All of us stared at her before it clicked. “No wonder she was upset,” I said.

“Yes,” Luke said. “But that doesn’t explain why she’s not here.”

“Esme isn’t at her house,” Wes said. “But I tracked her phone. It’s moving. Not far from here.”

“Let’s go,” Kade said.

Ben held out a hand. “Hold on. You said it’s moving?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, let’s give it a second and see if it stops because I want to think about this. Wes, Eva, excuse us for a second.” Ben led the way into the main studio, and I was right on his heels. “Sorry,” he said. “I know Eva is her sister, but I didn’t feel like talking about Esme’s emotions so casually in front of both of them.”

“No, it’s a good call,” I said. It was the same reason we’d passed over the question about Esme when we were asked by the producer.

“Esme already knew her mom wasn’t a fan of ours. Walking in on that would have been shocking, but I don’t think it would make her run,” Luke pointed out. “And she came here. Whatever made her leave happened here.”

“Maybe she just needed air,” Kade said. “We know where she is now. We can ask.”

“Yeah.” Avery nodded. “That’s for the best. Let’s not try to guess.”

I led the way back into the office. “We’re going to find where she is using the phone. Eva, thank you for your help.”

“Oh, I’m coming with you.”

Wincing, I held out a hand. “I don’t think that’s a great idea. Esme loves you, but if this is about her history with packs…”

Eva cursed under her breath. “You’re right. Okay, I’ll go home. Please call me as soon as you find her. I need to know she’s okay.”

“We will,” Avery promised.

She went out to her waiting car, and I watched the car pull out through the alley.

“The car is getting closer,” Wes said. “It’s just around the corner.”

Kade was already moving. “Let’s go. Which corner?”

“North.”

There were still photographers outside, but fuck them. I didn’t care anymore. It was raining harder now, the drops cold in spite of the warm weather.

“It stopped,” Wes called. “Right there on the corner.”

Looking ahead, there was a cab. Parked on the corner. A man was getting out, umbrella and briefcase in hand. No sign of Esme. “It’s the cab?”

“It should be.”

Shit. Shit, she wasn’t in it. Which meant her phone could be. But there was no way we were going to make it down the entire city block before it pulled away, and with the increasing rain, I couldn’t see the cab’s number.

“Did she ditch the phone?” Ben asked. “Do we think she’d do that?”

Kade growled. “Why would she?”