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There was no stopping the visible slump of her shoulders. They’d driven all this way and Molly was gone. Carmen quickly delivered the reassurance she had tucked away in her back pocket. “Hey, it’s alright. Like I said, we’ll get back, regroup, and then try again.”

“I have her address. I wouldn’t usually hand out information like that, but I can tell you’re related. It’s striking really, apart from the different shades of hair color.”

“Were you together?” Faith asked.

“No, Molly was my roommate. Awesome one too, real shame she left but,” the woman shrugged. “Oh, I’m Felicity, by the way.”

“I’m Faith, Molly’s niece, and this is Carmen, my friend.”

“And those two?” Felicity pointed over their shoulders, a smirk forming on her face. Carmen and Faith turned in sync. Mateo and Enid both had their faces pinned to the car window.

Faith chuckled. “They’re our other friends.”

“Is that lady… panting?”

Carmen groaned. Trust Enid to show them up. They watched as Mateo swatted Enid, trying to get her to stop her—rather convincing—puppy impression.

“Anyway,” Carmen sighed, turning her attention back to Felicity. “Thank you for the address. We’ll leave you to it.”

“Can I just ask one thing?” Faith interrupted.

“Sure.”

“Molly, is she… is she nice?”

“She’s the best. I know about her background, so I’m guessing you had it rough too?”

Faith nodded.

“Molly is the kind of person you always want to be around. She’s warm and comfortable. We had a great time as housemates.”

“Do you know why she moved?”

“Her girlfriend, Ruth, got a job in Phoenix.”

“Oh, so she’s got a partner?” Carmen asked.

Faith eyed Carmen. Was that a brief flicker of annoyance in her friend’s eye? Interesting.

“Yeah, well, as far as I know. We haven’t spoken in a while. Hey, if you catch up to her, tell her to call me. I miss her. And tell her to stop changing numbers. How’s a girl supposed to keep in touch?”

“Absolutely. Thank you, Felicity.”

Mateo and Enid must have guessed the outcome as Faith trudged back to the car, feeling a little defeated.

“So where to next?” he asked with abundant enthusiasm.

“Phoenix,” Carmen answered.

“You don’t have to take me to Phoenix, Carmen. I appreciate all this, really I do, but we could be just chasing another dead end.”

“Hey, less of that. And this certainly wasn’t a dead end. We have an address. We will find Molly. I promise.”

Faith tried her hardest to believe the words Carmen was saying, but in the light of another failed search, it was becoming harder by the minute.

Chapter 10

Carmen