When they finished loading the plants into the truck, Max held up her hand for a high five, and Raven slapped it. Then they went off to the greenhouse to fertilize the plants.

“Great kid you have there,” Tom said.

“Yes, she is.”

“Where’s Keith been?” he asked.

“He moved out,” Ellis said.

Tom studied her. “Is that a good or bad thing?”

“It’s just a thing.”

“Want to talk about it over a beer?”

“I don’t.”

“So it’s a bad thing. He’s an ass if he’s the one who left.”

“I really don’t want to talk about this,” Ellis said.

He looked down the hill. “If this is your new guy, I’m feeling really old.”

River was walking over from the barn house. He looked unusually alert for midmorning. He and Jasper had stayed in bed until past noon the previous two mornings since they’d arrived. Ellis suspected River had found a way to get drugs and alcohol in the nearby college town. He and Jasper had free use of the credit cards Jonah had given them.

“Tom, this is my son River,” Ellis said.

They shook hands.

“Are you spending the summer here?” Tom asked him.

“I can’t,” River said. “I haven’t learned how to breathe this much water with my air.”

Tom laughed. “You live up north?”

“New York,” River said. “I think people who live here must be hiding gills if they can survive these summers.”

“The humidity definitely takes some getting used to,” Tom said. “If you stick around and need work, my landscape crew is shorthanded.”

“I can’t imagine why,” River said.

Tom looked as if the sarcasm was wearing on him. “Well, I’d better get going. See you next week, Ellis. Good to meet you, River.”

“As if I’d dig around in the dirt all day,” River scoffed after Tom started his truck.

“Why not? It might do you good.”

“I’d rather swim with the alligators out back.”

“What gets you up so early?” she asked.

“It’s not that early. I was wondering where you were.”

Ellis sensed tension in him.

“Do you need something?”

“Yeah. Maybe breakfast. If that’s okay.”

Since he and Jasper had arrived, River had driven into Gainesville or Ocala to get fast food for most of his meals. Jasper sometimes went with him, but he mostly ate with Ellis and Raven.

“No eggs or meat,” she warned.

“I know.”

He was definitely acting strange. She wondered what was going on.

While she was cooking, Jasper arrived in the kitchen. “Why are you already up?” he asked his brother.

“For the scrambled tofu and veggies, of course.”

“Yeah, right,” Jasper said.

“Want some?” Ellis asked Jasper.

“Sure. Thanks.” He sat at the kitchen table with River.

Ellis made more when Raven came in. She had just enough ingredients for the three of them. She heated leftovers for herself.

She put the four plates on the table and sat down. The boys ate fast; Raven picked at her food as usual.

“Want to check out tubing at that spring?” Jasper asked.

“Maybe later,” River replied.

“Do you want to come with us?” Jasper asked Raven.

“What is tubing?”

“You rent an inner tube and float down a river called the Ichetucknee. Apparently, it’s one of the highlights of living around here.”

“But don’t get too excited,” River said. “Bird-watching at Paynes Prairie was next on the list.”

“Paynes Prairie is gorgeous,” Ellis said.

“I’ll take your word for it,” River said.

His phone buzzed. He looked at it, then cast an odd glance at Ellis.

“What?” she said.

“Nothing.”

“River . . . ,” Jasper said.

River looked at him.

“What are you doing? You’re acting weird.”

“Which is typical, isn’t it?” He got up and put his empty plate in the sink.

Outside, Quercus started barking.

Ellis went to the living room windows and watched a car drive slowly down the gravel road.

“Did one of you leave the gate open last night?” Ellis called.

They joined at the window and peered out at the car.

“I opened it,” River said. “This morning.”

Now she understood why he’d been tense. “Who is it? Jonah? Did you tell him to come here?”

River snorted. “If you think Dad drives a car like that, you really don’t remember him well.”

He was right. It was an old sedan.

She walked out onto the porch, and the kids followed. The man in the car was afraid to get out because Quercus was standing next to the driver’s door, barking.

Ellis called Quercus to her side. He was much more obedient than his two predecessors.

The man got out of the car. He was probably in his sixties, balding and a little overweight. His face looked familiar. He stared at Ellis intently.