The man pulled back his hood. That was when I recognized him, and the shock made my mouth fall open. “Ridley?” He was almost a foot taller and at least sixty pounds heavier than when I’d last seen him a year ago. No wonder the police had taken him for an adult; he looked like a brooding thug, not a boy about to turn sixteen. He had Martin’s dark hair and handsome features, but as he came closer I saw his face was marked with acne. “You shouldn’t be smoking!” I chided him.

“You smoke,” he mumbled.

“I quit when I moved to Spain.” Well, mostly, at least. “You’re too young.” I couldn’t say it would stunt his growth. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Waiting for Claudia.”

“Waiting?” I asked. “Is she meeting you here?” He shook his head. “Why are you waiting, then?”

“She has to come out of rehab sometime.” Ridley dragged on his cigarette and dropped the butt on the ground, crushing it under his giant white sneaker.

“How do you know she’s in rehab?” I asked.

“She told me.” Ridley stared at the sidewalk while he spoke. He was always like this when he spoke, mumbling a few words and refusing eye contact.

“When did she tell you, Ridley?”

“September.” His eyes flickered up to my face and down again.

“Have you talked to her since then?” Ridley shook his head. “Did you see Claudia in September?” He shook his head again. I was fighting not to show my exasperation. “Ridley, how did she tell you she was going to rehab?”

“Phone.”

“She called you?”

“I called her.” He glanced at me again. “We talk sometimes. She likes me.”

That would explain the calls that Martin had denied. I knew that Ridley had called Claudia a few times after they met. When Martin and I hosted a dinner or party, they seemed to spend it in a tête-à-tête. Martin had joked about his son’s crush on my sister. No wonder Claudia mentioned Ridley to me from time to time. She probably knew more about him than Martin did.

“Do you have any idea where she is, Ridley?” I spoke slowly, as if to an overgrown child. “She’s gone missing and no one can find her. I’m worried about her.”

Ridley nodded. “My dad’s a liar.”

“What do you mean?”

“I showed him an article online that says she’s missing. He said she’s not. He’s lying.” It was the longest string of words he’d put together.

“Does he know where Claudia is?”

Instead of answering that, Ridley looked into my eyes. “Did Claudia tell you about the fire?”

“The fire?” I repeated, suddenly realizing what he meant. “At the church? St. Ari…”