Tori was busy wiping down the counter. She met her mom’s gaze. “What?”

“I think you should take a break tomorrow. Hang out with Diana. Go to the dance studio. Have pizza. Shop. Anything but go to school.”

Tori nodded. “Okay.”

Kerri kissed her on the forehead. “We’ll get through this.”

Tori threw her arms around Kerri and held tight for a moment. When she let go, she actually smiled. It was a small one, but it was there just the same. “I’m going to shower. Get my homework done and then zone out with some new series on Prime.”

Kerri tapped her nose. “Sounds like a good idea.”

When she was gone, Kerri reached for her phone. She needed backup here. It felt as if an elephant was sitting on her chest.

Falco answered on the first ring. “Funny thing, you calling.”

“Funny how?” Kerri pushed “Start” on the dishwasher.

“I just parked in your driveway. Cross is right behind me. We got stuff to talk about.”

More than he knew. “Great. I have spaghetti.” She always made too much.

“Heading for your door now.”

Kerri ended the call and went to the door and unlocked it. Falco had a six-pack of beer. Beer would be really good right now. Cross trailed after him. She looked as weary as Kerri felt.

When they’d gathered in the kitchen and Kerri had prepared plates for her visitors, Falco got to the point. “Cross found a hidden thumb drive at the Taylor house. She thinks maybe that’s what the guy who broke in was after.”

Kerri twisted the cap off a beer, her gaze settling on the other woman. “Anything interesting on it?”

“Don’t know yet. I’ve got my guy working to get into the files. Evidently Walsh—assuming it was his—didn’t want just anyone looking at it.”

“And he didn’t mention this whatever it is to you?” Falco asked.

Cross shook her head. Downed a slug of beer. “Nope. But if it’s important enough for the DEA to want it, it must be good.”

“The DEA?” Kerri asked.

“A guy who does jobs for my old man was the one who broke into her house. I confronted the almighty Mason Cross right in his office, but he pretended he had no idea what I was talking about. He lied. I could always tell when he was lying.”

Kerri understood. She did not like Agent Cross. She doubted many people did. There was no need to offer the BPD’s assistance with the hacking. Kerri knew firsthand that Cross’s computer guru was the best.

“Did you notice he stood next to Mrs. Walsh during the press conference announcing the reward?” Kerri still couldn’t get right with the way the mother had looked.

“Yeah, I heard about it. The real question,” Cross offered, “is why was he even there? In front of the camera? He usually likes to stay away from the media.”

“Another mystery,” Falco noted.

“Speaking of mysteries, what did you two find at the warehouses?” Cross asked. “Walsh never mentioned any warehouses to me.”

“We didn’t find anything, really,” Falco said. “But there is this odd connection to the case at Tori’s school.”

He looked to Kerri, and she took it from there, explaining the black Escalade and José and Alice Cortez. She finished off her beer and reached for another.

Before Cross could comment, Falco asked Kerri, “What happened today?”

She had wondered how long it would take her partner to see through her pretense that she was okay. She didn’t hold back; she gave him everything Tori had told her. Inside, she was shaking by the time she’d recounted the whole story. This was wrong. Completely wrong. Tori was innocent, but someone—maybe Alice Cortez—was trying to make her look and feel guilty.

“Why would this Alice go to all these lengths?” Cross wanted to know. “What’s in it for her?”

Kerri told her about the girls at Walker Academy and what had happened there. The story Sue Grimes had shared and then about Sue’s death and the student, Violet Redmond, who had gone missing.

“That’s one hell of a coincidence,” Cross said slowly, as if her mind were somewhere else. “What else do you know about the Cortez girl?”

Kerri explained how staying the night with Alice had freaked Tori out because of the bizarre religious elements and the inability to recall things that had happened at Alice’s house and just before the Myers girl’s fall. “There is something off with this girl, and I need to find it before anything else happens.”

Falco asked, “You still want me to take that hair sample to the guy I know?”

“Definitely.” Kerri opened the drawer next to the sink and retrieved the plastic bag. She passed it to Falco. “How long do you think your friend will need for the analysis?”

“Twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”

Kerri nodded. “As much as I hope my daughter hasn’t been drugged, it would sure explain a hell of a lot.”

“I could do some digging,” Cross offered. “Falco mentioned you could use some help. Do you have a photo of this Alice Cortez?”

“Several.” Kerri reached for her cell, passed it to Cross.

Examining each one closely, Cross went through the photos. Finally, she tapped one. “Send me that one.”

Kerri sent her the photo in a text. “Her uncle working at one of Ms. Taylor’s warehouses could be nothing more than a coincidence. I get that. But it feels like more when I consider all the things about this girl I’ve learned the past couple of days.”

“Think about it,” Falco suggested. “What kind of warehouse employee drives an Escalade and sends his niece to the most expensive private school in the state?”

“There could have been a sizable estate from her parents,” Kerri offered, playing devil’s advocate to her own theory.

“Like I said, I’ll dig around. See what I can come up with.” Cross stood. She seemed unusually agitated. Suddenly ready to go. “If I get anything from the thumb drive, I’ll let you know.”

Kerri walked her to the door. Before opening it, she said, “I really appreciate any help on this thing with my daughter. The whole situation makes me feel helpless.”

Cross nodded. “I’m familiar with that territory. I’ll get back to you soon.”