admit she’s there.”
“She’s there. I saw her.”
“I know that,” Daniel said. “I spotted her, too. But it’s as if the two of them have a sixth sense about when I’m going to walk through the door and, poof, Kendra vanishes out the back.”
“Any idea why Molly’s lying to you?”
“Because she thinks she’s helping Kendra. She’s not giving her up until she knows what’s going on back at the girl’s home. Have you made any progress on that front?”
“I’ve poked around the neighborhood and Kendra’s school,” Joe said. “From everything I’ve seen and heard, they’re a model family. Mom’s a chemist. Dad’s a brilliant physicist. Everybody’s squeaky clean, as near as I can tell. The kid’s some sort of genius. She’s skipped a few grades.”
“Which is probably why she’s been able to run circles around everyone who’s been looking for her,” Daniel concluded, then added, “with a little help from Molly, who’s no slouch when it comes to making up her own rules.”
Joe studied him quizzically. “What’s that about?”
“What?”
“That edge in your voice when you mention Molly? I heard it the other day, too.”
“Ancient history,” Daniel said, trying to make light of it.
Even so, Joe reacted with dismay. “Why the hell didn’t you say something about having a relationship with Molly when I asked you to go over there? I thought you were just reacting to the fact that the kid was serving chowder in a bar.”
“What would have been the point?” Daniel asked with a shrug “You needed someone to go to Widow’s Cove and check things out. That’s my job. Besides, whatever there was between Molly and me ended a long time ago.” Or at least it had, he acknowledged, silently, if you didn’t count his reaction to seeing her again.
Joe shook his head. “There are other people in the department.”
“But you came to me because Widow’s Cove is my turf. Come on, Joe, we’ve got more important things to worry about than my history with Molly Creighton. Are you ready to pick up Kendra?”
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Joe said. “That’s what I ought to do. I ought to call her folks and say I’ve located their daughter and bring on the happy ending.”
Daniel frowned, sensing the unspoken hesitation. “But you’re not going to do that, are you?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Gut instinct. Good kids— smart kids—don’t take off from perfect parents just for the thrill of it. I wantto know what’s going on. It’s got to be about more than them not letting her wear lipstick or go out on a date with some boy they disapprove of.”
“The department could have your badge for not acting on this sooner.”
“It’s not my case. And I haven’t actually seen Kendra Morrow close enough to ID her beyond a reasonable doubt,” Joe said. “Have you?”
“No,” Daniel admitted. “But we both know it’s her.”
“Do we really?” Joe pressed.
“Come on, Joe, we’re breaking every rule in the book by not reuniting that kid with her family. You know that. Have you even spoken to the investigating officer and told him you think you’ve located her?”
“I’ve told him. He’s willing to let me do some more digging.” Joe leaned forward, his expression intense. “What’s the goal here? Yours and mine? It’s to keep the kid safe, right? She’s not on the streets. She’s with Molly. She’s safe. We don’t know that she would be if we sent her home. I want to know that, in my gut, before I shake things up over in Widow’s Cove. I’m going to see the parents, see what my gut tells me about them. You keep trying to get close to the kid. Go around or through Molly, if you have to. Just see her.”
Daniel chuckled. “You must not know Molly all that well if you think anybody goes ‘around’ or ‘through’ her. That doesn’t happen unless she wants it to.”
“Want to switch roles? You can go talk to the parents, and I’ll work on
“She’s there. I saw her.”
“I know that,” Daniel said. “I spotted her, too. But it’s as if the two of them have a sixth sense about when I’m going to walk through the door and, poof, Kendra vanishes out the back.”
“Any idea why Molly’s lying to you?”
“Because she thinks she’s helping Kendra. She’s not giving her up until she knows what’s going on back at the girl’s home. Have you made any progress on that front?”
“I’ve poked around the neighborhood and Kendra’s school,” Joe said. “From everything I’ve seen and heard, they’re a model family. Mom’s a chemist. Dad’s a brilliant physicist. Everybody’s squeaky clean, as near as I can tell. The kid’s some sort of genius. She’s skipped a few grades.”
“Which is probably why she’s been able to run circles around everyone who’s been looking for her,” Daniel concluded, then added, “with a little help from Molly, who’s no slouch when it comes to making up her own rules.”
Joe studied him quizzically. “What’s that about?”
“What?”
“That edge in your voice when you mention Molly? I heard it the other day, too.”
“Ancient history,” Daniel said, trying to make light of it.
Even so, Joe reacted with dismay. “Why the hell didn’t you say something about having a relationship with Molly when I asked you to go over there? I thought you were just reacting to the fact that the kid was serving chowder in a bar.”
“What would have been the point?” Daniel asked with a shrug “You needed someone to go to Widow’s Cove and check things out. That’s my job. Besides, whatever there was between Molly and me ended a long time ago.” Or at least it had, he acknowledged, silently, if you didn’t count his reaction to seeing her again.
Joe shook his head. “There are other people in the department.”
“But you came to me because Widow’s Cove is my turf. Come on, Joe, we’ve got more important things to worry about than my history with Molly Creighton. Are you ready to pick up Kendra?”
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Joe said. “That’s what I ought to do. I ought to call her folks and say I’ve located their daughter and bring on the happy ending.”
Daniel frowned, sensing the unspoken hesitation. “But you’re not going to do that, are you?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Gut instinct. Good kids— smart kids—don’t take off from perfect parents just for the thrill of it. I wantto know what’s going on. It’s got to be about more than them not letting her wear lipstick or go out on a date with some boy they disapprove of.”
“The department could have your badge for not acting on this sooner.”
“It’s not my case. And I haven’t actually seen Kendra Morrow close enough to ID her beyond a reasonable doubt,” Joe said. “Have you?”
“No,” Daniel admitted. “But we both know it’s her.”
“Do we really?” Joe pressed.
“Come on, Joe, we’re breaking every rule in the book by not reuniting that kid with her family. You know that. Have you even spoken to the investigating officer and told him you think you’ve located her?”
“I’ve told him. He’s willing to let me do some more digging.” Joe leaned forward, his expression intense. “What’s the goal here? Yours and mine? It’s to keep the kid safe, right? She’s not on the streets. She’s with Molly. She’s safe. We don’t know that she would be if we sent her home. I want to know that, in my gut, before I shake things up over in Widow’s Cove. I’m going to see the parents, see what my gut tells me about them. You keep trying to get close to the kid. Go around or through Molly, if you have to. Just see her.”
Daniel chuckled. “You must not know Molly all that well if you think anybody goes ‘around’ or ‘through’ her. That doesn’t happen unless she wants it to.”
“Want to switch roles? You can go talk to the parents, and I’ll work on
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