“An old family plot on the northern edge of the woods,” I said.

My chest tightened as the memory came back.

“My grandfather’s headstone,” I said. “It’s a large stone monument, but the casket underneath is empty.”

“Just like your father’s coffin in New Jersey,” Mara said.

“Yes,” I said. “He must have hidden the physical files there before he went into hiding.”

I looked up at Mara, my breath shallow in the cold room.

“He knew they would come for him,” I said. “He set this path for me years ago.”

Mara looked away, her face shadowed by the dim light of the lamp.

She ran a hand through her wet hair and let out a quiet sigh.

“He didn’t just set a path, Natalie,” she said.

“What do you mean?” I asked, watching her face.

“Your father and your mother,” Mara said, her voice dropping. “They didn’t just leave clues for you.”

“They planned this,” she said.

I frowned, my hand still resting on the notebook. “Planned what?”

“Your entire life,” Mara said, looking directly into my eyes.