Page 57

He looks up.

"I've never seen reality argue with itself."

The sentence lands heavily. Because that's exactly what it feels like. Not broken technology. Broken chronology.

I take my laptop from the counter.

"If electronics are unreliable..."

Rhett nods before I finish.

"Paper."

Exactly. I disappear into my office and return carrying a legal pad. A real notebook. Ink.

No cloud backups. No servers. No glitches.

"If something changes," I say, "we write it down."

Morrow immediately reaches for a pen. Rhett nods once.

"Good."

I write across the top of the page.

KNOWN FACTS

Below it, I make three columns.

Confirmed. Unknown. Impossible.

Rhett watches me for a second.

"You've done this before."

"I run an advice column."

He raises an eyebrow.

"This is your process?"

"When emotions get loud, I organize information."

He almost smiles.

"Still making lists."

"They work."

"They always did."

I ignore the warmth that creeps into my chest. Instead, I begin writing.

CONFIRMED

Timothy and Rebecca Valentine are missing.

Morrow came here intentionally.