After arriving in Denver, Adele boarded a Greyhound bus to Colorado Springs. As the bus traveled across the plains for nearly four hours, the orange sandstone rocks glistening in the sunlight welcomed her as she approached her destination.
Betty operated a lodge near the Garden of the Gods, featuring several A-frame cabins and timber houses by the Fountain Creek stream, resembling something out of a fairy tale.
***
"Wait, is that really you, Adele?" Betty exclaimed, momentarily frozen in surprise before rushing over to hug her.
"Betty! I'm sorry for showing up so suddenly. Did I surprise you...?"
"If it's a surprise like this, I can handle it... I really missed you, Adele!"
"How have you been? No, how did you get all the way out here? You didn't even contact me..."
Betty bombarded Adele with questions as if she had no intention of letting her go.
"There have been a lot of things going on. But now, I'm trying to start anew," Adele replied.
"Let's take our time to talk."
"By the way, this place is really beautiful. I can't believe you're running a lodge in such a wonderful location..."
"Thank you! This place is where my dream came true. You can rest as long as you want!"
"You must be tired, so let's find you a place to rest first."
Choosing the blue-roofed A-frame cabin, Adele finally fell into a deep, comfortable sleep after a long and arduous journey across the continent.
***
Meanwhile, Daniel and Iris began their search for Adele's traces starting from the Whitehead Institute, where Adele had worked. The two headed to Dr. Campbell's house in West Roxbury, South Boston, as directed by the institute.
'What kind of research did Adele do?' Iris kept asking herself in the car. 'How is her research related to me?'
Upon arriving in West Roxbury, they were greeted by the bright and peaceful atmosphere of the neighborhood. "Here it is, 102 Bellevue Ave," Daniel said, checking the address as he parked the car. They walked toward Dr. Campbell's house, which featured a mint-colored wall wrapped in a white terrace and an impressive second-floor balcony beneath a gray gabled roof.
Taking a deep breath, they knocked on the door. After a moment, an elderly woman opened it, looking somewhat surprised. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm Daniel Harris, Adele's husband, and this is Iris," Daniel said cautiously. "We came to talk to Dr. Campbell."
"Dr. Campbell passed away from cancer two years ago." Her eyes reflected lingering sadness.
Daniel shared with Dr. Campbell's wife the details of Adele's disappearance and expressed his desire to find any trace of her.
"My husband never spoke about the institute at home," she said. "I don't know anything... I'm sorry I can't help."
Returning home without any leads, Daniel fell into deep thought.
"What happened to Adele? Why is there no trace of her anywhere?" Countless questions swirled in his mind.