Claire was already on her feet and walking over, her lips curving at Kennedy’s assessment. “Thank you for the lovely compliment. I’m so glad to see you again.” She squeezed the girl’s hands, held on to them for a few seconds, then released them and gestured toward the sofa. “I brought another friend—someone who really wants to meet you, as well. This is Casey Woods. Casey, this incredible little girl is Kennedy Walsh.”
Casey rose and walked over to join the group, a genuine smile on her face. “Hi, Kennedy. I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re a very brave girl, and everyone is so proud of you. Especially your uncle Ryan.”
Kennedy’s brows rose. “You know Uncle Ryan, too?”
“Mm-hmm. I work with him. So he’s my friend and my colleague.”
Kennedy’s eyes grew wide. “You’re part of that amazing company he works for?”
Claire answered for her boss. “Actually, Casey is president of Forensic Instincts. She’s pretty awesome—a great leader and an even greater person. We all love her. I think you will, too.”
Kennedy walked alongside them to the edge of the living room, then hesitated. “Can I come in? Or are you talking privately to Aunt Maureen?”
Casey waved Kennedy in. No behavioral analysis was needed here. Ryan was right. Kennedy was a bright, polite, and insightful girl—mature way beyond her years. “Of course, come in. We’d enjoy talking with you. Your uncle Ryan is not easy to impress, but he’s totally impressed by you.”
With a soft smile, Kennedy perched on the arm of the sofa. “He’s biased,” she replied. “But that’s okay. I think he’s wonderful, too.”
Casey watched Kennedy fiddle with her pendant and went with that.
“What a lovely necklace,” she said, leaning closer. “Delicate and beautiful.”
A shadow of pain shot across Kennedy’s face. “It was a present from my mommy.” She met Casey’s caring gaze. “Would you like to see it?”
“Very much, if that’s okay.” Casey waited until Kennedy leaned forward, offering her the silver heart-shaped pendant for inspection. “It’s pretty and distinctive, just like you,” Casey murmured, gently touching the intricate mesh trim and tracing the tiny diamonds that formed the letter K in its center. “And given that it’s a gift from your parents, no wonder it means so much to you.”
Kennedy nodded, tears glistening on her lashes. “Thank you.”
Hastily, Maureen gestured for Casey and Claire to reseat themselves on the sofa, and for Kennedy to join them. “All of you relax. I baked Irish soda bread for everyone. I’ll go get it while you ladies chat.”
Kennedy watched her aunt head off to the kitchen. “If Aunt Maureen baked, that means she knew you were coming. I get the feeling this was planned.” A panicky look crossed her face. “There’s no bad news about Mommy, is there?”
Immediately, both women shook their heads.
“We’re searching hard for her, sweetie,” Claire said, patting the cushion between Casey and her, waiting until Kennedy had plunked down. “And we’ll find her, bring her back to you. You’ll see.”
The panic dissipated, but the insightfulness did not.
“You want to ask me questions, don’t you?” Kennedy asked, glancing from one of them to the other. “To see if I remember anything that could help? I know that Agent Barkley from the FBI plans to do that. Late last night, I heard Aunt Maureen and Uncle Colin talking.”
Ideal, Casey thought. Not only smart and intuitive, but a good eavesdropper.
Casey didn’t have to glance over at Claire to know she was thinking the same thing. But she fell silent, letting Claire take the lead.
“Yes, sweetie, we do have questions,” Claire began. “And not only to prepare you for Agent Barkley. To help us figure out the reason all this happened.” She squeezed Kennedy’s hand. “You know your uncle Ryan. He likes to be first at everything, including getting answers.”
“Your team is competing with the FBI for first place,” Kennedy stated. “Just like when I’m in a taekwondo competition.” She swallowed hard. “Only, in this case, it’s to figure out who’d do such horrible things to my parents.”Claire nodded, taking Kennedy’s hand in hers. “You’re incredibly smart and mature, Kennedy. So I know you get it. Casey and I are counting on your thinking back over the past few weeks, even months, and hopefully remembering something that would help us.”
A frightened spark flickered in Kennedy’s eyes. “Like what?”
Claire continued to hold Kennedy’s hand, her expression taking on that all-too-familiar crystallized awareness. “You’ve been reliving Friday over and over—ever since Agent Barkley told you the heartbreaking news. I understand. I also understand you’re forcing yourself not to think about the week or two before that. But now I need you to do just that, to try to recall anything you either felt or overheard at home. Did your mom and dad talk about anything that scared you? Did they seem scared themselves? Were you worried about them—or about anything that might happen to them?”
It was obvious that Claire’s gently spoken questions had struck home.
Kennedy began to tremble. Tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheeks as she responded. “Lately, when they talked, it was in their room with the door shut,” she said in a voice that was little more than a whisper. “They never did that before. Except for surprises, we didn’t keep secrets. But this wasn’t just a secret, it was something bad. Very bad. I just knew it.”
She paused, sucked in her breath. “Then, a week ago, when I’d gone back to my room, I heard Daddy open the door and walk out into the hall. So I crept to the doorway and listened. Mommy was crying, saying how scared she was. Daddy told her he’d make everything right, that he wouldn’t let anyone hurt our family. But I knew someone was trying to.”
“Did he say who that someone was?” Claire asked. “Or where he knew him from?”
