“She used to live over there,” Paul added indicating the apartment next door. “A few months ago.”

“Oh nah,” the man chuckled lightly. “Ain’t no woman by that name lived over there. I’ve been here for over ten years.” He sounded so damn proud of that statement that Deven had to wonder if he’d had one beer too many. Living there was most definitely not something to brag about.

“Come on, let’s go,” Paul whispered and gave Deven’s arm a light tug.

But still, she wasn’t quite ready to give up. She held up her cell phone, extending her arm so the man could see her screen where she wouldn’t have to move too much closer. “Do you recognize this woman?” she asked, just like she’d done before.

The man squinted at the picture. Even leaned off the railing to get a better look. He nodded and Deven took an appreciative breath as her hope inflated.

“Yeah, I’ve seen her around,” he affirmed. “A few times. I don’t think she lives over here though.”

Now it was Paul’s tone that reflected urgency. He chanced moving closer and stood beside Deven. “When was the last time you saw her?”

“Yesterday or day before.”

Deven’s jaw dropped as she looked to Paul. She knew they were thinking the same thing. The neighbor sounded completely positive, but she was sure they had misheard.

“You saw this woman—” she pointed to Kennedy’s face on her screen—”sometime this week?”

“Yeah. She was next door visiting her boyfriend.” He nodded to Building G. “I don’t know which apartment though. They were standing outside arguing for a while.”

Deven’s heart quickened at the new information. Kennedy was alive and well. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or pissed. She looked to the building, separated from them by a strip of weeds and bare patches. She didn’t see anyone, and the only sign of occupancy was a sleek black Ford F150 sitting in the accompanying driveway. Whoever he was obviously took more pride in his ride than his residence. But her sister could be in there this very minute.

“What were they arguing about?” Paul pushed.

The man polished off his remaining drink and tossed the bottle carelessly in the yard. It rolled to join the others that had collected in a ditch like decoration. “Hell if I know,” he admitted. “When you live around here you tend to tune that kind of shit out.”

“Thank you so much,” Deven said quickly. Taking Paul’s arm, she guided him back up the driveway, as far out of earshot as she could because she knew the nosey man was still watching and listening.

Once at her car, she faced Paul, but her mind was already working in overdrive. “Can you believe this?”