“I did everything for her. Took out a loan to pay for two trips to rehab, gave her a place to live when she got out, helped her find a job with my company. I come home one day, and she’s gone, and so’s my daughter. At first, I thought they’d left to get food or something, but when one hour became two and then three, and neither were answering their phones, I knew it was something else.”

“You called the police at nine twenty,” Jeannie said, consulting her notes.

LaToya nodded. “They sent Patrol officers over to take a statement, said they’d check into it and then… nothing. I waited two days before I called again, asking if there was any information about my daughter. No one knew what I was talking about. I had to give the entire report again. They sent a detective named Stahl over. He asked a bunch of questions, took some notes, said he’d put out an alert for Daniella’s car and track her phone and Carisma’s. Again, I waited days without another word. I left messages for Detective Stahl that went unanswered. I called the mayor’s office, the chief of police, the FBI. No one returned my calls.”

Jeannie tried very hard not to lose her composure. The sick feeling that overtook her had nothing to do with pregnancy. The treatment LaToya had received from all levels of law enforcement was an outrage. “I wish there was something I could say that would be adequate, but there’s nothing anyone could say that would explain how this could’ve happened.”

“People don’t care. That’s how it happened.”

“I care. This case has become personal to me, and I’m determined to see it through until you have some answers.”

“Why now?” LaToya asked, understandably suspicious.

“We started a review of former Lieutenant Stahl’s cases after his conviction.”

“I read about that, too. He tried to kill the first lady—twice.”

“She wasn’t the first lady then, but yes, he did.”

“And the deputy chief was involved in her father’s shooting. I’m not surprised the MPD is a mess if those are the people running it.”

“Not everyone in the MPD is like them. Most of us are dedicated professionals who give our cases one hundred percent for as long as they’re ours, and Carisma’s is mine now.”

LaToya blinked back tears as she looked away. “I’ve waited a long time for someone to care about my daughter. She’d be twenty-four now, but when I think of her, she’s still thirteen and full of attitude, sass and sweetness. I love all my children, but she was my first, so that made her extra special.”

“I’m expecting my first, so I get that.”

“I’m happy for you that you were able to put your life back together.”