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I touched the bed My head grew light and I took a deep breath She hadn’t slept here last night

I raced down the stairs to the house phone and hit the voice-rabbed my cell phone and touched the screen No texts No voiceinhands, I hit her naotten late while she was studying so she’d stayed with Wendy Or one to a party and she was passed out on the floor so a few times, and then a co me that the person I had called was unavailable and could I please leave a , I took a deep breath "Hey, it’s ht and airy, but even to e of tears "Where are you?

Call et this" I hit end and concentrated onher friends while hysterical wasn’t going towas really wrong was too frightening I couldn’t be worried about e her

I hit Wendy’s nuer in s, six, finally Wendy’s voice came onto the line My stoe from Wendy, but voice mail all the same

"Wendy, it’s Marisol Tell Elaine to call me ASAP," I snapped

She was fine She had to be

Chapter Two

I flung the door open and strode into Vasquez’s office

Ignoring the two uniforms already seated in front of his old metal desk, I asked, "Where are we at?"

Vasquez nodded at the uniforms "Grady and Parks are headed out to canvass the library" He gave them each a picture of Elaine Her DMV photo had been blown up, and the portrait looked fuzzy and unreal The officers got up from their seats

"Her hair is different" I sed hard, trying to rid led tone "I don’t have any photos of the new cut, but it’s shorter than in that one Shoulder length around her face and shorter in the back" My hand shook as I waved it around my face At their blank looks, I added, "Like Missy, the new receptionist But blond"

Their wide eyes narrowed in understanding, and they nodded in unison before heading out the door

I leaned against one of the guest chairs and aze "What else have you started? Did you get theperson report filed?"

"It hasn’t been twenty-four hours Hell, Marisol, you don’t even know if she’s been gone twelve"

I struggled to keep one makes it more likely on’t find her"

His mouth was drawn in a hard line, but worry creased his brows "I know But she’s a college student How do you know she didn’t justinto the vinyl lining the back of the chair Telling Vasquez about her past wouldn’t help me He’d just assume the worst of her, h school had decided that Elaine was fair game because she was a succubus He’d attacked her, and lost his life for it Elaine was stillany interest in her, but Vasquez ht decide that because she’d killed before, she was soot up from his desk and walked slowly around it He reached for his office door and I blinked at our audience Every eye in the station was directed at us

I sed a sob, and Vasquez slammed the door shut

"Look, Whitman, I know you’re worried--"

"Please! Jesus Christ, Vasquez! What if she were your sister, or your daughter?"

Vasquez frowned and considered it I aze with my own and refused to look away I pushedhe would understand Finally, he looked down

"All right We’ll send out some more officers But we can’t put everyone on this"

I sat down heavily "What about Claude? Is he back in town?" The vareat senses, sure, but even more than that, he had resources in the vaue

Claude had never shown ood-hearted nature had shown through his actions more times than I could recall He’d help

"Desmarais is out of town for at least three more days, on personal business He specifically asked not to be bothered, and he toldhim down to help find your sister--who in all likelihood is playing hooky"

"Fine I’ll take Astrid" I pushed up from the desk

"No I’ll send out a few ation" He raised an eyebrow "Where a the officers?"

I stopped, halfway between sitting and standing