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a senior this year.”
    Barbara studied one of the many photos taped on her fridge. She touched Nadine’s second-grade picture. The cute little girl’s mouthful of missing teeth hadn’t stopped her from smiling at the camera. “Where have the years gone? Praise God Nadine and I get along fine. Jacob is the problem, and I’m afraid he’s going to destroy his relationship with all of his children.”
    Danika’s cell phone rang, and she excused herself to the corner of the kitchen while pulling the phone from her jeans pocket. The caller ID showed Felipe. “Hey, what’s going on?”
    “Wanted to let you know that Fire-Eater pulled through the surgery and recovery time. The vet says he’s stable—one lucky dog.”
    “Both he and Barnett are lucky,” Danika said. “Thanks for letting me know.” She slipped the phone back into her pocket. “Fire-Eater pulled through.”
    Barbara folded her arms over her chest, her face a mass of worry lines. “For a moment I forgot how terrible your day was, and then you walked into this mess. Jacob will want to know the dog’s okay.”
    The back door opened, and Jacob carried in a tray of hot dogs and hamburgers. Danika studied his face, waiting for the big thermostat to set the temp for dinner.
    “Thanks, Daddy,” Nadine said.
    Danika seized the opportunity to study the girl’s eyes again. No mistake. Pupils were dilated. Nadine picked up a couple of miniature chocolate bars and smiled at her mom.
    “Make sure you get permission,” Jacob said. A heavy moment passed before he rested his dark eyes on Barbara. “I told her she could spend the night with Lucy, but to ask her first. In case she has plans.”
    The final word. Barbara couldn’t have objected if she’d wanted to. Danika didn’t approve of the way Jacob ruled his household, but thank goodness she wasn’t married to him.
    “Naddie, would you tell the others it’s time for dinner?” Barbara said.
    Before the night was over, Danika planned to confront the teen about drug abuse. What was this family thinking? Jacob, Barbara, and Lucy . . . and none of them mentioned the apparent drug abuse signs of one teenage girl. This was like tracking down a dozen illegals carrying stuffed backpacks, and a rookie agent asking them what they were carrying.
    After dinner, Lucy helped with cleanup while Nadine scurried away to pack for her overnight trip. Danika gave the teen a few moments before trailing after her. Nadine had a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt on the bed, along with a cosmetic bag. Could that be where she kept her drugs? This has to be a mistake.
    “Got a minute?” Danika plopped herself onto the other twin bed, where Kaitlyn slept. All the training in the world hadn’t prepared her for confronting her niece. She toyed with what to say while studying the colors of the bedroom. One side of the room was orange and yellow with huge butterflies on the walls; Nadine’s side was turquoise and brown.
    “I’m kinda in a hurry,” Nadine said, tossing a hairbrush onto the mix. Distant didn’t begin to label her attitude.
    “Are you okay?”
    Irritation cemented the teen’s gaze. “I’m fine. What are you talking about?”
    Danika hated what she was about to do. “You look tired. Your mom says you haven’t been feeling well.”
    She smirked. “Are you going to diagnose me?”
    “Why don’t you tell me?”
    “I’m too old for games.”
    “I agree. So tell me why your pupils are dilated, you’re pale, and your mother says you haven’t been eating. She says your nose is running constantly, and she suspects a cold with your hoarse cough.”
    Defiance flowed from every pore of Nadine’s face. “She’s my mother. That’s what she does. So what’s your problem?”
    “I’m concerned you might be sick.”
    “Oh, please. I’m fine, just sick to death with all of the archaic rules around here. Daddy won’t let me breathe.”
    “Nadine, I care about you. If you need help, I—”
    “What I do is