Chapter 12 #2
Paige waved a hand at him as she trudged on. “We know you lie. We heard you lie to your dad. You didn’t even bat an eyelash. You’re an expert liar.”
“What proof do you have?” Dewey asked. “If you’re being truthful, give us the proof.”
“So, here’s the tricky bit. I don’t exactly have like…proof. I just know it in my mind.”
Paige shook her head. “Please stop asking him questions. I can’t take any more of the ridiculous answers.”
“In other words, you’re guessing,” Dewey shot back. “Conjecturing. Nothing more.”
“Conjecturing. Dude, that is a super awesome word, Dewey.”
Dewey raised his chin. “Thank you. I pride myself on my vocabulary skills. I am, after all, an author.”
“No way,” Devon exclaimed in a breathy voice. “My dude, that is so cool. What do you write?”
“Fairy tale retellings. I’m working on a book called Malice in Wonderland .”
“Super cool, Dew, super cool.”
Paige crinkled her features and buried her face in her hands. “Please shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut up.”
“Whoa, okay, Paige. Geez,” Dewey said. “We’re just passing the time with a casual conversation while we wander through the jungle.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I’m bothered that you two are best buds while he lies about my mom.”
“I’m not lying,” Devon insisted. “Your mom is so totally alive, Paige. Like, Dru swears she’s alive.”
Paige flicked a hand through the air. “Oh, my gosh, no. Okay, that’s it. I’m done. The mention of Drucinda finished me off entirely.”
“You need to give Dru a chance. She’s trying to help you, not hurt you. She’s a friend.”
“I’m not giving that woman a chance to do anything else to me or my family. She’s already robbed me of my mom. And now she’s trying to stop me from doing my job.”
Devon flung out his hands. “But she’s not. She didn’t kill your mom. Okay, the first piece of evidence is that your mom’s body never turned up. Duhhhhh.”
Dewey rubbed at his chin as Devon continued. “Look, there’s other stuff too, I just don’t know it all, and I can’t remember half of it right now. But I remember meeting your mom.”
Paige stopped and spun to face him. “You met my mom?”
Devon swallowed hard and bobbed his head up and down. “Yeah. She was investigating something big. She wouldn’t tell anyone. She even hid details from Drucinda in the end.”
Paige cocked her head. “Why would she tell Drucinda, the world’s biggest con artist?”
“Because Drucinda was her friend. They worked together. Drucinda took over for your mom at Shadow Harbor Library when she was in the hospital right before she disappeared.”
“My mom was in the hospital before she disappeared?” Paige asked.
“Yeah.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why?”
“I–I don’t really know all the specifics. Something about a routine green-level asset retrieval gone wrong. They weren’t sure she’d ever wake up, but she was pregnant with you. So, they kept her alive.”
Paige stopped walking, her lips parted as she stared into space. “What? My mom was almost dead, but they kept her alive because I was inside her?”
Devon stared at her, unblinking. “I don’t know. Dru knows more than me.”
Paige’s shoulders slumped, and she pushed forward through the thick vegetation. “I can’t believe the one person who has information on this is my worst enemy.”
“She’s not really your worst enemy. And also, Ronnie knows. She was around when your mom was sick. She may be able to tell you something.”
“Well, she can’t tell me anything right now. Because we’re stuck in the middle of a stupid jungle, trying to find Dewey’s stupid village.”
“Hey,” Dewey snapped, “I lived in a lovely village. It’s not stupid.”
Paige swiped at the sweat rolling down her temple again. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m just stressed.”
“Dude, I am so honored to be seeing your village. I bet it’s super cool.”
Paige slid her eyes shut and shook her head.
“Maybe cool it on talking for a while, Devon,” Dewey suggested.
“Right.” Devon pressed his lips together and zipped them shut with an imaginary zipper.
“We should be coming up to the village any minute now,” Dewey said.
Paige sucked in a deep breath as a leaf smacked her in the face. She shoved it away with a huff. “The last time you said that, we almost got eaten.”
“Yeah, but this time it’ll be the right place. Besides, the last time was Devon’s fault.”
“I’m trying my best, man. I usually have people who do this for me.”
Paige skirted around a large tree and pushed into a clearing. A tall wooden wall similar to a privacy fence spread on either side of them. She glanced sideways at Dewey.
“Yep, this time it’s right,” he said.
“Thank heavens.” She hurried forward through the open gates and into the streets of Dewey’s village.
He flew off her shoulder and buzzed around. “Yep, this is it. The old homestead.”
They wandered down the wide thoroughfare. Paige glanced around at various shops on the street and peered down side roads that led to residential areas.
“Hmm, that’s odd. All the businesses are closed.”
“Are they closed during siesta time?” Paige inquired.
Dewey shook his head. “It’s not siesta time.” He fluttered forward, peering into a few windows before he spun to face Paige. A worried expression clouded his features, and his cheeks turned a shade of purple as blood rushed into them.
“What’s the matter?” Paige asked.
“There’s no one here.” Dewey glanced around again.
“What do you mean? There has to be someone here. Maybe they’re just all at home.”
Dewey shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. “I mean there’s no one here. The village is empty. Everyone is gone. What the hell happened to my parents?”