Jeannie had another bad night and was still wide awake at two. Last month, she'd invited Kate to celebrate Thanksgiving with her. Kate said she'd buy the food and Jeannie would cook, but now Thanksgiving was here and Kate wasn't.

As far as Jeannie knew, Kate didn't have family to look out for her. Jeannie had a daughter, Laura, who lived in San Diego. She didn't see her often, but at least she had someone who cared. Kate only had Jeannie. She wished she could convince herself Kate was fine, but during her sleepless night, she'd imagined Kate lying hurt, and Jeannie could no longer sit back and do nothing.

After breakfast, she took a taxi to the station house. Detective Foster wasn't there, so she waited.

Two painful arthritic hours passed before someone called her name.

"Mrs. Lawrence?"

Jeannie struggled to her feet, her knees creaking.

"I'm Detective Foster. Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on through." Foster was older than she'd imagined, in his late forties, gray hair, tall with a kind smile. She didn't think he was married. No wife would let her husband leave the house with his collar in that state. He opened the door of a small, drab room and gestured her inside.

"Flo, be an angel and bring us coffee," he called to a passing redhead.

"Tea for me, if you can manage it," Jeannie said. "One sugar." She settled herself on another plastic folding chair and winced.

"Can I get you something more comfortable to sit on?"

"I'm fine." She'd be stiff all day, but she didn't want to waste time. "I want to fill out a missing person's report about my next door neighbor."

"It should really be her next of kin."

"She doesn't have any. Her parents are dead." Detective Foster pulled a form from his folder and picked up a pen. "Okay. Her name."

"Kate Evans."

"Kate, Katherine, Kathleen?"

Jeannie realized she didn't know. "Just Kate."

"Age?"

"Twenty. I'm not exactly sure of her date of birth, but I know it's sometime in April."

"Address? Place of employment?"

Jeannie related them and added, "She's working to save money for college."

"Description?"

"Tall, about 5'9, beautiful long brown hair, brown eyes. She's slim. Wears dark rimmed glasses, she's nearsighted."

"Any scars, distinguishing marks?"

"Not that I've seen."

Flo came in with a tray and put it on the table. "Sorry, no tea." Jeannie sipped the coffee. It was terrible. The TV programs got that right.

"How long have you known her?" Detective Foster asked.

"Four months."

She told him Kate had no relatives. Her parents died just before she moved in.

There was no boyfriend either, because Kate told her she had a nasty experience a few years ago, which made her cautious about men.

Detective Foster's ears pricked up at that. "What sort of nasty experience?"

"I don't know. I didn't press her." Jeannie worked on the assumption Kate would have told her if she'd wanted to.

"Was she depressed?"

"She wasn't the suicidal type, detective. I tried calling the hospitals, but they won't tell me anything."

"I can check. How about medication?"

"Not that I know of," Jeannie said.

"Friends?"

"At the library perhaps, but they didn't come to her apartment. She doesn't seem to make friends easily. It takes her a long while to trust people. Even me.

She was careful. Safety conscious. I think she only just managed to get by on her salary. Our apartment building is in a good area. That was important to Kate.

Living somewhere safe meant more than having money to go out and enjoy herself."

"Did she owe money?"

"I doubt it."

"Use a cell phone?"

"No." Jeannie was sure about that.

"Really?"

"She didn't have anyone to call and I don't think she could afford one."

"Ever disappeared like this before?"

"No. Kate's trustworthy and reliable. She's a kind and thoughtful girl. She wouldn't do this, just up and go. Her apartment looks as-"

"You've been in her apartment since you suspected she'd disappeared?"

"Yes, I thought she might be hurt, maybe dead." He leaned back in his chair. "Did Kate give you a key?"

"I persuaded the building superintendent to go in with me."

"What makes you so certain something's happened to her?" Jeannie told him everything she could think of, left out no detail, and waited for him to write everything down.

"Kate wouldn't leave without saying something, nor would she leave flowers all over the floor. Such pretty flowers-lilies and irises. Why didn't she pick them up and put them in a vase?"

"You say Kate sent her resignation to the library?"

"No, I told you Mrs. Hartman received her resignation, but I don't believe Kate sent it. You need to check the letter, dust it for prints." He gave a small chuckle.

