A More Plausible Theory

Even this had me feeling a mixture of something I only ever felt when Madeline was alive—a strange but urgent sense to protect. But protect who? Maggie? And against who? My brother who was only concerned for me? Of that, I had no doubt.

So I chose my words and tone carefully. After taking in another spoonful of cereal as nonchalantly as ever, I posed the burning question. "What are you getting at, Nolan?"

Tapping his fist softly on the counter in a nervous pattern, he started telling me what I'd suspected already: that since Maggie showed up in Radcliffe, he'd kept in touch with her but hadn't mentioned it because he didn't think I'd want to hear about it. Mostly they'd texted but he'd talked to her on the phone a few times as well. "That blow to the head she took must've been real bad because even after all these years she still seems really confused and has lots of questions."

I nodded, trying my damnedest to focus on what he was saying and not my unreasonably heating insides. Ins