Cody didn’t get a chance to speak with Hayden until late the next morning, when the brother and sister returned and congregated with the household for Rice’s puppet show in the downstairs parlor. It was the first time Cody had come out of his room to enjoy the entertainment. Bartlett and the other slaves brought chairs into the parlor and Cody pulled Hayden towards the windows for a quiet conversation.
“What happened to you last night?” Cody whispered to Hayden. “You were supposed to be there to see my attacker.”
“Were you attacked?”
“No.”
“I thought not. I snuck back here and no one went anywhere near your room.”
“Weird. Why would that change?” Cody asked.
“Something you did differently yesterday,” Hayden said. “What changed from the other times you lived through May seventh?”
“A b
