“But you have great parents. You were brought up in a good home. Why—”

Mike laughed, but there was no joy in it. “If you’d stayed in touch with me, you’d know my father didn’t die in an automobile accent. The truth is he got a girlfriend and walked out. I have no idea where he is, and I don’t care. Mom died a few years ago, way too young and way too lonely.”

Alex knew what it was like to be abandoned by a father. This time her regret was real. “Oh, Mike. I’m so, so sorry. I should have been there for you.”

“I don’t need your pity. I don’t need anything from you.” He glared at her.

She had to try one more time to reason with him. “Why are you working with this man? You say you cared about Willow. But he killed her. And Nettie. Or at least had someone else do it. Now he wants to kill thousands or millions of people. Please help me stop him.”

Walker stepped up next to her.

“I’m the Train Man, little lady. The Destroyer. I was called to offer six sacrifices, not kill anyone else. That would derail the prophecy.” He laughed, no doubt at the use of the word derail. “So you’re right. Someone else killed those women.”

“Who?” Alex asked. Then she was struck with a terrible truth, and it made her feel numb.

Mike just smiled.