“What do you take me for, Sam? I’m not going to run for the hills or anywhere else. I’ve known all along about Operation Baby. I ran into her in an OB office during the Kavanaugh investigation. And besides, we’re just hanging out. No one is making lifetime commitments.”

“I don’t mean to insult you. I’m looking out for my friend.”

“Fair enough, but you’ve got nothing to worry about and neither does she.”

The Danzigers lived on a block of well-kept if nondescript townhouses on the line where Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase came together. They got out of the car and took the front narrow walk single file. Sam knocked on the door and waited, hoping something would be easy today.

A woman came to the door, looking as if she might’ve been sleeping.

Sam flashed her badge as Avery did the same. “Lieutenant Holland, MPD, Special Agent-in-Charge Hill, FBI.”

“What’s this about?”

“Is your daughter, Hoda, at home?”

“No. Is she in some sort of trouble?”

“We aren’t sure. We’d like to speak to her. Can you tell us where we might find her?”

“I’m not really sure. She’s out with her friends.”

“How old is your daughter, Mrs. Danziger?”

“She just turned eighteen.”

“And you don’t know where she is?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business. Hoda is very independent. She doesn’t need me around her neck all the time.”

Sam glanced at Avery to find that he looked as amazed as she felt. “Are you aware that a number of Wilson High School students were murdered last night?”

That bit of information finally seemed to draw a more human response from the woman. “What? Murdered? What’re you talking about?”

“May we come in, Mrs. Danziger?” Hill asked.

“Um, yeah. Sure, I guess.”

The house was dark except for the TV’s glow. A blanket on the sofa indicated where Mrs. Danziger had been before their arrival. She turned on a lamp that cast a faint light over the room. “Sorry for the darkness. I suffer from migraines, and I do better in the dark.”

The metaphor applied to her parenting style too, Sam thought. “Would you please call Hoda and ask her to come home.”

“You said she’s not in any trouble.”

“Did I say that, Agent Hill? I don’t recall saying that.”

“I didn’t hear you say that, Lieutenant.”

Mrs. Danziger’s eyes got very big. “You don’t think she had anything to do with murder, do you?”

“Call her,” Sam said.

With trembling hands, Mrs. Danziger picked up her cell phone off the coffee table and made the call. “Hoda, it’s Mom. Call me when you get this message.”

“Send her a text too,” Sam said.

Mrs. Danziger did as directed. “What now?”