“I know,” Sammy said. “We’re ridiculous. I’m getting married and graduating from med school in two months, he’s got a degree in neuroscience. We go home and we’re ten and twelve again. Guess who the oldest is.”

“No question about that,” Gabe said. “Where do you go to med school?”

“Einstein. That’s in New York.”

“I know Einstein. I’m from New York. My mom is a doctor.”

“What’s her specialty?”

“Emergency room medicine. What are you going into?”

“Radiology. Are you interested in medicine?”

“No, thank you. I don’t want anything to do with people.”

Sam laughed. “That eliminates a lot of jobs.”

“Not music.”

“Yeah, Jake wasn’t lying. You sound really pro on that thing.”

“I’m actually a pianist. Uh, that sounds pretentious. Piano is my main instrument.”

“We don’t own a piano.”

“I know. I think your mom might be getting one on loan for me.”

“So you’re here for a while?”

Gabe felt his face go hot. “I really don’t know. Your parents are very nice people.”

“Actually, they’re gems.”

Jake came in and threw the linens at Gabe’s chest. He caught them and started to make up the trundle.

Sammy said, “He’s a pianist.”

“Really?” Jake asked. “Are you any good?”

Gabe shrugged. “Not bad.”

Jake sprawled out on his bed. “Seriously, kid, what are you doing here?”

Gabe stopped. “My mom is missing and your dad is looking into the case.” No one spoke. “Your father thinks that my father might have killed her. I don’t think he did. Your dad wants to talk to my dad and my dad isn’t making himself available.”

“Wow,” Jake said. “Sorry I asked.”

“It’s messed up, but I’m used to that.”

Sammy said, “So how did you get here…with my parents?”

“My mother knew your father from like when she was a teenager. So when the two of us came out to California, she left me his cell phone number in case of an emergency. When my mom didn’t come home last Sunday, I called him. It was late at night and I didn’t have anywhere to go, so he took me to his house. They’re letting me stay here until one or both of my parents show up. My dad definitely knows I’m here. I suspect my mom’s alive and she knows that I’m here, too.”

“What about living with your aunt?”

“I love Melissa, but she doesn’t have the same standards of cleanliness that I do. I have a real hard time living in messy surroundings.”

“Another compulsive.” Jake high-fived Gabe. “Maybe you can help out our sister? I can’t go into her room.”

“Neither can I,” Gabe said. “It makes me anxious.”

Sammy said, “We’re going out to get a pizza. You want to come?”