“Hmm.” Antonio didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t exactly argue with his partner’s instincts. One, Brandon had been on the job longer. And two, he tended to be right about this shit. He had a knack for reading people, and Antonio didn’t want to discount that.

Brandon turned to look at him. “You know, time’s getting away from us on this thing. We can’t ignore any leads.”

Antonio could agree with that, at least. Tonight marked one week since they’d first caught this case, and it felt like they were no closer to knowing what happened to Vanessa Adams than they had been that first night.

The difference was, the case seemed more urgent now, and not just because every day that ticked by meant less chance of finding Vanessa Adams alive. That Antonio had been fully aware of from the start. For him, the urgency had started the second he saw Kate walking toward him with her daughters in tow and that look of dread on her face.

Antonio tried not to let personal feelings affect him at work, but he couldn’t help it with this one. He had four younger sisters and a soft spot for single moms, and the raw fear in Kate’s eyes every damn time he saw her was getting to him.

Brandon combed his hand through his hair and looked at his computer, clearly frustrated.

“Have some doughnut holes.” Antonio slid the bag toward him. “I just got them.”

“No, thanks.”

Antonio opened the bag and dug one out for himself. “How long you been doing this?”

“I don’t know,” Brandon said. “Couple hours.”

“I thought you were off today. Why aren’t you at a bar somewhere, having a beer and watching a game?”

The suggestion seemed to piss him off even more.

“What’s wrong?” Antonio asked, because obviously something was eating at him, and knowing Brandon, it had to do with work.

“Nothing.”

“Is it something about the case?”

Brandon’s phone buzzed, and he looked relieved to dodge the question. He grabbed his phone, and his face tensed as he checked the number.

“It’s Brie,” Brandon told him.

“Who?”

“In the DNA lab.” He connected the call. “Reynolds.” Brandon’s gaze locked on his. “Yeah. . . . Okay. . . . Is that confirmed?”

Antonio gritted his teeth and waited.

“All right, thanks for the heads-up. I’ll call the lieutenant.” He hung up.

“What is it?”

“The DNA came back,” Brandon said.

“And?”

“The blood in the woods matches the car.”

“Is it—”

“It’s Vanessa’s.”

Shit.

Brandon pushed back his chair and stood up. “Our missing-person case just became a homicide.”

*   *   *

Javi stepped into Leigh’s office looking like he’d just come off the soccer field.

“You’re here,” he said with surprise. “I thought you worked yesterday.”

“Yeah, well. I didn’t get everything done.” And her best-laid plans for the evening had gotten sidetracked.