“Hang in there, Sam, and keep me posted on what you find out about Brooke.”

“One other thing before I let you go. When Brooke comes to... She’s mine. No one else talks to her until I do.”

“Sam...”

“I mean it, Gonzo. I’d never do anything to fuck up your investigation. You know that. But she’s mine.”

He couldn’t deny he’d feel the same way in her shoes. “And you’ve got my back when this whole thing blows up in my face?”

“I’ve always got your back.”

And that was exactly why he said, “Do what you’ve got to do, Lieutenant, and let me know how I can help.”

“I’ve got to take this call from the headmaster. I’ll talk to you later—and Gonzo, good luck in court.”

She was gone before he could reply.

* * *

“Lieutenant Holland.”

“This is Gideon Young. I have some information for you.” He cleared his throat, which hadn’t needed clearing, so Sam knew he was nervous about what he had to say. “Ms. Hogan was checked out at nineteen hundred hours yesterday by her older sister, Danielle, who produced a driver’s license and a notarized note from your sister, Mrs. Tracy Hogan, allowing her older daughter to pick up Brooke.”

“That would be all well and good if Brooke had an older sister! What kind of rinky-dink operation are you running down there? My sister and her husband paid you twenty thousand dollars to keep their daughter safe, and now she’s lying in the ICU fighting for her life.” She wasn’t exactly fighting for her life anymore, but Young didn’t need to know that.

“With all due respect, Lieutenant—”

“Save your due respect for someone who cares. I want a description of this so-called older sister, and any security video that might show the pickup.”

“You’ll need a warrant for the video.”

“You’ll need a lawyer for the lapse. Maybe if we help each other out, I’ll encourage my sister and brother-in-law to settle out of court rather than making a public spectacle out of your egregious lack of security.”

“Are you threatening me, Lieutenant?”

“What do you think? Send me that video within one hour. Here’s my email address. Are you writing it down?” She gave him her personal address so it wouldn’t go through the department server. “One hour or get ready for some very ugly press.”

Sam hung up before he could reply to that. She took a moment to run her fingers through her hair as she contemplated her next move. Willingly calling in the FBI went against everything she believed in, but Gonzo was right. Their Cybercrimes Unit was second to none, and if anyone could track down the origin of those pictures and videos, the Feds could. Since time wasn’t on her side, Sam reached for her phone with tremendous reluctance.