in the corner of my eye. She smiles as I see her.
"Snow in Los Angeles? Can you believe it? With all of the money you're making from your art commissions, maybe we can go somewhere sunny?" Madeline asks me. She grips my hand hard as she tries to interject my gray mood. Her knit gloves are warm and soft.
"Los Angeles is sunny. Perhaps we can build a snowman?."
Madeline laughs at my quip. At least her laughs have started to sound genuine now instead of the barks they used to be. I brush off the sparse flakes from the gravestone. Even now I can't help but still care for it.
"Any news about Payne?" I ask her in vain.
"Besides all the sightings from the true crimes wackos, no. Let's talk about something else. Did you get any news from the Future Industries competition? I bet you got first place."
"Mina and Josh?" I ask, ignoring her last statement.
As much as it pains me, I push for more. And to my great relief she lets me. It's refreshing to hear someone who will forgive your discretions.
"The Carters owned a few hundred acres near Sequoia National Park, but I'm sure you already know about that with the constant research you do. It'll take them forever to get through it all but if you haven't noticed, we're already becoming old news."
"I'm kinda glad. I got third place in the competition, by the way."
We began our walk back towards a pink car parked along the wrought iron fence. Madeline's car may not be a ferrari anymore, but it gets us to where we need to go. Even if it's not self-driving. Our footsteps leave intrusions in the snow behind us. I squeeze her hand tighter as she speaks.
"No kidding, me too. I'm just glad that reporters haven't found my aunt's house after the court case against my dad. Congratulations on third place! I'm glad your mom let you enter. How's things with your mom, by the way?"
"Better, I think. Everything's still unbelievably awkward but at least we don't blame each other for Dad leaving anymore. Still can't believe that they haven't caught him yet after everything. Lily still says that she hasn't gotten anything. The little that my dad and his partner did keep on computers was wiped clean,"
The corner of the paper in my pocket whips itself in the wind. I take it out tenderly. The edges have been worn soft by my constant touch. It's only a copy since the police took the original for evidence, but it's still dear to me.
"I still need to find my dad. Whenever he is. He's the key to finding out where Alina is and finding her. Saving her from whatever they're doing to her."
"Police said when they raided the facility that there was evidence of over a dozen children living there, right? But whoever knows where they are now. Moore and your dad could have taken them anywhere. The mothers certainly can't help, they didn't even keep records of the mothers. There's nowhere to even start."
I lift my head to the pale sky and let the white flakes land on my face.
"I know where we can start. Remember the doctor that was mentioned in the book that mentored both of them? Lily said she found a possible match for a professor at Stanford. We can try to talk to him."
"Sounds good to me. I'm here whenever you need me."
Madeline tightens the scarf around my neck. I smile as I tuck the picture back into my pocket. As the flurries lessen in the gray sky, I'm even more sure of what I need to do. For us. For the girl.

 For The 27.