Nicole Bassler’s journey begins in Welmington after the ordeal in the mausoleum. She spends six months living in the late Dimitri’s house. During her time there, she finds herself reading the Bible, meditating, and praying. She finds a connection to God that she never had before. It was a connection that she had only previously seen in Annie. Finding God like this gives her a deeper understanding of Annie. However, it also comes with the need to do as God commands her to the best of her ability.

Nicole sees what is happening at the park and realizes that she must see Brian one last time. A few days before the ceremony happens, she hears a voice telling her that she must prepare herself to go to a place called Solstin in Wyoming. She had never heard of the place before, but she knew that she must go. She informs Brian that she will be leaving and where she will be going on the day of the ceremony.

Nicole’s mission once she arrives in Solstin is to search the forest for an old man who built a house for the purpose of good. However, the house became more than a house and the old man had departed from it to go into hiding. After all, he had become ridiculed by the townsfolk, because of his ambitions. More importantly, he had lost his beloved wife to the house.

Although Nicole is unable to find him for five years. She has done almost all but given up in her search for him, but she also becomes distracted by assisting her new boss at the police precinct with research into his house, including talking to the people who knew the builder best. Unbeknownst to her though, her new boss is a cousin to Brian and she is unwilling to see him at this point. Moreover, when she is given the job at the precinct, she uses a false identity by the name of Carey Relssa.