Val flipped through the pages. "Did Diana ever attend any riots for the timerless?" * * * He squinted at her as he walked over to it. "I feel as if you've rigged this."
Francis thought for a moment. "No. I don't think so." *** He frowned, but there was amusement in her voice. "I definitely did."
Val scribbled it down, frowning slightly. "Hm. Okay. Did Diana experience any problems with her timer after it stopped working? Any rashes or anything?" Poppy nodded slowly, a memory dawning in her eyes. "Yeah... She had a rash around the timer. We thought she had just touched something." * * * He sighed and looked at her. "You realize if I break this then the kids can't use it, yes?"
"She did," Francis agreed. "Did it... have something to do with the timer?" *** "I'm well aware," she said. "It won't break."
"We're not sure yet," Val said with a frown. "We're just finding some awfully unusual coincidences." * * * He sighed and slipped onto the swing, holding the rope tightly with his hands. "Don't you dare laugh if I fall," he warned.
He frowned, his eyes intense as he thought, but said nothing about it. "Okay." *** "I wouldn't dare," she said, innocently raising her hands in surrender. "I'm not like you."
Poppy rubbed his back idly as she looked at the two on the couch afterwards. "Will you tell us?" she asked, sounding somewhat desperate. "You know, if you find anything out?" *** He squinted at her before swinging cautiously. "I'm trusting you here."
"Please," Francis added. "Anything at all.." *** She grinned, crossing her arms. "I know. I'm not untrustworthy."
Val watched them for a moment before sighing. "Fine. But it would be confidential information." *** "Hmph. Forgive me for being skeptical."
"If it has anything to do with our daughter," he said, his voice sharp, "we would like to know." *** "You're forgiven."
Poppy rubbed his back and frowned at them. "Please," she said quietly. Val nodded. "I'll do what I can." *** He squinted before swinging slightly. "Thank you for showing me this place."
Francis went quiet, only sighing slightly as he kissed the top of her head. "Thank you." *** "Of course," she replied, looking around. "I love finding hidden places like this."
"Only a couple more questions," Val said. "How did she react when her timer stopped working?" *** "Have you found others?" he asked curiously.
"She was obviously saddened by it," he answered. "It's a soulmate, after all." *** "Tons," she answered, "but this is only tree house thing I've found."
"Okay," she said with a nod. "And final question. Did Diana have any enemies? Any criminal record?" Poppy raised her brow with shock. "What? Of course not." *** "Maybe I'll make it into a scavenger hunt," Arlo mused. "They'd enjoy that, I think."
"Are you sure?" Val pressed. Poppy frowned, obviously upset by the question. "Dia..." She hesitated with the name, struggling slightly. Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat before continuing. "Our daughter worked really hard to do the right thing. She avoided trouble at all costs." *** He got off the swing and raised an eyebrow. "Show me?"
Francis kissed her cheek, brushing his hand through her hair soothingly. " She wouldn't get in trouble." *** She cocked her head. "Really?"
Val watched them for a moment before sighing, closing her notepad. "Thank you. That should be everything." *** "Really," he said, grinning broadly. "Unless you were bluffing."
Francis nodded, and Landon tilted his head. "Okay. Thank you." *** "I wasn't bluffing," she said, starting to walk. "I didn't expect you would want to see them."
