“Looks like the backseat latch was broken through from the trunk,” one of the officers called out from the car. “The kid must’ve kicked it out himself, and then climbed from the trunk into the backseat.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Judith screamed. “Carlos was never in my backseat!”

“Excuse me,” I said finally, stepping over to the officer in charge. “I’m an attorney. May I speak with her privately for a moment?”

“We just wanna find the kid,” the cop said, his expression pained.

“Is she under arrest?” I asked.

“Not yet. Right now, we’re just trying to ask her some questions.”

“I’m very familiar with the situation,” I said. “Please. Let me speak with her. Just five minutes.”

He looked at me intently for a moment, then down at Judith.

“Five minutes,” he said.

He turned and walked away, joining the other cops examining her car. I walked to Judith and held out a hand to help her up. She took it, brushing the dust from her slacks, picking the rocks from her hair.

“Callie, what is going on?” she whispered furiously. “I’m just sitting in there in the coffee shop, minding my own business, when suddenly every cop in Pennsylvania is surrounding my car. Sirens and lights are going, and they’re screaming at me to come out of the restaurant with my hands up. I did like they said, and the next thing you know, they’re asking things about Carlos and a kidnapping! I don’t know what they’re talking about. I haven’t even seen Carlos all day.”

I studied her face, looking into her eyes. The skin around the right eye was swollen and already starting to turn a mottled blue. Whether Judith was being truthful about not seeing Carlos or not, I just wasn’t sure.

In a steady voice, I explained that Carlos hadn’t shown up at school today.

“We found a note he left behind,” I said, “telling us that he was going to hide in your trunk. He thought you were up to something, and he was going to spy on you.”

“In my trunk? Of the Benz?”

“That’s right, Judith. You say you haven’t seen him, but I don’t understand how that’s possible, and neither do the cops. Carlos obviously isn’t in the trunk now. And yet there are signs that he was at one point. So when would he have gotten out?”

Judith looked wildly around at the scene.

“A cigarette,” she said, patting the pocket of her blazer. “I’ve got to have a cigarette.”

She found the pack in her pocket and pulled one out, slipping it between two dry lips. With trembling fingers, she lit it and then took a deep drag, pulling it out of her mouth to exhale.

“I was just going out in the country for a drive,” she said, “I never—”