Michelle had calmed down somewhat on the way back, but she still trembled. The impact of seeing the body had been terrifying.

"Don't think about it," Elijah said lightly, gently hugging her.

"I can't," she replied, turning to him. "What do you think?" He remained silent.

"Is Rhea really dead?" Again, silence.

"How can it be so coincidental? Something happened just as we were searching for her! Our people saw her go home, and no one saw her leave. How did she end up in that abandoned factory? What kind of experiment was she conducting? How could it explode like that? It seems like..."

"Like what?" Elijah prompted. Michelle chewed on her lip.

"Don't you think it's too much like a setup?"

"Are you saying Fabian and Maria are behind this?" Elijah considered the possibility. If so, they were remarkably cunning. He'd been careful to avoid alarming them; everything seemed clandestine. How could they have anticipated his intentions and orchestrated this? Was it necessary to go this far, to fake Rhea's death?

Michelle shook her head. "No, I don't think they were acting. It would be terrifying if they were. I've met Mrs. Moore a few times, and she doesn't strike me as someone who could hide her emotions. Maria's fainting fit seemed genuine. If it was an act, she's a very talented actress."

"This whole thing is too strange! I've already assigned people to watch them. If this is a fake, we'll find something!" Elijah offered comfort, the best he could manage.

"Then, let's..." Michelle paused. "I want to see Austin again."

"Uncle Dom...he..." Elijah hesitated. Dominic had a volatile temper; they risked his wrath by disturbing him.

"You're just afraid of him!" Michelle's anger flared. "I just want to see my son. Is that wrong? Besides, we should tell him what happened and hear what he has to say. Perhaps he knows about some drug that could simulate death in his books!"

Even she recognized the whimsical nature of the suggestion. A drug could only temporarily stop the heart. They'd seen the body retrieved from the fire; it was being sent for autopsy. Unless the corpse wasn't Rhea...

Elijah pondered this. The forensic doctor could determine if it wasn't Rhea, couldn't they? He couldn't solve the puzzle, but he understood his wife's longing to see their son. After a moment, he conceded.

"Okay. Let's go."

Michelle's face lit up. Her fear and nausea significantly lessened.