An hour later, with the roar of an engine, a dust-covered secondhand Ford slowly drove into the yard at Kent Farm.
Solomon had used Teleportation to visit a town dozens of kilometers away and casually borrowed the car with his mental powers, backing up his lie that his car had broken down and had just been repaired.
Solomon opened the door and walked over to Martha, who was sitting uneasily in a lounge chair on the porch, a gentle smile on his face.
"Martha, I was in luck. The mechanic in town got it sorted out for me. I think it's time I said goodbye. Thank you again for taking me in last night."
When she heard that Solomon was leaving, Martha immediately panicked.
Clark was still on his way back. If she let this hard-won lead slip away just like that, her son would regret it for the rest of his life!
"Oh, wait, Solomon!"
Martha hurried to her feet, her mind racing as she desperately searched for an excuse to keep him there.
"That won't do! You must be exhausted after going all that way to get your car repaired. Stay for lunch. No, stay until after dinner! I was just about to bake my special apple pie, and I've made beef stew too. Besides... to tell you the truth, some heavy fences and haystacks on the farm need fixing up. An old woman like me really can't move them. Could you stay and give me a hand?"
Watching Martha's awkward but earnest efforts to keep him there, Solomon laughed to himself.
"Well, since you've put it that way, I'd be happy to accept."
Without the slightest protest, Solomon went along with her request, taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves.
"Just leave any heavy work