Quick A/N: I wanted to apologize for the delay in some of the recent chapter releases. Work has gotten busy for me in the summer, as it usually does. Anyway, please bear with me and know that I'm not going anywhere, just because the chapters aren't coming out as quick as they usually did. I've still got a lot of story to tell...

"Detective Swarek, do you have a minute?"

Sam turned around in his desk to find Officer Zettle coming up the stairs. "What's up?"

"There is a Terri Cruz downstairs, says she wants to talk with you."

"Terri Cruz?"

"Yeah."

"Did she say what it was about?", Sam was out of his chair and the two were walking back to the front desk.

"She wouldn't tell me. Only that she needed to speak with you, privately if possible."

"Okay, Thanks Zettle. Buzz her through."

When the door buzzed, Sam held it open for Marlo's sister.

"Terri, how are you? How can I help you?"

"Can we go somewhere more private?"

"Yeah." Sam led her to the interview room and invited her to sit on the couch. "Do you need anything? Coffee? Tea?"

"No, thank you. I'm okay for now."

"Okay," Sam sat down across from her. "What's going on?"

"It's about Marlo. I'm worried about her."

"We just saw her a couple nights ago, Christmas eve. We exchanged Mia. You weren't there when Andy and I came by or we would have said 'hi'."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you weren't home. Marlo said you had just stepped out."

Sam, I've been out of town on business. I just got back in yesterday."

"What?"

"Marlo said I was here."

"Yeah, she called us the morning before Christmas eve. We were supposed to go pick Mia up in Hamilton that night and bring her back the following night. But she called and said that she was coming up here to spend Christmas with you at your place so we could pick up and drop off Mia there."

"Well she has a key, and she knows she can always come up, especially now with Mia. But she has never come by when I've been gone."

"Did she know you were gone." Yeah, I called her ahead of time to tell her and we wished each other a Merry Christmas in case we didn't talk again."

"What specifically got you worried?"

"Well, Marlo told me to stop by when I got back in to town. I tried calling her yesterday and today, no return calls. I even dashed down there, I just got back. She wasn't at home. Or at least wasn't answering the door."

"So, she lied to us about you being home, didn't tell you she was coming up, did so when you weren't there, and now she's off the grid."

"Yeah, and since it's Marlo, I'm worried. And because of Mia, I figured I should come talk to you. And since you're a cop, you know."

"Thank you, Terri. I appreciate it. I'm going to look into this. I'll keep you posted."

Sam walked Terri back out of the station then went back to the privacy of the interview room and called Marlo. She didn't answer. He left a voicemail, just checking if she got the card for her and if Mia's gift had arrived."

Next, he called Mia's day care center in Hamilton. When they picked up he said, "Hello, this is Sam Swarek. I'm calling to check on my daughter, Mia."

"Okay, what do you want to know."

"Is she there."

"Yeah, she's here. Doing just fine."

"And Marlo dropped her off?"

"Yeah, we can't take a child unless the adult is listed. And its only her and you on Mia's file."

"Okay, did you happen to see Marlo today?"

"No, that would have been Sally, she's out at lunch."

"Can you have her call me back on this line?"

"Um, okay. Is everything okay, Mr. Swarek."

"Yeah, I'm just checking a few things.

Back at his Desk, Dov asked him if everything was alright.

Sam thought about ways he could explain away Terri coming to see him but quickly realized that his partner would see through any of them. He sighed, "Keep this between us, okay?"

Dov nodded.

"Something might be wrong with Marlo."

"Is it serious?"

"I don't know. Maybe. It's a bunch of little things, but with Marlo's history they can't be taken lightly. Andy now she's off the grid."

"Shit, do you need me to do anything?"

"Appreciate the offer, but I'm just checking on some things right now."

"Sure, I'll be here though if you need something."

"Thanks, Epstein."

Sam punched up his computer and did a search on a business. He knew she had gotten a job as an insurance investigator in Hamilton. He found the agency and got a number for them and dialed it in on his phone."

A woman named Mandy answered the phone and asked how she could direct the call.

"Could I speak to Marlo Cruz?"

"I'm sorry sir, she's not in today. Could I take a message?"

"Do you know when she'll be back I, tomorrow, maybe?"

"I'm sorry I do not. But I could take a message and have her call you back as soon as she gets in. Are you a client?"

"No. Mandy, my name is Sam Swarek. I'm a detective in Toronto."

"Oh, we've heard of you, you're Mia's dad. She is so cute."

"Thanks."

"Is there something wrong?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Let me transfer you to our manager, maybe he can help you."

"Thank you."

Sam waited a minute then a different woman came on the line. "Detective Swarek, this is Sarah Reed, I'm the manager here."

"Hi Sarah, I was just trying to reach Marlo but Mandy told me she wasn't in."

"That's correct. Look, is there some way to verify you are who you say you are. I 'm not in the habit of sharing the sort of information you may be seeking over the phone to someone claiming to be somebody."

"Yeah, call 15 Division in Toronto, asked to be forwarded to my desk."

"Okay, talk soon. Detective."

Sam set the phone back in its cradle and drummed his fingers on his desk waiting for it to ring. He didn't wait too long and soon He was back on the phone with Sarah.

"Sorry about that Detective, but we have to be certain who were talking to."

"It's fine, I understand. You said you have some information I might want."

"Marlo hasn't been here since her Christmas break ended a couple days ago. She's called in sick."

"Thank you, Ms. Reed. You've been very helpful."

"I hope she feels better soon."

"Me too."

Sam hung up and thought for a minute. He could run down to Hamilton. Oliver would probably let him take the afternoon and go down there. But what would he do? Knock on her door? If she doesn't answer, then what? He'd just have to turn around and come back.

He was still pondering what to do when his cell phone rang. It was Mia's daycare center.

"Hello, Mr. Swarek? This is Sally from Mia's daycare."

"Yes, hi Sally. I understand that you checked Mia in today when Marlo dropped her off."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Great, did you happen to notice anything off about Marlo or did she seem fine?"

"Maybe seemed a little tired, subdued. But she's been that way the last while. I figured the rush of the season might be getting to her. Why? Is everything alright?"

"She's just been a little under the weather lately. I wanted to see if I could get an accurate feel for how she's doing. Marlo won't ever admit how bad something might be. She thinks she's too strong to let anything get on top of her."

"I understand. She didn't seem ill or anything to me. Just tired, kind-of-out of it."

"Thank you Sally, you've helped put my mind at ease. Can you do me a favor, don't mention this to Marlo. I don't want her upset at me for checking up on her."

"My lips are sealed."

Sam clicked off, grabbed his truck keys and the coat off his chair. "I'm going to go to talk to Shaw, see about-"

He was cut off by his desk phone ringing again. He sat back down and picked it up. "Swarek."

Sam listened then said, "got it," before hanging up. He threw his truck keys back in his desk drawer and grabbed the keys to their cruiser instead.

"Let's go," he said to Dov as he stood up put his coat on.

"Dov stood and did the same. "Hamilton?"

"No, Queen and Parliament."