now, confused.

"did you know my sister?" duncan asked.

"what does this have to do with me?"

his voice was stern now. "yes or no, did you know my sister?"

"i can't remember. it was a long time ago."

"your son dated her."

"he dated a lot of girls. shane was a handsome boy. so was his brother, paul. he's a psychologist in missouri. why don't you leave me alone and talk to him?"

"try to think." scott's voice rose a notch. "my sister was murdered." he pointed to the picture of shane alworth. "that's your son, isn't it, mrs. alworth?"

she stared down at the strange photograph for a long time before nodding.

"where is he?"

"i told you before. shane lives in mexico. he helps poor people."

"when was the last time you spoke with him?"

"last week."

"he called you?"

"yes."

"where?"

"what do you mean where?"

"did shane call you here?"

"of course. where else would he call?"

scott duncan took a step closer. "i checked your phone records, mrs. alworth. you haven't gotten or made an international call in the past year."

"shane uses one of those phone cards," she said too quickly. "maybe the phone companies don't pick those up, how i should know?"

duncan took another step closer. "listen to me, mrs. alworth. and please listen closely. my sister is dead. there is no sign of your son anywhere. this man here" - he pointed to the picture of jack - "her husband, jack lawson, he's also missing. and this woman over here" - he pointed to the redheaded girl with the spaced-out eyes - "her name is sheila lambert. there's been no sign of her for at least ten years."

"this has got nothing to do with me," mrs. alworth insisted.

"five people in the photograph. we've been able to identify four of them. they're all gone. one we know is dead. for all we know, they all are."

"i told you. shane is -"

"you're lying, mrs. alworth. your son graduated vermont university. so did jack lawson and sheila lambert. they must have been friends. he dated my sister; we both know that. so what happened to them? where is your son?"

grace put a hand on scott's arm. mrs. alworth was staring out now toward the playground, at the children. her bottom lip was quivering. her skin was ashen. tears ran down both cheeks. she looked as if she'd fallen into a trance. grace tried to step in her line of vision.

"mrs. alworth," she said gently.

"i'm an old woman."

grace waited.

"i don't have nothing to say to you people."

grace said, "i'm trying to find my husband." mrs. alworth was still staring at the playground. "i'm trying to find their father."

"shane is a good boy. he helps people."

"what happened to him?" grace asked.

"leave me alone."

grace tried to meet the older woman's gaze, but the focus was gone from her eyes. "his sister" - grace gestured toward duncan - "my husband, your son. whatever happened affected us all. we want to help."

but the old woman shook her head and turned away. "my son doesn't need your help. now go away. please." she stepped back into her house and closed the door.