“No, I’ll look into it, ma’am. Did Beth Holloway say how Katrina happened to be separated from her friends?”

“She did after I asked twice. The plan was for Rianna to be the designated driver but they went in Katrina’s car because this Rianna girl’s car was broken. Rianna and Beth got picked up by two men and asked Katrina if it was okay for them to go their separate ways. They claim Katrina was fine with that. That’s the last time they saw her.”

“You have doubts that Katrina was fine with the change?”

“My daughter does not take well to disappointment, Lieutenant. Low frustration tolerance her teachers called it. What concerns me is that she decided to do them one better by meeting a man herself. Then ran off to God-knows-where.”

“Without her passport.”

“If you’re out for fun, you can find it anywhere,” said Monica Hedges. Relaxing her posture for a second, as if reminiscing.

Milo said, “Rianna being the designated driver meant Katrina was drinking that night.”

“And Katrina loves her Long Island Iced Teas. Which is a hodgepodge cocktail, just a kitchen-sink mess that does God-knows-what to your brain. I always tell her stick with the classics, they won’t pollute your mind. Martini or Manhattan, never on the rocks. That way you know how much you’re getting. But try telling Katrina that. To her, anything with fruit liquor and a kick is a Martini.”

“Has she been known to overindulge?”

Monica Hedges shifted her weight. “That has happened from time to time.”

“You’re concerned she might have driven home intoxicated.”

“What if God forbid she had an accident? But I called the highway patrol and they reported nothing on the freeway that night.”

“Is the 405 her customary route home?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Easiest way to get to the Valley, isn’t it?” Frowning. “She used to have a place near the U. that she shared with another girl — some Indian student who hit the books all the time. Which isn’t Katrina’s style, it didn’t last long. Katrina complained that everyone in the building was a student and it made her feel old. I suspect her own lack of education embarrassed her. I was hoping that might motivate her but it didn’t. She wanted her own place, said the rent this side of the hill was too steep. I told her I’d help. She never took me up on my offer, just picked up and moved to Van Nuys. Though she keeps insisting it’s Sherman Oaks. Is that logical, Lieutenant? Turning down a sincere offer?”

“Kids,” said Milo.

Monica Hedges puffed manically. “You didn’t answer my question. What exactly are you going to do for me?”

“What would you like us to do, Mrs. Hedges?”