Page 102 of Falling

“Really? Who else asked?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

Then why did you bring it up in the first place?

“Could you email it to me, please?” I try to remain calm.

“Is your name on the deed?”

I sag against the barn wall. “Yes,” I lie. “This is June Jones.”

“One second, please.”

She comes back on the line a minute later. “Mrs. Jones?”

“Yes?”

“Sorry to put you on hold for so long. What is your email?”

I take a deep breath and rattle off my email.

“Thank you. I’ll send this right away. Have a nice night.”

“Debbie?”

“Yes?”

“What are your opening hours, just in case I still need to come in?”

“Eight o’clock.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

I toss the phone aside, ready to boil over, and then I’m scrambling for it in the next second, refreshing my email again and again.

Even after I know the office is closed, I’m still sitting there refreshing. I move to pacing around the yard and nothing comes through. My fists squeeze shut and I shake them, every part of me clenched and so livid I don’t know what to do with myself.

My phone rings and I jump, nearly dropping it. I answer it without checking to see who it is.

“Ruby?” my mom says. “Are you okay? Your voice sounds funny.”

“Did you get my messages?” I scrub a hand over my face.

“It was cutting in and out. Something about one of the emus? Did one of them die?”

“Yes, one of them died.”

Deep breaths, Ruby.

“That is so sad. It was always so hard to lose one.”

“I only remember ever losing one. Thor was healthy when I left. I have a hard time believing he could’ve gotten in that bad of shape in the short amount of time I’ve been gone.”

“What do you think happened?”

“I think Junior might have done something.”

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