“Sure. But that was high school.”

“What about when Casey started using drugs? Was there anyone who bothered her?”

Cloe’s stillness harbored unspoken secrets. “I don’t know anything.”

Jordan turned to Avery, hoping she could follow a ruse. “Avery, could you take Mrs. Andrews out to the car and show her the mug shots?”

“In the blue binder?” Avery asked.

Leave it to Avery to embellish the story. “That’s the one.”

“Sure. Would you come with me, Mrs. Andrews?” Avery asked. “It won’t take long.”

“What about Cloe?” Mrs. Andrews asked. “Shouldn’t she come?”

“We like to show images to witnesses separately,” Jordan said. “Prevents one person from unduly influencing the other.”

“Okay. Sure,” Mrs. Andrews said.

When they left the room, Jordan turned to Cloe. “Tell me about your sister. Your mother is not here to listen, so you can be candid.”

“I told you, I don’t have anything to tell you.”

“I think there’s more you can add to the story.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I can hear it in your voice,” Jordan said.

“Hear what?”

She deflected the girl’s question with one of her own. “Was Casey using drugs again?”

“How would I know?”

“Sisters know a lot about sisters.”

Cloe grew quiet, but it did not feel defiant. Instead she sensed the young girl was balancing different bags, both filled with trouble.

“I don’t care about the drugs,” Jordan said. “I just want a tip that’ll lead me to your sister.”

Cloe sighed. “When she came home that last night, she was really nervous and jumpy. Got defensive when I asked her about where she’d been. That’s the way she used to act.”

“Did she look high?”

“No. But she wasn’t acting like herself.”

“So maybe she was carrying drugs and was self-conscious.” Jordan asked, “Who would have sold her drugs?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I hear hesitation,” Jordan said.

“I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.”

“You must have heard something.”

“I just heard her mention a guy’s name once. Marco, I think. I asked her who it was, but she said he was just a friend.”

Marco Walker. That sure as hell would be an odd coincidence. “Marco have a last name?”

“Started with a W. Wallace. Wilson. Something like that.”

“Marco Walker is a drug dealer who was found dead about the time your sister vanished.”

“I don’t know about that.”

The front door opened, and Mrs. Andrews and Avery reappeared. Avery said quickly, “We couldn’t find the book, Jordan. We searched all through the back bins.”

“That’s okay,” she said. “Thanks for trying.”

“I want to help in any way I can,” Mrs. Andrews said. “And so does Cloe.”

“Go through Casey’s bedroom,” Jordan said. “And call me if you can find anything.”

“You won’t give up on my sister, will you?” Cloe asked.