Here's another chapter! How is everyone? What are you bingeing? I'm watching The Queen's Gambit and Forensic Files (always!) on Netflix. A lot of people are in lockdown, so drop your recommendations down below.

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Chapter Eleven:

"Wow, Ms. Drew, you sniff out clues like you're like one of our K9 dogs," one of the officers commented as Nancy returned to her local NYPD station with a scrap of fabric. It was her second visit- the first to drop off Mia's purse. She was conscious of the fact that she hardly knew any of the shop attendants at her local grocery store; yet here she was, becoming a regular at the police station. The sergeant on duty clearly recognized her, as she did him.

His joke didn't feel humorous. It fell flat and heavy on the raised oak desk between them.

Nancy knew he was mocking her. But she raised her chin defiantly. "Yes, well, the missing woman is my neighbour. I don't have to go far to find clues."

"Cool. Well, let's have your statement, then."

"You don't want to take it in an interview room?"

"Nope." He ticked a few boxes on a form and slid it across the counter. "You're a fed, you should know there are heaps of missing people. Scraps of fabric are more painful than helpful, for us to process. But thanks."

Nancy bristled at that. "I'm sorry, is Mia merely a missing person to you? In the same box as runaways and disgruntled housewives? She's a young, mature woman who went missing just after a woman with a similar appearance was found murdered. Even if Leah Martin was killed in a domestic incident, it's still irresponsible that you're treating this with such little regard-"

The sergeant looked bothered as Nancy's voice rose. "Ah, hello Mr and Mrs Robinson," he said over Nancy's head to the people who had just entered the room behind her.

Robinson. That surname sounded familiar.

She whirled and sighted a middle-aged couple. They looked ragged, rumpled like they'd unfurled themselves from suitcases. The man was older, a bit stooped like he'd spent years doing physical labour. And the woman was pretty, frayed. She had a familiar face.

"You're Mia's parents," Nancy exclaimed as she realized who they were.

"And this is Nancy Drew, Mia's new neighbour. She's been… helpful," the sergeant said.

Mrs Robinson ignored him. "Oh, Nancy… Jess told me that you're looking for our little girl. Thank you so much. It helps to know we have a famous detective on the case."

"Ah, Mrs Robinson-"

"Marnie. Call me Marnie. And this is Paul."

"Um, Marnie. I'm not officially on the case-"

"Then we'll pay you," Marnie said. She didn't give Nancy time to respond. Instead, she turned to the sergeant. "We have an appointment with Chief Reyes."

As the sergeant started to wave the Robinsons through, Marnie grabbed Nancy's arm and pulled her with them. The sergeant started to protest, but one look at Marnie's blazing eyes and furrowed brows set him straight and he clamped his mouth tightly.

Chief Reyes was a swarthy man who was surely close to retirement. He had a gut that fought with his belt. And he had an old-fashioned moustache on his face.

"Mrs Robinson, Mr Robinson, ah-"

"Nancy Drew. She's an FBI agent. We've contracted her as a PI."

"Ookay, then. So, I um… well, I called you to let you know that we've talked to one of Mia's friends from school and her friend said that Mia was talking about running away to California. Apparently, Mia failed one of her classes and she was burnt out."

Paul Robinson blanched. "But she was a solid A student!"

Reyes pushed a binder across his desk. A solid red D was circled at the top of a paper.

Nancy's heart sank. Her young neighbour did have a lot on her plate. It was only natural that her job might suffer. But California? Was Mia so spontaneous that she'd just take off like that with no word to anyone? Surely not. Even if she was flighty like that she wouldn't leave her keys and cards behind.

She glanced at Reyes and saw that his brow contracted.

Unless…

"The thing is, sudden academic failure and flighty fancies can proceed ah… suicide attempts."

There it was.

Nancy glanced back at the Robinsons. They looked stricken.

It was hard to imagine Mia wanting to end her own life. She was so bubbly and friendly. But Nancy knew how hard life was. And people could hide their mental illnesses so well. Hell, she'd recently lost a fellow FBI agent to suicide. It could take anyone.

After the appointment drew to a close Marnie took Nancy's arm and squeezed it urgently. She had tears in her eyes, but they weren't falling. She wasn't the type to let it all out in public. But behind closed doors…?

"Mia wouldn't do that," she said loudly. "Not Mia. I need you to prove the police wrong, okay? I'm serious. Please say you'll bring my girl home?"

"I work for the FBI, ma'am… it's a conflict of interest to take a private payment." Nancy saw the woman's face fall. She couldn't leave these poor parents in the dust, could she? She could put Joe and Hardy Investigators forward. But Nancy suddenly felt protective of this case. She cared about it. She knew the people involved. And she had Jess's trust. Should she squander it?

"But I could volunteer my time," she said after a moment. "After all, I care about this already. But it will have to be in my spare time, without FBI resources."

"Would you? Oh, Nancy, please do. Here, this our hotel. We'll be in town until Mia gets home. You can call the front desk and they'll put you through. Oh, dear. I should give you Paul's number. I don't have a cell, see." Marnie scribbled a number on a card.

Nancy studied the hotel business card that was handed to her. She suddenly felt the need to caution the hopeful pair before her. "I can't promise anything-"

"But you can promise to try. And that means more than we can say."

"And I will. You have my word."

"You promised to solve the case for them?" Frank exploded.

"No," Nancy said evenly, "I promised to try."

"Okay, so, what if it is suicide? You've gone and got their hopes up." Frank's anger abated as he glanced at Nancy. Her eyes were so bright and passionate. But she'd made a mistake. He was sure of it. People's emotions were fragile, delicate things, and Frank saw it every time he stepped into the courtroom. Nancy should know better than to toy with them. Even if her intentions were good, raising the parents' hopes up would only make them fall harder, if Nancy couldn't keep her promise.

He raked his hair back from his forehead, trying to calm down before his own frustration got away from him.

"I'll never hide the truth from them, Frank. You know that. Besides, I'm working this case like any other. I'm not going to let it get into my head."

He wanted to believe her. He wanted to sweep her into his arms and kiss her fervently. But the Nancy that had arrived in Bayport after their case was a different, more feeling Nancy. He still trusted and loved her, with all his heart. But he wasn't sure she knew herself anymore.

"Fine. But what about your work? Your paid work?"

"I'll balance it all," she said coolly. "Just like you'll balance your life. And with no intervention from me. I don't need you to hold my hand."

"Guys," Joe broke in testily. He'd been sitting on the couch, watching television as the couple prepared a meal. He'd been zoning out the frigid discussion, but something on the screen had caught his attention. "GUYS."

Nancy's head shot up.

Frank touched her hand. "Okay. I trust you. Just… don't shut me out, okay?" Then, he turned his attention to Joe. "What is it? Can't you see that-"

Joe turned up the sound, glaring at his brother.

A reporter stood in front of a bustling street. She stared straight at the camera; lips slightly parted as she spoke with an intense expression. "Actor Summer Skeigh has disappeared from this Williamsburg street. She told her husband that she was going to do errands this morning, but she never returned home. Staff at this Quick 'N' Fresh grocery store have said that they saw her when she came in to do her shopping but none of the other stores reports to have seen her. Local police say that her purse was found outside Quick 'N' Fresh…"

Frank tuned the rest of the woman's voice out, as a picture blazed across the screen. An attractive blonde woman smiled enigmatically at the camera. He didn't recognise her, but a quick Wikipedia search showed that she was mostly in commercials.

But it wasn't her celebrity that made his heart drop. It was her looks, which were so familiar. She could be Leah Martin or Mia Robinson. And she was missing too.