"This isn't funny," Jeannie said. "Kate needs our help."

"I'm sorry. Okay, I'll call Mrs. Hartman."

"The library will be closed for Thanksgiving today and tomorrow."

"Then I'll call the day after."

"Couldn't you call her at home?"

He sighed. "I could, but as you pointed out, it's Thanksgiving. How do you think she's going to feel about being disturbed in the middle of her family meal to confirm what she's already told you, that Kate resigned?"

"Frankly, I don't care and neither should you. This is a young girl's life we're talking about."

"I'll see what I can do," Luke said.

After he'd put the old lady in a squad car and sent her home, Luke went to get himself another coffee and returned to his desk. He asked Flo to check the hospitals. He had enough to do without looking for someone who wasn't lost, but figured one phone call wouldn't hurt.

"Ms Hartford?"

"Yes."

"Sorry to disturb you, ma'am. I'm Detective Luke Foster working out of West Nueva. I'm calling regarding an employee of yours."

"Kate Evans?"

Luke straightened up. "Yes. She's been reported missing by her neighbor."

"The woman called me. I had Kate's resignation letter arrive in the mail."

"Was that a surprise?"

He heard the hesitation in the woman's voice.

"Yes, it was. At first I was annoyed, but I have to admit, I'm concerned."

"What's Kate like?"

"Subdued when she first started, but punctual and reliable. When I put her in the children's section, she blossomed. She's a bright girl. 3.9 GPA. She should be at college."

"Happy?"

"Content."

Luke heard the unspoken but'. "And?"

"Kate says in her letter, she's going to make a new life for herself away from Texas. She's found the man of her dreams. Her exact words. I've spoken to her colleagues and none of them were aware she even had a boyfriend. Kate is a private person. I find it unusual she'd write me such a personal letter. And while the signature at first sight appears to be hers, there's something about it that looks wrong."

Flo found no trace of Kate at any of the local hospitals and now Luke had a dilemma. Did he disturb a judge on Thanksgiving to get a search warrant or did he wait until morning? Convincing a judge there was probable cause sat at the upper end of the difficult scale, particularly when said judge would be getting ready to sit down to a plate of turkey with all the trimmings. Luke's mouth watered. This case had his interest now. Gut feeling, hunch or whatever, something was not right. As he typed the affidavit, his stomach growled.

Nathan arrived early at Elisa's, planning to leave early and minimize the time he spent with his father and stepmother. Unfortunately, they were already there.

Elisa's husband, Bob, opened the door. "Hey there, brother-in-law. Happy Thanksgiving."

Nathan handed over a bottle of wine. "Ditto and I need a glass of this now." Bob laughed. "They're in the living room." Nathan went through, fighting off the urge to go back to his car.

"Nathan, you made it." His sister smiled. She kissed his cheek, putting her lips close to his ear. "Thank you."

"You owe me," he whispered. He looked over at his parents sitting together on the couch. "Dad, Inez." Nathan nodded, not moving a step in their direction.

"How are you?"

"Fine, thank you, Nathan," his stepmother said. "Happy Thanksgiving." Nathan saw the look on Elisa's face and forced his feet to cross the room. He kissed Inez on each cheek. He'd just pissed off his dad by not calling her Mom. He could have said it. He didn't know why he hadn't. Yeah, he did. He wanted to annoy his dad, but he hadn't got any joy out of it. Inez looked hurt and Nathan felt guilty.

He wouldn't be staying for dinner. The turkey would choke him, and it'd serve him right.

Judge Harmon issued the warrant; the fact that it was Thanksgiving was working in Luke's favor. The judge wanted him gone before his guests arrived.

Luke collected his partner Gil and promised his wife he'd have him back in time for dinner. They drove straight to Kate's apartment.

Martin Fryer reached for his keys when Luke showed him the warrant. He accompanied the two detectives upstairs.

"What's she like?" Luke asked.

"Nice girl. No trouble, no noise, no complaints."

"Get many visitors?" Gil asked.

"No, she was quiet."

"When was the last time you saw her?" asked Luke.

"A week ago. I think she was coming back from work."