Richard Dickerson

"He asked me to look after his things," Derrica says, into Richard's shirt. "After Val de Foncé brought up that Rifters should get their affairs in order."

This is not Val's fault, but there is some misplaced anger in her voice for him anyway. As if raising the topic had disturbed the universe in some minor way, just enough to pull Holden away from them.

"I didn't think it was necessary."

Even Derrica knows that the truth is more: I hadn't wanted to think of it.