She read it aloud.

“Belle is really missing? Are you sure? This isn't a joke?”

Her fingers flew across the keyboard.

No joke, guys. She's really missing. When did you last hear from her?

A minute later, the reply.

We think probably around Christmas?

We never got to go to the get-togethers because they were too far away. We only met her one time, she came to see us last fall. She's really pretty. All our sisters are pretty-Ali sent us some pictures from a get-together they had. We wish we had something to tell you but we don't.

Emme turned to Nick. “That's pretty much what I expected from those two. Ali said they weren't real active on the message board and they didn't even have cell phones.”

Another click. Another message, this one a private email.

Miss Caldwell-Lori and I are shocked to learn that Belle has been missing all this time! We have both been away at school and haven't been on the board too much recently because of exams. We both are willing to meet with you whenever, wherever you want. Are you near CT? If you're close by, maybe we can meet partway? Henry Carroll-Wilson

“His name is Henry Carroll-Wilson?” Nick frowned. “For real? Wasn't Henry Wilson the name of Dennis the Menace's cranky old neighbor?”

Emme laughed. “Could be.”

She typed a reply email and hit send. “Just to let him know where we are and that we can meet him halfway or drive up there, whatever it takes. Every one of these kids we talk to could conceivably bring us one step closer to finding out what happened that day.”

Henry's reply was immediate.

Lori and I can drive to Philadelphia this weekend and meet you there. Is tomorrow okay with you?

When Emme hesitated, Nick asked, “Something wrong?”

“I'm kind of tied up this weekend.”

“Heavy date?”

“Yeah. With a Realtor and a four-year-old. We're still looking for a house to rent.” She thought for a moment. “Even if I schedule the Realtor for one day instead of both, I still have Chloe. I don't really have anyone to watch her, except Trula, and I don't want her to think I'm taking advantage of her. It's enough she has her company after school until I finish up in my office.”

“Why don't you bring her along?”

“I don't want her hearing the kind of stuff we'll be talking about.”

“We can all meet at the zoo, then I can take Chloe to see some of the animals while you talk to Lori and Henry.”

“I can't impose on you like that. She's a great kid, don't get me wrong, but she'll talk your ears off. You'll be deaf for a week.”

“She's that loud?”

“Not loud, just constant.”

“It's okay. I won't mind. My life's been kind of quiet for a while now.” He smiled weakly. “It's been a really long time since I've been to a zoo.”

“Nick, are you certain?”

“Absolutely. You do the investigating, I'll do the zoo with Chloe.”

She nodded, more pleased than she was willing to show, and she typed her reply to Henry. He called her cell phone in response, and together they viewed a map of the zoo online to locate the main gate.

“He sounds like a really nice guy,” Emme told Nick after she hung up from Henry's call. “He and his sister are both really upset that they didn't realize something was amiss sooner. We'll meet them tomorrow at one, right inside the zoo gate.”

“Great. Tell Chloe to wear her walking shoes. I hear it's a really big zoo.” He moved closer to the table, his fingers on her keyboard. “May I?”

“Sure. What are you?…”

He pointed to the website for the Philadelphia Zoo that was still on her screen.

“Look here, America's first zoo. Check out all the habitats.” Nick pointed to the screen. “African plains. Australian animals. Bear country. Big cats. Rare animals. Which of those do you think Chloe would like?”

“All of them. She loves animals and is ridiculously curious.” Emme grabbed the mouse and clicked on Prairie dogs.

“She'll love these. But you're going to have to watch her like a hawk, Nick. She'll be trying to get right in there with them.”

“We'll set the rules with her before we get there, and we'll set an itinerary so that she'll be able to see you. I'm assuming you can walk and talk to Henry and Lori at the same time.”

“We might end up lagging behind at times, but having an itinerary is a really good idea. Then if it's crowded and we get separated, we'll know where the other is headed for next.” She clicked again on the screen and brought up a list of exhibits. “Let's do that now while we're thinking about it.”

An hour later, they had their Saturday afternoon mapped out, and Emme had her Realtor switch all of their appointments to Sunday. When they'd finished, Emme sent the command to the wireless printer in the room to print out two copies. She retrieved them just as the computer signaled incoming mail.

“Let's see who this is,” she said. “Oh, it's Hayley.”

I called Ava. She's very upset about Belle. I went on the message board and asked everyone to call or email you as soon as possible and tell you when they last heard from Belle. I told everyone that you're trying to help. And I emailed all the others who don't go on the board very often or who stopped going on at all. Everyone needs to know about this. Is there anything else you want me to do?

“Sweet girl,” Emme murmured as she began to type. “Since we can't read the messages that are posted on the board, except for the ones we write, I'm hoping Hayley will tell me if there's any rumbles going on about this on the message board.”

Hayley, you've been a huge help-we can't thank you enough. Please keep in touch, and let us know what's posted on the message board by the others.

“So now we go on to Aaron.” She began to compose the email. “Do we want this one from me, or from you?”

“Maybe from me. Getting an email from a private investigator might make him nervous.”

“Good point.” She nodded. “We'll send this one from Uncle Nick…”

They worked on the email for almost twenty minutes before they were satisfied with its contents.

“Let's send it before we change our minds again,” Nick said, his fingers poised.

“I agree. There's not much more we can say other than what we already have.” Emme ticked off the high points of the text. “We read the article, admire his creative mind. We know Belle was in contact with him, here's the situation with Belle. When did he last hear from her? How far had she gotten in her quest? Does he know if she completed her search? And more specifically, if she located Donor 1735, did she contact him?”

“That's it.” He hit send. “We're done. What else today?”

“That's it for now,” she said. “We're not going to know anything more until we hear from the others, and that could be anytime between now and never.”

“I think I'll head on back to the garage then.” Nick looked at his watch. “I have a '65 Mustang coming in this afternoon for an evaluation and I need to be there when the owner arrives. I'll let you know if I hear anything from Aaron.”

“So I'll meet you at the zoo tomorrow at one, then.” Emme closed her laptop.

“Maybe we should make it a little earlier, so Chloe and I can get to know each other a little,” Nick said thoughtfully. “Let's make it eleven thirty at the gate, and we can walk over to the Tiger Terrace and have lunch. I saw it on the map, it's near the middle of the zoo. That way, Chloe and I won't be total strangers when I walk her off to look at the animals. She might think it's strange that you let her walk away with someone she doesn't know.”

“Chloe believes that strangers are merely friends she hasn't met yet. She's entirely too trusting. But you're right. She needs to understand that I wouldn't let her walk away with just anyone. She should know that we're…” She fished for the right word. “Acquaintances.”

“Acquaintances?” He raised an eyebrow. “Is that the best we can do? After all, we've been spending a lot of time in each other's company. I'd like to think at this point, we're at least friends.”