Lovely Darkness (Creeping Beautiful)

I walk around the island and pat her on the head. “I like you, Maggie.”

She pushes my hand away and says, “Then tell me the secret.” If she were standing up, she might stomp her foot. But she’s sitting, so she just crosses her arms and pouts.

A six-year-old in many ways, yet so not anything like a six-year-old in others.

I haven’t seen her interact with Adam very much since we arrived, but I accept her take on things as truth because both of her parents are Company. Deep Company. Adam probably does treat her like a grown-up in the ways that might save her life one day. I take a seat in Sasha’s stool and look Maggie in the eyes. “If I had something to tell, I still might not tell you. But I really don’t. It’s an idea that just kinda came out of nowhere. That’s all.”

“But you’re going to tell Sasha.”

“Yeah. I am.”

“And not me?”

“Nope. Not you.”

“Well, why not? Adam asks for my advice all the time. I’m the one who said things were buried in the cemetery. And I was right. They sing no songs! Get it?”

I do not get it, but that’s OK. I can read between the lines. “All right, we’ll make a deal. Let me think on my new idea for a night and then, if it’s important—”

She holds up a finger to interrupt me. “Who decides what is and is not important?”

I look over at Sasha. She’s hiding a smirk behind her cupped hand. “Sasha will decide. How’s that?”

Maggie eyeballs Sasha now. “Well, OK. I guess that’s fair. If it’s important, then what happens?”

“Then… then I’ll tell Adam. And Adam can tell you.”

She purses her lips. “Is that your final offer?”

“Yep. Final offer. Take it or leave it.”

“Fine. I’ll take it. But don’t cheat me, Merc.” She points her finger at me.

“Magnolia Accorsi, I am not a cheater.”

Then she smiles. “Yeah. I can tell. We’ve got a deal. Now I suppose you guys want me to go get ready for bed or something so you can have your private chat.”

“How about a bubble bath?” Sasha offers. “Hm? That sounds good, right?”

Maggie holds her finger up again, shoves a few forkfuls of spaghetti and meatballs into her mouth, then, still chewing, says, “OK. Bath time.” She jumps off her stool, heads towards the back stairs, and calls out, “Cooks don’t clean,” as she leaves.

We wait the obligatory ten seconds until she’s out of earshot and then Sasha says, “I love her.”

Which makes me smile. “She reminds me of Lauren.”

“So. Much,” Sasha agrees. “But you’re totally gonna tell me whatever idea you just had, right?”

“Seriously, it’s not even an idea. Just… a maybe.”

“I don’t mind maybes.”

“Well, I’m not spilling it yet. Go help her out.” I nod my head to the stairs to indicate Maggie. “And while you do that, I’m gonna snoop around.”

“Snoop around where?”

“The whole house. If Adam didn’t want me to snoop, then he shouldn’t have left me here alone.”

“He really didn’t. I’m sure he was counting on Indie and Nathan being here to keep us in line.”

“Well, that’s dumb. Anyone who counts on Indie for anything is plain crazy. And maybe I don’t know this Adam guy well, but I get him.” I nod my head towards the stairs again. “He trusts that six-year-old more than he trusts Indie.”

Sasha huffs. “She’s probably the one in charge.” Then she pats my chest. “OK. Go snoop. But when I’m finished tucking her in, I want the details, even if they’re preliminary.”

“Deal,” I concede.

She follows Maggie upstairs but I head towards the front of the house where Adam’s office is. Unfortunately, the door is locked. So I guess he did think this through. I’m not going to break in to his office, so now what? It’s not like this place isn’t filled with spaces to hide secrets. At the very least I could try Donovan’s bedroom upstairs. But if Donovan is hiding things, he’s not gonna hide them there. It’s probably in that town office. Hell, Nick probably found it and just hasn’t told me yet. We might even have had the same idea.

I consider calling him, but when he came in to tell me he was leaving, he had already mentioned some of the secrets. The rats and all that.

I don’t think that’s what I’m looking for.

If the Company is running a PSYOP on us, I don’t think Donovan’s in charge of it. Or Carter, actually. If that guy even exists. They would be a part of it. Not controlling it.

I’ve done this enough. I know how it works. You have operators and you have controllers.

Donovan and Carter are one hundred percent operators. They are making shit happen.

So who is their controller? This is the question.

Everyone present and accounted for is off the list. It’s not any of us. But it has to be someone peripheral.