Everyone thinks you’re here to help find Megan.

And you are, aren’t you?

“Of course,” she said aloud.

So, relax.

But she couldn’t. Not yet. Not until—

Her phone chimed again. She picked it up. Saw Angelica’s name flash onto the screen. Her boss. Great. Just what she needed. Her stomach, already sour, clenched.

She clicked on. “Hi.”

“Rebecca?” Angelica asked, even though she’d known whom she’d called. “Oh, my God, how is it going? Any word on Megan? I’ve been searching the papers and online, but I see nothing.” Angelica had been born near Milan, and though her parents had moved to the States when she was a teenager, there was still a trace of an Italian accent in her speech.

“Nothing yet.”

“Oooh. So bad.” Angelica let out a long sigh. She was an expressive woman, with wavy black hair and eyes as blue as a summer sky. Her olive skin was flawless and her petite figure perfect for the bridal dresses she created and often modeled. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.”

“Well, I’m calling with some bad news. Two weddings in February have been canceled, and the clients don’t want their dresses. Can you believe it? This late. One groom got cold feet and broke it off, and the other clients lost their venue and have to reschedule and now want a summer destination wedding, and this dress just won’t do. Never mind that the bride gained forty pounds since the initial fitting and now claims the dress makes her ‘look fat’ and blames me. I tell you, dealing with bridezillas is not for the faint of heart. Per l’amor di Dio!”

For God’s sake, spoken rapidly and under her breath, was one of Angelica’s favorite phrases. Especially when she was frustrated. Which was often enough.

Angelica wasn’t finished ranting. “They both want their deposits back, of course, but the dresses are nearly complete, and what are my chances of selling them—designed specifically for the brides?” She rattled off a further stream of Italian that Rebecca assumed was some form of swearing, but she couldn’t be certain. “I’ll have to sell them at a discount—that is, if I can. So I’ll finish them and send you digital pictures that you can upload to the site and stress the discount?”

“No problem. I was about to head back.”

“Here? To Seattle? When your sister is still missing?” Angelica asked, her tone almost accusing. “No, no, no. Family is everything. You should stay.”

“I don’t think there’s any more that I can do.”