Now she needed to ask some questions.
Kori positioned herself at the pickup end of the counter as she tried to figure out how to approach Daisy.
As Jess set the latte on the counter, Kori grabbed it and wandered toward the other barista. “Excuse me. Are you Daisy, by chance?”
The young woman looked up, and her eyes widened with recognition when she saw Kori. “Oh, my lands. You’vegotto be Mackenzie’s sister.”
Surprise washed over her. “I am. I’m Kori.”
Daisy set down the stack of cups she held and studied Kori’s face. “I recognize you from a photo she used to keep on her fridge.”
Usedto keep on her fridge . . . another reminder of their estrangement.
Kori pushed away the melancholy thought.
Daisy’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you here? Is Mackenzie okay? I . . . I haven’t talked to her in a while.”
She swallowed hard before saying, “She’s missing. She went hiking six days ago and hasn’t come back.”
“What?” Daisy’s voice lilted. “She’s missing? You’re sure?”
“Her neighbor hasn’t seen her. Her phone goes to voicemail. I found her backpack on the trail she took.” Kori watched her face. “I’m surprised you didn’t know. I would have thought someone would have noticed by now.”
Daisy glanced down and frowned. “The truth is that Mackenzie and I haven’t been very tight lately. We were close for a while, and then things just . . .”
Her pulse jumped. “Things just what?”
Daisy blew out a long breath. “I don’t know. Things just?—”
Before she could finish, the door leading to the back of the shop opened. A heavyset man in a manager’s apron stepped out and gave Daisy a pointed look.
Daisy glanced at him then back at Kori. “Listen, I can’t talk now—not if I want to keep my job. But I get off at six. Can we meet somewhere?”
“Of course. Just tell me where.”
“There’s a bench outside the library on Elm. I know it’s cold outside, but it will be quiet there.” She held Kori’s gaze. “I’ll tell you what I know.”
Kori nodded. “Six o’clock.”
She picked up her latte and walked out into the cold.
Whatever Daisy knew about Mackenzie’s life in Blue Ridge Hollow—about why their friendship had cooled, about what things had changed—Kori would find out in three hours.
Maybe this was the lead she’d been praying to find.
