Jeannie had interviewed Daniella’s ex-boyfriend, who’d confirmed that Daniella had been fixated on Carisma, referring to her as her daughter, not as her friend’s daughter. It had been odd, the boyfriend had said, the way she’d had herself convinced the child belonged to her. They’d argued over Daniella’s obsession with someone else’s kid and ultimately had broken up over it. He believed she’d had something to do with Carisma’s disappearance and had said so at the time.

No one had followed up with him. Then-Detective Stahl hadn’t even noted the man’s comments in the sparse reports he’d bothered to file on the case.

As she went over her notes again, Jeannie felt sick over the way this case had been handled—or hadn’t been handled. If she was still alive, Carisma was out there somewhere, waiting for someone to care enough to look for her.

Jeannie cared enough, and she’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission to pursue the leads she had so far.

The next morning, she was up early to shower, hoping the nausea she woke with every day would subside before she left for work.

“How are you feeling, hon?” Michael asked.

“Same as every other day.”

“Did you eat something?”

“A piece of toast that’s stayed down so far.”

He came over to kiss and hug her. “I sure hope this kid is worth what he or she is putting you through.”

Jeannie was thankful that the scent of his cologne, always one of her favorites, didn’t make her nauseated the way so many other scents did lately. “I hear they’re worth it.”

“What’s on tap for you today?”

“I’ve got a few things to do in town, and then I’m going to Richmond to poke around a bit.”

“Is Matt going with you?” he asked of her partner.

“To Richmond, yes.”

“You’ll be careful?”

“Always.”

“Take good care of my baby mama.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Thanks for a great Christmas.”

“It was a good one. Next year will be even better with Junior with us.”

“I can’t wait.”

After he left, Jeannie gave herself thirty minutes to see if she was going to be sick or not. Some days she was, others she wasn’t. She never knew what to expect from one day to the next. She sent a text to her partner.

Stopping to take care of something before I pick you up at HQ.

Matt responded right away. You want me to come?

I got this. See you at the house.