“It?” Jake polished off another handful of peanuts and put the lid back on.

“Her disappearance.”

There was a pause. And then, firmly, he said, “No.”

“No what?”

“No.”

I frowned at him. “No what?”

He folded his arms across his broad chest. “I told you. No more of this private detective stuff unless you’re actually going to be a private detective.”

“I’m not being a private detective,” I said.

He pointed a finger at me. “That’s exactly what you’re being. You think some teenager is responsible for the disappearance of another teenager so she could star in a play? I can see your wheels turning.”

I turned away from him, intending to put the coffee back. Except he was standing in front of the cupboard. He was right, of course. The wheels were definitely turning. I’d been thinking about it ever since Madison had slammed the door on me. What if she’d done something to Amanda so she couldn’t play Snow White? Who else had more to gain than Madison if Amanda wasn’t available? I couldn’t help it. It was where my mind went. And, unfortunately, I couldn’t hide it from my husband.

“I said it before and I’ll say it again,” he said. “If you’re going to do this, at least get paid for it.”

“I’m not doing anything,” I said, making a face at him. “You’re the one who’s jumping to conclusions.”

He rolled his eyes, much the same way Emily did, and walked out of the kitchen, shaking his head.

Will passed him as he walked out. “What’s wrong with Jake?”

“Nothing,” I said. “Or maybe a lot of things. I don’t know.”

“Oh. Okay.” He eyed me hopefully. “Hey, can you make cookies?”

“Tonight?”

“Yeah.”

I sighed and shoved the coffee back in the cupboard. “I’m really tired.”

“Me, too,” he said. “Do you have chocolate chips?”

“I meant I was tired and don’t want to make cookies.”

“Mom, come on,” he said. “You haven’t baked anything in like a week.”

“It hasn’t been a week. And I’ve been busy.”

“And we’ve been hungry.”

“Who exactly is 'we'?”

He waved a hand out toward the living room. “Your family, that’s who. We’ve been deprived of your delicious baked goods for over a week now, and we’re all going into withdrawal.”

I stared at him. “Maybe that’s part of your punishment. You know, for hacking into your sister’s accounts.”

His expression was innocent. “I told you why I did that. I thought you’d thank me!”

“For spying on your sister?”

“Look, she had her password set as her birthday! Anyone could have gotten into her stuff. If anything, she should be thanking me for pointing out the security flaws and… and motivating her to make a stronger password.” His eyes opened wide. “I was just trying to help.”

“Baloney.” I tried to keep my voice stern but I had to fight to keep from smiling. Will was good with computers – we all knew that – but his true talent had always been debate. I had no doubt he could have a great career in technology but his personality was better suited to being a lawyer.

“If you don’t wanna make cookies for me, that’s fine.” His voice grew soft. “But you should make them for the girls. They’ve worked hard on the play this week, and Em has a test tomorrow that she’s freaking out over.”

“You’re totally trying to butter me up.”

He grinned. “Is it working?”

I sighed but this time I couldn’t hide my smile. “Unfortunately, yes. Fine. I will make something real quick.”

He raised his arms in victory and marched out of the kitchen. “Thanks, Mom,” he called. “You’re the best.”

I chuckled. Will knew how to push buttons – all the buttons.

I grabbed eggs and butter and sugar and started mixing everything in a big ceramic bowl. I’d make bars instead of cookies – just as good but much less time-consuming.

“Here,” Jake said behind me.

“Here what?” I turned off the beaters and scraped down the edges with my fingers.

“Look.”

I spun around, cookie dough caked to my fingers. He was holding up a stack of papers.

He laid them down on top of the microwave. “When you’re done with the cookies, you can take a look.”

“Bars,” I corrected him. “ And what is it?”

He smiled at me. “What you need to do get your investigator’s license in the state of Minnesota.”

“Oh my God.”

“I know, right?” His blue eyes twinkled. “You’re welcome.”

I frowned. “That isn’t what I meant. I don’t need those. I’m not becoming an investigator.”

“So you’re telling me that since I walked out of the kitchen you haven’t thought for a second about Amanda and Madison and the case of the missing Snow White?”

I stood there, my sticky hands in the air. I didn’t say anything.

He pointed at me again, a victorious grin on his face. “I knew it.” Then he pointed at the papers. “So when you’re done, take a look.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

He smiled. “I know you will. It’s killing you not to look right now.” He waved at me and walked out of the kitchen. “I know you will, Daisy.”

I loved my husband. He was a wonderful man. He’d made my life infinitely better in so many ways that I’d lost count.

But, right then, watching him stride out of the kitchen with that smug look on his face, I really wanted to punch him in the stomach.

SIX

“Emily, I don’t want you on your phone all night,” I said, glancing in the rear view mirror.

All six of us were loaded into the minivan the next night, heading to our friends, the Witts. Jake and I were going out for our monthly double date with Brenda and Johnny, while the kids all hung out at their house. They were our best friends and fortunately, our four kids got along well with their five. It made things easier when we all needed to get out and escape the kids for a couple of hours.

“Emily? Did you hear me?” I asked.

She didn’t look up. “What?”

“Did you hear me?” I repeated, a little louder this time. She was in the back row of the minivan and the radio was blasting a Taylor Swift song; maybe she really hadn’t heard me.

“Sure.”

“What did I say then?”

She finally looked up. Her blue eyes were rimmed with black eyeliner and mascara. She looked like she was going on a date instead of heading over to the home of a family friend. “What?”

Jake chuckled and shook his head behind the steering wheel.

I sighed. “I said I don’t want you on your phone all night.”

“I won’t be.”

“Yeah, right,” Will said. He was in the seat next to her, his own phone in his lap.

“Shut up.”

“Guarantee she won’t put it down all night,” he said.

“Maybe I should just take it now, then,” I said.

Her eyes opened wide in horror. “No. I’ll put it away. I promise.” She clicked the off button and shoved it into the pocket of her hoodie.

“What if Andy texts you?” Will asked, grinning.

She reached over and punched him in the chest. He tried to scoot closer to the window, out of her reach.

“Who’s Andy?” Sophie asked.

“Some boy at her school,” Grace said, twisting around to look at her oldest sister. “Emily likes him.”

“Shut up, Grace,” Emily snarled. “I do not.”

“Oh, yes you do,” Will said, laughing.

“I swear, I’m changing every single password of mine,” she snapped at him. “And I’ll have my friends block you from their accounts, too.”

“As if that could stop me,” Will countered.

“All phones go away as soon as we leave,” Jake said, eyeing them all in the mirror. “They only come out for emergencies. Everyone got it?”

“Sure,” Grace said agreeably, because she was the only one who didn’t have a phone.

Sophie nodded her assent. Will looked hesitant

“Will?” I asked. “You hear that?”

“Yeah, but sometimes we play games on them,” he said. “So how about if we just pull them out for games and emergencies?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”