Black Tie Event

Chapter Nineteen

"Did you find her?" Ana asked as soon as we walked in the door.

Allison stormed through the house. "Is she here?"

"Be nice," I admonished. She had a point, but she didn't need to be so harsh. Actually, that was probably the exact kind of thing I would have said if it were to anyone except Ana. Ana was idealistic and didn't deserve our cynicism.

We walked into the kitchen with Ana, where Cora was already standing. Immediately I noticed that Cora looked more shaken up than I would have anticipated. I could tell she was worried, which made me strangely happy to know that she had a beating heart somewhere within. Shaw and his friends, on the other hand, were still off being men, paying little mind. But, like the rest of his help, I was sure Shaw just saw Lucy as replaceable.

"We filed a report with the PD," I said quietly and procedurally. "Their jurisdiction is slow, so they're putting our case top priority. They're getting an ADA to obtain a warrant for the records on Lucy's credit cards, so if it gets any hits we can make an ATL by trying to triangulate an area where--"

I was stopped midsentence by an elbow to the ribcage. I got the hint. Too police-ish.

"Yeah," I said in closing, though it made no sense.

"And..." Ana began, confused. "PD means?"

"Police department," Allison and I said at the same time. That one was obvious, Ana.

"And ADA?"

"Assistant district attorney."

"And ATL?"

"Attempt to locate."

"How did you get to be such a scholar in the police vernacular?"

I just shrugged. "I watch a lot of CSI shows."

They both nodded.

"That stands for crime scene--"

"Yeah, I know what CSI stands for," Ana interrupted. "Show off."

I just smiled, briefly, before looking back down at my own feet. "Anything else for us?" I asked.

Anneliese looked like she wanted to say something, but the moment was fleeting. "No," she finally said.

It was silent for several long moments, before Cora spoke.

"Am I going to have to be the one to say it?"

"To say what?"

She looked at the door, then back at us. "It's been eleven hours and Shaw hasn't done shit. It's like he doesn't want to find her."

"Maybe he doesn't," Allison muttered, thinking like a detective and not like a housekeeper.

"Either way," I said, looking at Anneliese. "One of us needs to find out what's up with him."

"Well don't look at me," she said. "I'm willing to put money down he has a better relationship with one of you guys."

"I don't think he even knows my name," I said.

Allison nodded. "Likewise."

We all looked at Cora then, who just shut her eyes and exhaled. "You know it's risky for me to ask him."

"Don't ask," I instructed. "Just prod. Drop subtle hints, see if he'll give anything up."

I felt like I was training another detective at the moment, but in more ways than one I was. 

"I'll try," she said. "But not now. No one interrupts football."

"God, isn't that stupid game over yet?"