Chapter 13: The Lie About My Mother

"She was in the pack office until she died," I told the tribunal clerk.

"Orson says she left two years before the deed."

"Then he can show you a date that makes sense."

The clerk would not read me his filing over the phone.

I went to the tribunal with Rita and found Damon waiting beneath the stairs.

He wore the pale coat he had chosen for our ceremony.

It had no flowers on it now.

"You found the bell," he said.

I stopped one step below him.

"You knew there was something in it?"

"I knew your mother liked hiding things."

Rita took the next step beside me.

"Get out of our way."

Damon moved, smiling at her.

The claim at the desk carried Orson's seal and my mother's supposed departure date.

It also carried an image of the pack register page.

Her name had been crossed out in thick black ink.

I had seen that register before.

My mother used to bring it home when the office roof leaked.

Its columns were blue, not green.

The image in front of me had green lines.

"This is from a different book," I said.

The clerk leaned over the image.

"The registry holds the original."

"I'd like to see it."

"Orson's office keeps the bound volume."

Of course it did.

Damon came up behind us.

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