“We are leaving, Ava. Thank you for letting us sleep here.” I bent down to thank her. I also held Randle’s head, so he could thank Ava as well. It is better to teach him how to be grateful while he is young.

“Are you certain that’s all you’re going to bring?” she said, pointing to the bag she’d handed me. He gave me Turstin’s sports bag, and it was empty except for Randle’s clothing and the logbook bank Randall had given me.

I raised it to examine it, then grinned and tightened my grasp on it. That was on my other arm, as I was holding Randle on the...