Page 25 of Dead Man's Hollow

“Hey, Teal,” Sasha greets her as if she’s an old friend of theirs. Maisy supposes at this point she is.

“Sasha, Maisy, should I get you a couple menus or?—?”

Maisy eyes Sasha, who shakes her head.

“Nope. Put in our usual order, sugar.”

“You got it.”

“We’re predictable,” Sasha laments as Teal heads off to the kitchen.

“We know what we like,” Maisy counters.

Sasha tips her head to the side, accepting the point, then leans across the table. “So, Leo and I listened to the first episode of your new season while we were walking the dog last night.”

“Where were the kids?” Maisy doubts the couple would play the interview about the disappearance of a teenager in front of their eight-year-olds.

“Soccer practice. We walked Mocha around the field.”

“What did you think?”

“It’s intriguing. Thirty years and not a single break in the case.”

“Do you remember when she disappeared?”

Sasha thinks back. “Sort of. I was in eighth grade, so I wasn’t exactly following the news, but I remember hearing about it. My mother freaked out and made my brothers walk me everywhere that summer. It was irritating for everyone concerned.”

They both laugh, then Maisy says, “So you don’t know anything about these kids?”

“No, they were a good bit older than me. And while McKeesport is only, what, a half an hour outside the city, it may as well have been on the moon as far as I was concerned. Have you been out there?”

“To the school? No. When the district consolidated, that high school was closed. There’s nobody left to interview. But Jordana and I are going to head out to Dead Man’s Hollow. Mainly for background.”

Sasha gives her a careful look. “You’re chewing over something in your mind. Spit it out.”

Maisy opens her mouth, but just then Teal returns with Maisy’s salad and Sasha’s sandwich, along with a carafe of still mineral water. “You want some coffee too, Sasha?”

“No, I’m good.”

Teal and Maisy both shoot her a surprised look.

“Everything looks great, Teal,” Maisy smiles up at her.

“Yeah, thanks,” Sasha chimes in.

Teal walks away and Maisy cocks her head at her friend. “Did you just pass up coffee?”

“I’m having trouble sleeping.”

“Hmm.”

“Don’thmmme. I’m not cutting it out. I’m cutting back. No coffee after noon.”

“Does the firm have contingency plans in place for your inevitable meltdown?”

“Haha. No. But Leo’s scared.”

“I’ll bet.”