“I know normally you’d never. But you were drunk.”

“Not that drunk.”

“I’m not saying that’s what happened. Just showing you what can happen when you go offering information to the police. If you were here right now I’d bop you on the head with that sportsmanship trophy you won at Girl Scout camp. Promise me you won’t go back and spill your guts to that police officer. They’ll hold you for questioning, and who knows what will happen after that? I worked with the criminal justice system for years. I’ve seen how quickly things can go south.”

Later, as Emily and Quinn sat in Quinn’s Miata in the police station parking lot, Quinn said, “Thanks for being here for me, Emmy.”

Emmy? Only family called her that. Emily was somehow both annoyed and flattered by the familiarity of it. “Sorry I had to leave you alone with that detective,” Emily said.

“I’m sure you had your reasons.” Quinn closed her eyes in a long blink. “I just can’t believe this is happening. That really is Wally’s car. Which means—” She shook her head. “I don’t know what it means. I don’t want to think about what it means. How can someone be here one minute and not here the next?”

Emily had heard virtually the same question from Mrs. Murphy, and once again she was at a loss for words.

Quinn said, “The parking lot where the police found Wally’s car, do you know where it is?”

“The town landing?” Sure, Emily knew. Every fall, they held a neighborhood yard sale there that Frank never missed.

“Is it far?”

“A mile, maybe a mile and a half.”

Quinn shifted to face Emily. “Would you mind terribly,” she said, using a little-girl voice, “if we stopped there on the way back? I need to see the place. Feel it. Does that sound crazy?” The wince Emily felt must have shown, because Quinn went on to say, “I know, I know. You’re probably desperate to get home. The thing is, I don’t think I can manage it alone. Last favor, I promise.” Wasn’t it enough that Emily hadn’t contradicted the half-truths Quinn had sold the police? “I know you probably just want to get rid of me.”

Quinn didn’t wait for Emily’s answer. She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. “It’s this way, right? You’ll tell me where to turn, won’t you?”