'Cassie Didn't Come Home Last Night'



My neighbor's announcement cuts through the party atmosphere at my annual Easter barbecue.



I’ve known Jackie for sixteen years. Our daughters used to be best friends, but in recent months they've grown apart.



My Sabrina is studious and driven, while Cassie is impulsive and attention-seeking, prone to drama. And yet, the news of Cassie's disappearance fills me with a terrible sense of dread.



I see the accusation in Jackie’s eyes, and I don’t like it. Why hasn't she gone to the police? And why does she look at us with such suspicion? She thinks someone here knows what's happened to Cassie. And from the way she settles on my sofa, I can tell she's not leaving until she learns the truth.