“I’ll call you if I learn anything.” Louisa stood. She let herself out, leaving Zoe’s parents alone with their grief and fear. On the drive back to Philadelphia, she turned up the volume on the stereo and tried to drown out all her thoughts, but one question refused to be silenced. Was Zoe still alive?

Back at work, her butt didn’t spend two minutes in her desk chair before her phone rang with a summons to Cusack’s office. She reported with none of her usual nervousness. The discussion with Zoe’s parents had changed her perspective.

“Where have you been?” Cusack rose as she entered his office, his ingrained manners unaffected by his obvious irritation.

“Zoe’s parents called me.” She eased into the chair facing his desk.

Cusack smoothed his tie as he sank into his seat. “And?”

“And they asked me to come to their house.”

His entire face sagged with a frown. “So you just left?”

“Yes. I took a long lunch hour. I’ll be sure to stay later this evening. I won’t fall behind.”

“You could have asked me.”

“What would your answer have been?”

“I would have said no.”

“So you would have preferred I refuse Zoe’s parents?”

Cusack leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “This is a matter for the police. I would prefer you to leave the investigation to them.”

“The Finches called me,” Louisa clarified. “I didn’t initiate the contact, but I also didn’t have the heart to say no. They’re heartbroken. I work hard for this museum. I put in many extra hours. I fulfill my responsibilities and more.” Her teeth clamped together with frustration.

They both knew he’d taken advantage of the situation at the Maine museum. She was doing a full curator’s job at half the salary.

“Louisa, you are missing the point.” Exasperation sharpened his clipped accent. “You cannot drive off without letting anyone know where you are.”

“No matter how much I love working here, I can’t put my career ahead of Zoe’s life.” Louisa lifted her chin and prepared to be fired.

“I wouldn’t ask you to put your job ahead of Zoe.” Cusack crossed his arms over his chest. “But two museum employees have disappeared. I do not want you to be number three.”

Oh. Could Cusack have been worried about her?

“The museum can’t take any more scandal.” Of course. He was only protecting the museum. “You need to stay out of the investigation.”

“I can’t.” Louisa met his gaze.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not giving up on Zoe. She’s been missing for thirty-eight hours.”

Conor begged off the dinner rush to pick Louisa up after work. He texted her and waited a half block from the museum. She climbed into the car.

“How was your day?”