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up on it.
    “What I don’t encourage you to do, in fact I really dis courage it, is to seek out anyone who may be involved. For instance, Ben Radcliffe. We don’t need you stirring the pot with a potential suspect. Hear me, Miss Gardner?”
    “Loud and clear.” Clara kept her head high and her back straight when she added, “But I’m going to do anything it takes to get my sister home safe. Hear me , Detective Carlisle?”
    The two women regarded each other for a few seconds. Finally, Carlisle shrugged. “So, was your sister sleeping with someone?”
    “Not that I know of. Don’t all single women keep condoms in their nightstands?”
    With a grimace, Judy Carlisle replied, “I wouldn’t know, I’ve been married for twenty years. Look through the closet and see if anything’s missing – clothes, shoes, luggage, anything at all.”
    Clara did as directed and when she emerged, found the detective on the floor with a flashlight. “Anything good under the bed?”
    “Just dust and a few used tissues.” She got up nimbly and went into the bathroom, opening drawers and sorting through make-up and hair products. From the medicine cabinet she pulled out a package of birth control pills and opened it. “Last one she took was Monday.”
    This fact, more than anything, crushed Clara. She sat down on the toilet seat and pressed her fists to her eyes until she saw stars. Some part of her, despite all indications to the contrary, had still held out hope that Maddy had taken off for a few days because she met a guy, or because she was mentally or physically exhausted, or because Michelle or Eddie had done something to upset her and she just wanted to get away. Anything voluntary could be forgiven. But suddenly, looking at the pill packet in Detective Carlisle’s hand, she knew without a doubt that someone bad had taken her sister away from her. She a felt hand on her shoulder and squinted up at Carlisle. “She’s my best friend,” she said, and then she could feel tears running down her cheeks.
    Carlisle awkwardly pulled a handful of toilet paper off the roll and handed it to Clara. “We’re going to do everything we know how to find Maddy. I promise you that, Miss Gardner.”
    And Clara believed her. But even as her tears subsided she knew that it might not be enough and she wouldn’t stop her own search. Friend or foe, she was determined to get to Ben Radcliffe before the cops scared him off.

Chapter Five
    B efore Carlisle and Kincaid left Maddy’s apartment, the redheaded detective asked if they could take Maddy’s laptop. Refusing, Clara told him she wanted to keep looking through it. The detective hadn’t argued, but she could tell he didn’t approve and after impatiently watching the elevator door close, she went straight to the computer to check Maddy’s email. But a ping from her phone got her attention first.
    Hey! Got your message on FB. What’s with the East Coast number? I’m tied up with work stuff until noon. I’ll call then unless you have time for a quick coffee downtown?
    Hell yeah, she had time for coffee. Would Maddy have time for coffee at noon on a Friday? Probably. This guy was either a gambler or he had no idea that Madeline had vanished. Maybe she should just tell him who she was.
    Nah, she thought. Not yet. The last time she was in town, there had been a little bar half a block from Dovetail that had local beer and good coffee. Manny’s? She looked it up on her phone to make sure it was still there before she asked Ben to meet her there. Lying would require some fact-checking. Hopefully she could give up the subterfuge when they met. She wrote back.
    Sure. Noon at Manny’s?
    His response didn’t come right away so Clara distracted herself by scanning her sister’s email. Nothing popped out at her. None of the subject lines said, Send five million dollars by five o’clock tonight or else. She closed the computer and fed Bea, changing her water dish while she was at it. Strange,