Ruby Holler

After Dallas’s fall, he tells Sairy that he has a feeling that Florida is in danger. He also worries about the understone funds, realizing it may have been unwise to speak of them to Mr. Trepid.

He and Sairy rush toward the river in search of Florida and Tiller and come upon two teenage boys who are hunting. The boys offer to care for Dallas and Florida’s backpack while the two head off in search of a phone, telling them there is a diner close by. Dallas is unsure whether the boys can be trusted but agrees to leave his bag.

Z drives away from the Moreys’ home, regretting having agreed to help Mr. Trepid. Z, readers learn, is actually the Moreys’ neighbor and close friend. He feels bad about obtaining the passport for Dallas and forging a birth certificate in order to do so. In the process, Z searched hospital records and discovered that the twins were born on April 4. The woman listed as their mother is Z’s former wife. He tries to recall the date of her leaving, wondering if he could be Dallas and Florida’s father.

Florida continues to fight the river. She is able to grab hold of a log, which she uses to keep herself upright. She calls out for Tiller, but he is nowhere in sight.

Sairy and Dallas do not find a diner, and Dallas is certain the teens lied to them. Sairy feels foolish, but Dallas tells her not to berate herself. He asks about Z, telling Sairy he saw Z speaking with Mr. Trepid. Sairy says Z once had a wife, but, unhappy with holler life, she left. Suddenly, Sairy and Dallas arrive at a farmhouse.

Tiller has been swimming in hopes of reaching Florida, but his arms give out and he is pulled under. He thinks of his daughter, Rose, whom he once pulled up from underwater when she was attempting to hold her breath for as long as she could. He thinks, too, of Sairy and wishes he would have agreed to go with her on her trip.

Z drives Sairy and Dallas toward the river in search of Florida and Tiller. He tells them of Mr. Trepid’s plan to steal the understone funds, explaining that he himself located the money and put it away for safekeeping so that Mr. Trepid could not get to it. Dallas feels awful about telling Mr. Trepid about the understone funds.

Florida pulls herself onto the bank, then calls for Tiller. She spots his jacket bobbing in the water. The boat is ashore, and Florida is able to use some rope from it to secure herself to a tree. Holding the rope, she wades into the water and is able to drag Tiller ashore. Tiller opens his eyes and instructs Florida to get help. Sairy, Dallas, and Z hear her shouting.

Florida and Dallas wait with Z in the hospital waiting room. The twins are anxious, and Z cannot obtain any information about Tiller’s status. Sairy joins them, telling them it looks as though Tiller will be okay.

At Ruby Holler, Z, Dallas, Florida, and Sairy dig two holes. They fill one with mousetraps, lizards, worms, nettles, and other unpleasant items; the other they fill with a batch of brownies Sairy has baked. Z gives Mr. Trepid a map, indicating where he can find the “treasure” at Ruby Holler.

Mrs. Trepid is angry when her husband tells her he must be away all day to check on some investments. She demands to know why he is wearing old clothing to do so, and Mr. Trepid explains that the investments are land investments in the country.

At the hospital, Sairy tells Tiller that the doctor has determined he will not need heart surgery. Tiller is eager to leave the hospital. They discuss the twins; Sairy asks Tiller to think of ways they might be able to keep them. She reminds Tiller that Mr. Trepid is scheduled to visit Ruby Holler the next day, and this makes Tiller even more determined to leave.

Mr. Trepid drives to Ruby Holler, thinking about the money he will unearth and imagining driving a red convertible. The twins and Sairy spy on him through binoculars as he digs up the mousetraps, nettles, and other items they have buried to trick him. Just when Mr. Trepid is about to give up, he unearths something that he deems valuable.

Mr. Trepid shows Mrs. Trepid the jewels he unearthed at Ruby Holler, which he is certain are emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. He plans to take them to the jewelry store for appraisal, but first gives one of each to Mrs. Trepid. Mr. Trepid complains that he is itchy and wonders about a rash he seems to have obtained.

At Ruby Holler, everyone celebrates by baking a cake and exclaiming over how mad Mr. Trepid was when he discovered the fake treasure. The “jewels” are worthless. Z asks about the planned trips, and Sairy explains that they will remain in the holler for now. Tiller leaves to retrieve their two children from the airport, and Florida angrily thinks about how the Moreys will be rid of her and Dallas soon.

Mr. Trepid returns to the car dealership, saying that he plans to buy the red convertible and asking to take it for a test drive first. He drives the car to the jewelry store where he asks to have his jewels appraised. His neck itches and he is annoyed by the rash he has acquired. After Mr. Trepid has left, the salesclerk laughs over the fake jewels.

From the loft, Dallas and Florida hear Tiller, Sairy, and their children discussing them. Their adult children do not want Tiller and Sairy to continue to care for the twins at Ruby Holler. Dallas begins packing his things, then convinces Florida that they should escape via the night train.

After everyone else has gone to bed, the twins sneak out. They intend to take the money they have hidden, but then realize that Z still has it for safekeeping and leave without it.

Florida and Dallas walk along the creek toward the train, but Florida begins to have second thoughts about leaving. The twins decide to camp outside for the night and decide in the morning whether or not to continue. Both have pleasant dreams involving birds. When they wake to the smell of bacon cooking, the twins decide to stay in Ruby Holler, though they don’t state their decision explicitly.