Chapter 17
Islept on the outside porch with Maggs while Claire and Boone spent the night inside. The sun rose over the mountains like it had every right to, indifferent to the fact of what was happening here.
Which felt pretty on-brand for the universe, honestly. I’m sure my Entity was watching with avid interest. I’d been awake most of the night, trying to figure this out. Maggs had been by my side, also restless. She knew something was up.
Around dawn, I made coffee on my small stove. I wasn’t looking forward to Claire coming out or the vet showing up later. Life was so much easier when you just put your head down and walked. Well. Sort of.
Claire came outside as the first light touched the ridgeline, her eyes red but dry.
“He’s comfortable,” she said, taking the mug I offered. “Whatever the vet gave him worked. He actually ate a little this morning. Half a can of wet food and two treats, which is basically a feast by his recent standards.”
“That’s good.”
“It doesn’t change anything, Max.” Her voice was gentle but firm. “The vet will be here at nine.”
We sat in silence, drinking coffee, watching the mountains emerge from shadow.
“I’ve been thinking,” I said finally.
“Don’t.”
“Just listen.” I set down my mug. “You said Boone is all you have left of Danny. That when he goes, there’s nothing keeping you here.”
She shifted, uncomfortable. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was hiding something.
“Fontana Dam,” I said.
“What?”
“That was your goal.”
“With Boone,” she said.
“We take him with us.”
“How? He—”
“We have the vet cremate him,” I said. “Take his ashes. Spread them in the water there.”
She frowned. Looked away. Then said, “I haven’t been completely honest.”
“How so?”
“I’ve got some of Danny’s ashes in my pack. My goal was to spread them at Fontana Dam.”
“Then we agree.”
“What?”
Before she could say anything else, I saw a car pull up. The vet got out with her kit.