Page 53 of Silver Linings

“If it’s even been three months where they are,” he said, and she lifted an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

Since he’d only just begun to formulate the theory, he made himself go slowly as he tried to explain his comment. “I mean that if these creatures are slipping into this world through some sort of portal or rift in reality, then the place they come from may be operating on a completely different set of rules. Time could be different there — three months to us might only be three days to them, or maybe even three hours.”

Sidney stared at him, brows creasing again as she attempted to process the concept. “Like those science fiction books I read when I was a kid, where people would travel on spaceships near the speed of light and time would barely pass for them? Um…time dilation?”

Not for the first time, Ben reflected that there was a whole lot more to Sidney Lowell than met the eye. Mostly, she seemed brisk and businesslike, but now he wondered if that was her way of coping with all the troubles the world had thrown at her and if there was a whimsical, imaginative side to her personality that people rarely saw. “Exactly like that. It’s part of the reason why most popular sci-fi shows have stuff like warp drive or lightspeed or whatever. If they had to follow Einstein’s rules of relativity, then it would be impossible to run around the galaxy and not have everyone planetside aging and dying while the heroes were out there trying to have adventures.”

She brushed a lock of hair away from her face. Before they’d slept, she’d pulled it into a hasty braid and secured it with a hairband she’d stuffed in her pocket, but a few strands had slipped loose sometime during the night.

“I like that,” she said. “It makes the whole situation feel a little less awful, somehow.”

“Good,” he responded. “Now, let’s get back to town and see if we can figure out what’s going on with those letters on the standing stone.”

The hike back wasn’t as bad as he’d feared. Yes, he was tired and had a massive crick in his neck, but with the compass app on his phone to guide them, they reached the edge of the forest about two hours after they’d left the clearing. Now the sun was high enough in the sky that Ben thought he was getting almost hot in his jacket, so he unzipped it to let himself cool off.

And then there was Sidney’s house up ahead, looking big and substantial and very welcome.

“Do you want me to make you some coffee?” she asked.

Coffee sounded great, but what he really wanted was to get to the B&B so he could peel himself out of these clothes and take the hottest shower he could stand. “Rain check?” he responded. “I was thinking maybe we could get cleaned up and then meet for breakfast at Eliza’s.”

For a second or two, Sidney looked dubious. But then she said, “That would work. Her bacon and maple donuts are divine.”

While that sounded good, Ben thought he might want something a little more substantial, like steak and eggs. Then again, a donut might very well do for a kind of breakfast dessert.

“Meet you there in an hour?”

She gave him a weary smile.

“Sounds perfect.”

Belatedly, he realized he’d walked into the woods the night before and now he’d have to slog his way over to the B&B to get that shower, but she’d gone into the house and shut the door before he had a chance to ask her for a ride.

Well, he’d already walked God knows how many miles. Less than half of one shouldn’t be too big a deal.

Breakfast at the Silver Hollow Inn had already come and gone when he arrived at the bed-and-breakfast. Mabel Whitaker was taking an empty tray to the kitchen when Ben came in the front door, and she shot him a surprised look.

“You were out early today.”

“I went for a hike,” he replied. It was only the truth…even if he was leaving a whole lot out of his story.

“You missed breakfast,” she said, and now her tone bordered on disapproving.

He smiled, hoping he looked sufficiently contrite. “I know. But I’m meeting Sidney for breakfast.”

At once, Mabel’s expression brightened. “Oh, isn’t that nice. Then I’ll let you get ready.”

Ben began to make his way up the stairs, then paused. “Is Victor Maplehurst still here? I didn’t see his car in the parking lot.”

The gleaming green MG hadn’t been there this morning, at least, although Ben supposed the other man could have gone out for an early drive.

“No, he left right after breakfast,” Mabel replied. “He said something about needing to be in Portland for a meeting.”

Well, that was convenient. Then again, maybe it was a good thing that Ben wouldn’t have to worry about bumping into the guy here at the B&B. That would be…awkward.

Still, if Maplehurst’s meeting was real, then Ben would eat his nonexistent hat. More likely, the man had fled town after hearing what had happened with the Northwest Pacific crew the night before. He’d definitely want to get out of here before the mob showed up with the torches and pitchforks.

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