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As Calloway asked the questions, I thought back to the last time I’d seen Danielle. It had been in the grocery store a few months earlier. She’d always kept to herself, wasn’t polite. I never thought much about it, but I wondered if Joey had misinterpreted misanthrope-ish to mean paranoid.

“She didn’t say a thing to him, but while he was there, she listened to Minnie’s podcast, on loud. He could hear it from inside as he worked in the garage. He wondered if she was losing her hearing or something.”

“Which episode?”

“Joey wouldn’t have had a clue. He just recognized Minnie’s voice.”

Calloway and I shared a look. He confirmed that Trisha didn’t have anything else to add before we left the diner together.

“Maybe something scared Danielle. I mean, before all the recent events,” I said as we stepped outside.

“I agree. I’m going back to Thalia’s, see if something might have spooked her too.”

“I want to come with you.”

Calloway gave me a long look. “Okay. All right.”

I didn’t even go back to my place for my pack, but I’d already grabbed the gun.

We hopped into Calloway’s SUV. As we made our way, fear and concern built inside me. Had we missed something, or were we possibly too late for something?

Calloway got us to Thalia’s quickly. She wasn’t outside this time. The front door was closed tight. There was something about the place that elevated my concern.

“Stay here,” Calloway said.

“Sheriff, you know I can’t do that.” I got out of the car.

“Stay behind me.” Calloway came around and placed himself in between me and the house.

“That I’ll do.”

“Thalia? You there?” Calloway called.

There was no response, but I didn’t expect any.

“Sheriff,” I said, my voice tight with concern. I wanted him to be careful, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish the request.

“I know.” He knocked on the door. “Thalia, you in there?”

When there was no response again, he tried the door. It was locked.

“We have to get in there,” I said.

“I know. I’m going to check the back.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“I wish you’d go back to the car.”

“No.”

Neither of us drew our guns. Our quick steps stirred up dust as we navigated over a few toys on the way to the backyard. We took two stairs up to a deck, toward the back sliding glass door. Calloway tried to pull on the door, but it was locked. He put himself up to the glass and peered in.

“No one.” He seemed to deflate a little, in a good way. “There’s no sign of trouble either.”

“We still need to get in there. We need to confirm.”

“I don’t disagree, but I don’t want to break the glass if I don’t have to. Let me get something from my car. Come around with me.”