“Upstairs,” Jude replied, dabbing at his mouth with his napkin. Glancing at Ness to make sure she wasn’t watching, he then pantomimed climbing out a window, which I took to mean that Free was probably already halfway to town. For someone who was awfully fond of skipping school, she didn’t do “leisure time” well.

Not that I had any room to throw stones.

“Is this the part where you regale us with tales of your heroics and/or indicate that the case has moved in a more hopeful direction?” Jude asked. In preparation for my answer, he pulled a small packet of what I could only assume was confetti out of his pocket.

“Bella made it out of the river.” My voice failed to convey even a fraction of the relief I’d felt at that discovery, but Jude had been fluent in Kira long before I’d spoken in actual words. “Saskia caught the scent again in the mountains,” I continued. “We found a piece of Bella’s windbreaker. Cady and Pad are still out there, searching.”

“Given half the chance, your mother will run herself ragged.” Ness clucked her tongue. “Never was a girl like that one for needing someone to take care of her, but thinking she could face down the big bad world alone.”

“You don’t say.” Jude gave me a look. “Sounds like someone else I know.” He paused. “Rhymes with Mira.”

I would have flicked food at him, but I wasn’t willing to give up a single bite.

“I assume you told Mom we’d be back in the morning?” Jude asked me once he’d realized no edible projectiles were forthcoming.

“Break of dawn,” I confirmed. Technically, I’d told Cady that I would be back, but now that we’d picked up the trail again, Jude and Free would be able to offer the bloodhounds a scent path to follow.

“I have a good feeling about this,” Jude announced, jiggling the packet of confetti.

I didn’t take the bait. How could I, when even the best-case scenario would leave its marks on that little girl?

“Saskia needs food,” I said, finishing my chili.

“Gabriel will take care of that,” Ness assured me. “He’s already fed the others. If I know that boy half as well as I think I do, he’s out there seeing to your pup right now.”

I wasn’t sure which was more notable: the fact that Ness had just referred to take-no-prisoners Saskia as a pup or the way she seemed to believe that Gabriel could feed Saskia without losing a hand.

“Mayhaps Kira should just check on them,” Jude suggested delicately. “For funsies.”

I took that as permission to bolt.