The second day without Ryan had begun at the Whitesun Hotel.
Not quite two full days had passed since the rescue, but Rachel could already feel how deeply his absence had settled into the group.
They had grown accustomed to him sleeping at the Boardwalk over the past few weeks. Even then, he came back often enough that nobody wondered for long when they would see him again. He would appear in a doorway, stop someone in the corridor, or come downstairs while they were eating.
Now every unexpected footstep made Rachel look up.
And every time, it was someone else.
Still, they were working to bring him home.
Christopher, Lucy, and Cindy had returned to the Boardwalk that morning to continue planning with Marlon. There was information to gather, people to prepare, and far too little time to waste.
Rachel remained at the hotel.
That afternoon, she went to Emily's room.
