"Did she say where?" I asked. I felt a sickness in my stomach at the news, in spite of having surmised as much.
"No. She addressed it to us and said she hates to do it but it's time to stop what we've all been working on for the last nine months. Quinn feels that way too and they know deep down it's time to go into hiding. Quinn is coming back east from Santa Barbara so they can leave together as a family." She began to cry anew. "She says she hates to leave what she has here in Keene."
"Come on home," I said. "It may be temporary. We'll talk about it."
"Martha wants me to have the antiques we searched for together all the cranberry glass, the Hobstar crystal, even the Tiffany lamp she so cherished. They're not coming back Ben, I know it. They'll use those names we were all given. We don't even know each other's identity."
"Come on home," I repeated.
"I will. I just want to sit here a little while. God, I knew all this would end someday but I never dreamed it would feel so empty. We've changed the world together, for lots of people and now we can't even talk about what we did. I thought when all this was behind us, we could reminisce about it and maybe revel in all the good we managed to accomplish. It would be our secret; how we started, how we were a party to something that never happened before in history, and probably never will again; what we did and why; just the five of us. Now I won't even see Claire take her first step. I'm sorry, Ben. I just feel devastated."
While I waited for my, wife's return I sifted through the startling news she'd told me. I could see Quinn's hand in the decision, far more than Martha's. While she was obviously frightened for herself and her daughter I couldn't believe she'd abandon our life-long friendship so abruptly. I truly felt I'd hear from Martha again. This was so unlike the girl I'd known for a lifetime.
My frustration forced action of some sort so I picked up the phone and dialed Howie and Julie's room at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara. Julie answered.
"Julie, Quinn, Martha and the baby aren't coming. They've gone into hiding," I said this as soon as she picked up. She was speechless. I repeated what I'd said. "They're not coming back. It's best if you and Howie return to Keene. We'll figure out what to do when we're all together."
"He'll be shattered, ruined. God, he's so fragile this will kill him. He's spent half the day on the phone with his shrink-doctor. Even she couldn't help. He needs desperately to know what happened to his sister and what he did that turned his own mother against him. Now Martha is gone and deserted just when he needed her to help him. Who else knows? Do you and Betsy? God, I don't know what to do!"