Magic Hour: A Novel

Cal takes Ellie home from work. Julia tells them that she named the girl Alice and shows Ellie a picture of Alice in a dress. She asks them to watch Alice while she goes to the library to research Alice’s diet. Cal recommends that she go talk to Max about the diet, then teases Julia about Max’s good looks. Ellie laughs this off by saying that Julia is not Max’s type. Julia leaves, looking hurt. Cal is angry that Ellie was mean to Julia, and Ellie gets defensive. Cal tells her that the only emotions she cares about are her own and leaves.

Max sees Julia leaving the library, and Julia tells him that she needs to talk with him about Alice. He invites her over to his house, and as Julia drives, she feels nervous about going to his house at night. He invites her inside and makes her a drink. Julia asks Max what Alice might have been eating in the woods, based on his examination. Max says that she was living off the land, but he cannot make any concrete guesses about what she ate.

Julia tells Max her theory about Alice being a so-called feral child.