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Rome.”
    â€œI’m impressed,” I said, lying down on the bed. “But you’re missing one thing.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œA television. I know because I watched a whole lot of crazy Japanese cartoons the week we stayed in Tokyo.”
    â€œNo TVs,” she said. “I want to create a space where people can get away from things. Plus, nobody comes to Rolling Hills to watch TV. They come here for the hiking, the fishing and the slow pace, but they don’t come for TV.”
    â€œWhat about Wi-Fi? Tell me I can get online.”
    â€œIn a week we should be hooked up. Don’t give me grief about this, Charlie — and don’t get too comfortable. You’ll have to move when the guests arrive.”
    â€œMove where?”
    â€œI’m going to renovate the garage out back into an apartment for you and Lilith. It won’t be big, but it’ll be all yours.”
    â€œAn apartment? You know that we already own an apartment in New York, right? And you’re aware we also have a summerhouse and a winter house. I don’t think we really need more places to live, Ma.”
    â€œWe’re selling them, Charlie.”
    â€œAll of them?”
    â€œI need a new start. We need a new start.”
    â€œWhat about my stuff?”
    â€œIt’s in storage. I’ll have it sent here when we’re ready.”
    â€œDoes Dad know about this? I mean, jeesh, does our whole life have to change?”
    Mom was about to say something when Lilith stepped into my room. “Nothing is permanent, Charlie.”
    She was wearing a white full-body unitard that covered her from head to toe except for her face.
    â€œLilith,” I said, “either you just traveled back from the future or you’re about to go bobsledding.”
    â€œThese are Uber-Jams, Charlie. They allow my skin to breathe while I’m asleep, leaving me more rejuvenated in the morning.”
    â€œThe sheriff’s coming, Lilith,” Mom said. “There’s a boy downstairs who refuses to leave.”
    â€œI know,” Lilith grumbled, and left.
    â€œI need to change before he gets here,” Mom said. “There’s pizza in the fridge if you need a snack while we wait.”
    â€œGreat,” I said, following her out of my room.
    â€œThe bathroom is down the hall, third door on the left.”
    â€œThanks, but I just went.”
    Friday, 11:06 p.m.
    I ambled back downstairs and went into the kitchen. An ancient fridge was buzzing to my left. There was a sign taped to the smaller door at the top that read: DO NOT USE THE FREEZER! I opened the bottom door and found three pieces of vegetarian pizza crammed together on a plate. The only other thing in the fridge was a small bottle of mustard. I took out the pizza and looked around for a microwave. The kitchen was big, with an old-style gas stove, a long counter that ran along the back wall, a double sink, plenty of cupboards and a wooden table in the middle with benches on either side instead of chairs, but there was no microwave. I decided I wasn’t hungry enough to eat cold vegetarian pizza, so I put it back in the fridge and headed for the front door. As I passed through the foyer, Miles burst out of the darkness of the drawing room, nearly giving me a heart attack.
    â€œCripes, Miles, you can’t jump out of a room like that,” I said, trying to collect myself.
    â€œAre you aware that there are antique dolls in there?” he said, pointing back into the drawing room. “An entire bookcase filled with antique dolls.”
    â€œIs there a problem with antique dolls?”
    â€œIs there a problem with antique dolls?” he said. “Are you familiar with the Holscomb Affair of 1957?”
    â€œSurprisingly no, I’m not.”
    â€œWilliam and Judy Holscomb moved into a house at 101 Darling Street in Ogden Springs, Virginia, on June 22, 1957, with their two daughters, Georgia, who