“It wasn’t good enough.” Hannah pulled out of his grip and turned away. She went to the window and stared out into the yard. Two robins hopped across the back lawn. One shoved its beak into the damp grass and ripped a worm from the turf. Its body flailed until the bird ate it in two gulps. A shudder rippled from Hannah’s torso to her bare feet. The pretty scene faded, and she pictured Jewel being yanked from the rental car, her arms pinwheeling, small fists landing useless blows on her attacker’s shoulders, the girl’s terror palpable even to a stunned Hannah.

She rubbed her arms. “Do you think those e-mails are really from her? That she’s reaching out for help?” If she was, her time was running out.

“Why would she contact you and not the police?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense.” Hannah covered her mouth with a fist. “But it feels like I’m letting her down all over again.”

“Do you do this all the time?”

“Do what?” She glanced over her shoulder.

Brody’s arms were crossed over his chest, and his gaze had sharpened. “Not allow yourself to be human. Try to shoulder the weight of things that aren’t your fault.”

She turned back to the yard. The robin moved on, its hunger not sated by one slender earthworm. Predators never stopped hunting.

“Some things are out of your control.” The harsh edge to Brody’s voice made her want to ask him what terrible event from his past had been out of his control. Who or what had put the pain in his eyes?

“I know that. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.” There would be more girls at risk, Hannah knew, all because she hadn’t seen that SUV coming.

“I’m glad you’re all right.”

“You’re not going to lecture me on putting myself at risk?”

“Maybe later.” Brody smiled. “You are what you are. Sometimes all that ferocity is a little scary. But I wouldn’t change anything about you.”

A different kind of spark heated Hannah from the inside as she registered the respect—and interest—in Brody’s eyes.

“But you could dial down the impulsiveness just a little. Your family doesn’t deserve to bury another member.” A grim frown dimmed his expression.

“True.” A sad sigh slipped from Hannah’s lips. “But I wish I could have helped her.”

“I know,” he said. “Would you like me to call the Las Vegas police and see if they’ve made any progress on the case?”

Hannah hesitated. “What’s the point?”

“They might tell me more than they’d tell you.”

“Maybe.” She considered his offer. What could it hurt? “OK. Thank you.” She opened her phone and read the detective’s name and number from her contacts list.