Page 15 of Perfection

“Wait.” Kindra drew a measured breath to keep her voice calm. “Can you tell me anything about the girl before you go?”

“Nothing important, I’m afraid. Only that Isabelle’s mother was extremely concerned about the child’s recent inability to make a spiritual connection. It seems she had an upsetting incident two days prior to her death.”

“I already have that in my notes,” York said.

Kindra’s mind flashed to Brianna’scan’texplanation this morning. Her pulse raced as she looked at York. “Perhaps I can speak to the mother.”

“Why would you need to do that? Your area is genetics,” he said.

“It may give me some clue as to the direction to search. D children have a strong spiritual pull. It may reveal something about the child’s chemical system, brain, or other parts of her body.”

Finn rolled his shoulders and moved away as they discussed something he wasn’t supposed to involve himself in.

York stared at Kindra. “Spiritual unity is a GEI attribute I don’t understand, so I can’t distinguish what significance it might have,” he admitted, his tone reluctant.

“It may be an important indication of something wrong with the brain, depending on what caused her death. And for the record, the spiritual plane isn’t exclusively obtainable by GEI. Most anyone can experience it. They just have to learn how.”

York peered at her, seeming unconvinced. Kindra stood taller. Her first, and most fearful, concern was that the illness wasn’t unique to Isabelle and that there was an error in the genetics. Had something gone wrong in the gene sequence?

“Are you ready?” he asked. “I could lose my job over this, as could you. So now is the time to back out.”

“Let’s do this. I won’t let down the children I created.”

Finn paused at the door. “Make it quick.”