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would—if forced—but being kidnapped and tortured and nearly killed by an egotistical, jealous, brooding asshole was not her favorite topic of conversation. Not even with dear David.
    “It’s gotten worse,” he said.
    “Not true.” She hated lying, and tried to avoid it. Worse, he knew she was lying.
    He just stared at her.
    “Okay, it’s worse some nights,” she admitted. “But I slept well in Lake Tahoe.”
    “If you can call five hours a night sleeping well.”
    “You were keeping track?” One look at his face and she knew it wasn’t David keeping track. Her hand tightened around the door frame. “Nick! Do not discuss me with Nick! He had no right to talk to you about me.”
    David stepped forward, just as angry as she was. “If you were honest with me, and with Nick, he wouldn’t be so worried.”
    “I’m not lying to you or anybody. And there hasn’t been a night I’ve slept more than six hours for as long as I can remember. So when I say I’ll be fine, I will be fine. And Nick can damn well talk to me about it if he’s so damn concerned.”
    She shut the door. Terrific. Her night was officially ruined. She should never have vacationed together with both David and Nick. What a stupid, idiotic thing to do. Of course they had bonded, they were both former military. They were single dads, each with a kid they couldn’t see as much as they wanted. They liked boating. Maybe they should start screwing each other, because Max was beginning to feel like the third wheel in this odd relationship.
    She closed her eyes and shook her head. Her phone rang and she looked at the caller ID.
    Nick.
    Of course.
    She declined the call and went to bed.
    *   *   *
    In his tree house, Tommy read the e-mail from Maxine Revere over and over again.
    Dear Tommy,
    Last week I told you that I’d agreed to look into your stepsister’s murder. I arrived in town earlier today and have already met with the police detective in charge of the investigation. I would also like to talk to you as soon as possible.
    Please contact me on my cell phone or e-mail me to let me know when would be a good time for us to meet. How about tomorrow after school? I can meet you anywhere you’d like. In your letter, you mentioned that you like ice cream. So do I. Online, I saw that there is a wonderful gelato shop not too far from your school. Maybe we could meet there?
    Sincerely,
    Maxine Revere
    She was here and she’d e-mailed him—just like she said she would! Wow. She really wanted to help him. He liked gelato, though he preferred real ice cream. But he would have gelato with Maxine Revere if that’s what she wanted.
    He was about to respond to the e-mail, then hesitated. Austin had wanted to know when Maxine Revere e-mailed or called. Tommy had come up to his tree house after dinner because he didn’t want his mom to hear him talking to the reporter. His face grew warm. He didn’t like to keep anything from his mom.
    He forwarded the e-mail to Austin and added a message: What should I tell her? Right after school? I don’t have to be home until 5:30. I want you to come. I don’t want to talk to her alone. I’m scared she’ll think I’m stupid and will leave and not help us.
    He was waiting for Austin to e-mail him back when the bell at the bottom of his tree rang. Tommy burst out into a grin. Austin? Then he froze. Austin was going to get in trouble for sneaking out of the house after dark and visiting him. Tommy didn’t want Austin to get in trouble. Tommy opened the trapdoor in the floor of his tree house. “Hello? What’s the password?” He shined his flashlight down the tree.
    It wasn’t Austin; it was his sister Amanda.
    “I don’t remember,” she said.
    “You can’t come up without the password.”
    “Tommy, Mom sent me out to get you. It’s after ten—you should be in bed.”
    “I’m eighteen, I don’t have a bedtime.”
    “You have school tomorrow.” Amanda put her hand on the