Sam knocked on the door and tucked her head inside to gauge the situation before she brought Freddie in with her. Brooke was awake and staring at the ceiling. Tracy sat next to the bed, staring out the window. Uh-oh. “You’d better wait out here,” Sam said to Freddie.

She pushed the door open all the way. “Morning,” Sam said, going for cheerful in a room thick with tension. “How’s everyone today?”

“Fabulous,” Tracy said flatly.

“Great,” Brooke said with an equal lack of animation.

“Something wrong?” Sam asked. “Um, other than the obvious?”

“Nothing new,” Tracy said. “Same old attitude, same old song and dance. I’m sitting here wondering what has to happen for someone to get the message that she needs to make some changes in her life.”

“And I’m sitting here wondering if someone could get me a knife so I can stab myself in the neck so I won’t have to listen to her lectures anymore.”

“You might want to watch your mouth,” Tracy said, “or you’ll find yourself locked up in the psych ward where you probably belong.”

“As much as I’m enjoying this conversation,” Sam said, “I’m on a bit of a schedule. I need to talk to Brooke. About the case.”

“What about it?” Brooke asked.

Sam propped herself on the foot of the bed. “What do you know about Billy Springer?”

“He’s Hugo’s brother. Or he was Hugo’s brother. I still can’t believe he’s dead.”

“I know, honey, but if you can tell me anything you might’ve heard about him, like who his friends are or where he hangs out. Something that seems trivial to you might be huge to us.”

“Is he... Is he in trouble?”

“He might be.”

“Hugo said he’s got some scary friends.”

“Scary how?”

“They were into drugs and guns and stuff. Hugo said Billy was out of control, but he didn’t care because their dad could get him out of anything.”

“If Hugo knew that about him, why would he steal drugs from him?”

“Because his parents were away, and he wanted the party to be epic.”

“He wasn’t afraid Billy would come after him?”

“He said Billy wouldn’t dare touch him or their parents would kill him.”

“Sounds like a charming family.”

“Hugo liked to say he was the spoiled rotten baby. He was used to doing whatever he wanted.”