‘Damn straight we are,’ he said at the same time his phone rang. ‘Talk about timing.’ His chuckle was forced but there.

‘Hey, Hal, do you have that address for us?’

Aside from a slight trembling in his hand, Alyssa never would’ve guessed that just moments earlier, he’d been relaying the most tragic event of his life. Now she had to wonder how interviewing Chance Williams might affect him, especially if he was the player Angela Kazminski made him out to be. Would it be another Beau Cambridge all over again?

‘1901 Valley Crest Drive. The roommate was close. Ridgecrest is just a block north.’ Cord tapped in the address and asked Alyssa if there was anything else she needed Hal to do.

‘Actually, yes, he can call Tony and Joe and let them know we need them to help us round up and question potential witnesses to Rachel Otis’s disappearance.’

‘Hal says “Consider it done.” Anything else?’

‘Nope. Thanks, Hal.’

Cord relayed the message and then put his phone away.

Silence filled the cab of the Tahoe before Alyssa finally dove in. ‘Do you think you’re ready to interview Mr. Williams with me? Because I’m sure I can get Joe or Tony if you need some time.’

‘I can do my job…’ Cord held his palm up when she opened her mouth to explain she hadn’t meant to imply he couldn’t. ‘I know I let things get to me with Cambridge, but aside from that slip-up, have I ever given you reason to doubt I’m capable of maintaining my professionalism?’

‘No, you haven’t. But that’s not what I—’

He cut her off. ‘That’s because I learned a long time ago to compartmentalize when it comes to things like that. I already apologized and said it won’t happen again. And it won’t. So, you can relax, and let’s get this done.’ He ended the conversation by settling back and buckling his seatbelt.

Alyssa removed her hand from the gear shifter and touched Cord’s shoulder, waiting for his eyes to meet hers. ‘Thank you for trusting me with Shelley’s story. Trust me’ – a short, humorless laugh pushed past her lips – ‘I know more than some exactly how difficult that can be. We can agree on that, right?’

Cord’s eyes glassed over with moisture, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. ‘Right.’

‘So, for the record, I wasn’t asking for another apology. Nor was I doubting your ability to perform your job because I have absolute faith in you when it comes to that. I asked if you were ready to conduct this interview as your friend, not your co-worker. Okay?’

One knuckle brushed away a stray tear as he shot her a watery smile. ‘I appreciate that. And thank you. But I can do this.’

Chapter Eleven

Monday, May 20

Twenty-two minutes later, Alyssa and Cord pulled up to the Williams’ residence. She allowed herself a moment to glance around the property before getting out of the car. Surrounded on all sides by spongy grass, the house was a patchwork of wood, reminding her of the one in the Hansel and Gretel story she’d grown up hearing and then had shared with Holly and Isaac before they’d learned to read themselves. The green roof sloped over the frame of the house in a rounded dome, and the blazing red door was the exact same shade as the one on the dollhouse she’d once begged her parents for just before they learned her mother was pregnant with Timmy.