Mrs. Green tilted her head. “Stella? Stella Dane. I haven’t seen you in ages.” Smiling, she stepped back. “Come in.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Green.” Stella gestured to Brody. “This is Detective McNamara.”

“I heard you were a policewoman.” Mrs. Green’s smiled faded, as if she suddenly wondered why two police officers were standing on her doorstep.

Stella crossed the threshold. “Yes, ma’am.”

“What can I do for you?” Mrs. Green’s voice lifted with apprehension.

“Can we sit down?” Stella felt Brody’s steady presence behind her as Mrs. Green led them into the kitchen.

Mrs. Green’s eyes were worried as she eased into a chair.

Stella turned a chair to face her. “Did you see the news today?”

“No.” Mrs. Green’s smile was weak. “I just got home from work.”

Stella breathed. “The body of a woman was found at one of the township baseball fields today.”

Mrs. Green gasped. One hand covered her mouth then dropped into her lap.

Stella reached out to take her hands. “It’s Missy.”

“No.” Mrs. Green shook her head as if she was trying to shake out the thought. “That can’t be. I just saw her Thursday. I took her to lunch. She was fine.”

Stella squeezed her fingers. “I’m sorry.”

“No.” Mrs. Green wrenched them away. She jumped to her feet, knocking the chair over and backing up until she was trapped against the kitchen counter. “No.” She slid down the front of the cabinet to the floor. She pressed a fist to her mouth and rocked. In her eyes, shock and denial warred with the truth. “It has to be a mistake.”

Stella went to her. She dropped onto her knees beside Missy’s mother and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. The older woman’s grief seemed to flow into her.

A long minute later, Mrs. Green pushed away. “How?”

“We don’t know yet,” Stella said in a gentle tone. “I need to ask you a few questions.”

Nodding, Mrs. Green wiped tears from her face with her fingertips.

“Did Missy use drugs?”

Mrs. Green nodded. “Alcohol, too. When she was living in Los Angeles. She had some success writing screenplays, but threw away all her money on drugs. I warned her about that lifestyle. Too much money. Too many wild parties. It took me three years to convince her to come home and get straightened out.” She looked up, her gaze sharpening. “How did you know?”

“We found a needle at the scene,” Stella said gently.

Mrs. Green shuddered. A trembling breath left her body. “I can’t believe it. She promised me she’d never use again, and you know how stubborn she is.”

Stella thought of the bruises on Missy’s face. “Was there a man or other friends in her life?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Did she have any contact with her friends in California?” Stella asked.