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    know you are here, Detective.” The woman indicated the small waiting room that stood adjacent to a much larger room, where Mark could hear feminine laughter drifting from its walls.

    “Thank you, ma’am. I’ll wait here for Dr. Richardson.”

    Left alone, he drifted toward the slightly opened door. Moments before he’d heard muted
    laughter, now he was straining to hear a single voice that had already imprinted itself into his brain. Without feeling the least bit guilty, Mark watched through the pane and listened to Maya as she perched on the edge of a table at the head of the room, speaking to the gathering of women.

    * * * *

    “Before we wrap up, I’d like to thank everyone for the consoling notes regarding the
    death of my sister. This is a very difficult time for me, and I won’t pretend otherwise. Your emotional support is really important to me, and I feel blessed to have such a group of
    courageous woman around me.” Maya had to clear her voice several times as she thanked the
    women.

    “Thank you all. I will see each one of you throughout the week for our individual therapy
    sessions, and see you all back here next Monday for group,” she said, ending the session.

    As the ladies began filing out, each one stopped to hug her. As she turned back to her
    desk to gather her paperwork, she missed seeing Mark slip inside the doors.

    Closing the door, he advanced further into the room and leaned against the wall right
    behind her, waiting for her to notice him.

    She made a visible start when Mark came into her line of vision. “Detective Halstan, I
    didn’t know that you were here.”

    “I arrived fifteen minutes ago. When I saw the ladies leaving I thought your session was
    over.”

    “Did you find out anything new, Detective? About the investigation? Did they find my
    sister’s necklace?” She asked with a hopeful look.

    “Unfortunately, Allison wasn’t wearing the necklace; it wasn’t found on her by the crime
    techs.”

    Seeing the disappointed look on her face, Mark felt compelled to continue. “Do you
    know where she’d been recently living? Maybe she has it in her personal belongings. I’m sure that it meant as much to her as it did to you.”

    As he’d been talking, Maya had been leading him away from the room. “Why don’t we
    continue this conversation in my office?”

    Mark followed her as they walked through the conference room toward the kitchen. In
    the middle of the large kitchen standing before the butcher-block counter was a small dark
    complexioned man. He was humming and chopping vegetables on a cutting board, and brushing
    them into a gently bubbling stockpot.

    The small man turned and smiled at the sound of Maya’s voice. The wide grin slid off his
    face as soon as he noticed Mark. He turned back to his work, his shoulders stiffening and his singing coming to an abrupt end.

    “If you are hungry Senora, then I will find something for you to eat. This is for dinner,
    but I will heat for you what the other ladies are eating for lunch.”

    “Jorge I would like for you to meet Detective Halstan. He’s with the SAPD, and he’s one
    of the detectives investigating the death of Ally. You may be seeing him around the House once in awhile. We were on our way to my office so that we could discuss the investigation.” Maya’s voice was gentle, as though she were talking to a child.

    “Detective Halstan, this is Jorge Gonzalez, chef extraordinaire, to whom the ladies and
    myself of Imani House are blessed to have here to prepare our meals and help us make our house a home.”

    “It’s nice to meet you, Jorge. Whatever you’re making smells great.” Mark cast hungry
    eyes in the direction of the pot.

    Jorge stole a shy glance in Mark’s direction. “Why don’t you stay and eat? When Jorge
    cooks there is never a shortage; everyone is satisfied. I will bring a plate for you and the detective, Dr. Maya. Now you two may leave my kitchen.” Shooing them