“Ridley says stupid things he thinks will impress people,” Martin countered. “He knew your sister was an addict, and at his age that must have seemed cool to him. He had a silly little crush on her.” Martin and I had met each other’s relatives when we were first dating, but we hadn’t tried to bring them into the same room until we got engaged and decided to throw a big party to celebrate. I found out much later, after Claudia had dropped a series of increasingly less subtle hints, that Ridley had been keenly interested in drugs, even calling Claudia afterwards to ask if she could help him get heroin. I just about keeled over when he asked, she’d told me. He’s what, thirteen? Fourteen? At fourteen maybe you’re discovering mushrooms. That kid needs help. If Claudia thought the boy was in trouble, there was no doubt he was. I’d relayed Claudia’s words to Martin and he’d had a “talk” with Ridley, which had resulted in the boy getting counseling. That was well over a year ago.

I shook my head. “Martin, you can’t…”

“Lily, please.” His eyes were pleading. The skin around them was puffy. Last night he’d been devil-may-care handsome; tonight he was older and tired. I bit my tongue and took another drink. “I shouldn’t be bothering you with all of this, anyway. I should be helping you. Any word yet about your sister?”

“Nothing. Everything they learn seems to go back to the woman who was living in her apartment.”

“Have they figured out who she was and why she was there?”

I knew he was desperate to steer the subject away from his own problems, and I had reasons for talking about mine. “They don’t know who she was, but it’s pretty clear she was impersonating my sister. She managed to get credit cards in Claudia’s name and went on a spending spree.”

Martin seemed lost in thought as I spoke. “So, this woman was exploiting your sister. Another addict?”

“The police don’t seem to think so. Not heroin, anyway.” I paused, waiting for him to respond. “You were supposed to give me the name of the rehab center Claudia talked to you about.”

“I’m ashamed of myself. With what happened with Ridley, I’d let it slip my mind.” He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a business card, which he handed to me. “When I found the names, I looked them up. They seem like respectable places. Some very wealthy people have gone to them.”