A/N: A little bit of this and a little bit of that ahead if you haven't abandoned this story. Remember it will be a saga so a lot of world building and slow burning relationships.

Standard Disclaimer: I own nothing but the mistakes. Thanks again for continuing to read this story.

Eight

The rest of the morning was like a blur to Gina. Though some of the students did seem to be warming up to her, she couldn't stop worrying about Ashlyn. She may have gotten her looks from her father, but she definitely got her desire to solve mysteries from her mother. A fact that made her tingle with pride.

She thought back to that night of the party. Ashlyn had walked up to her and introduced herself, something that Gina admired. The girl seemed like she was in a world of her own, which made it weird that she was reaching out to the new girl.

"You're Gina," she'd said to her right before she'd handed her a bottle of water. Gina was glad that she wasn't drinking beer or offering her a cup from the keg.

"That's right, and you are?"

The girl held out her hand. "I'm Ashlyn."

And they sat talking by the fire the rest of the night. Or, well, until the cops came. Every so often, Gina's gaze would wander to the quiet kid whom she now knew was Ricky Lopez-Bowen, but other than that, Ashlyn had her complete and undivided attention.

She was easy to talk to. Gina especially loved the way her eyes lit up when they discussed music or books or boys. Mostly boys.

"So, you moved to Lima Springs recently?" Gina asked her not recognizing the girls from her visits over the summers and the holidays in the past.

"My family moved here in June to start the winery. My dad has a couple of them in Utah, but my mom wanted to open a winery in California, too."

"Why here and not in Napa Valley?" Gina asked, even she knew that Napa was wine country here in Cali.

"My mom told me she came here when she was a kid to Camp Shallow Lake and loved the experience and the region, and she'd dreamed one day of living here ever since."

"Weird, my mom is the total opposite. She is from here but would love to live anywhere else. The only reason why we lived so close to here was because of my grandparents."

Ashlyn said "Parents are weird, right."

They continued to talk and found out that they had a lot of things in common.

Ashlyn Caswell was the first girl in Lima Springs she'd felt a true bond with. That deep connection that told her they'd be more than just friends. They'd be like Anne and Diana in the Anne of Green Gables books: best buddies forever.

And now she was just gone, and Gina needed to help her future BFF. She had the skills. She'd been investigating certain events of her own life since she was seven going on eight. Unbeknownst to her mom, Gina had mastered the art of surveillance when she was eight from watching her. From making herself seem invisible like Cami in the Gallagher Girls Series who was known as the Chameleon. Nobody noticed her if she had on headphones and was in front of a screen. They didn't know the sound was off and she was listening to everything including her mom's nightmares.

She'd learned how to investigate from reading books, researching it on the internet, and watching her mother do it so successfully as a detective. She knew what to take note of and what to dismiss. She'd figured out her mom's universal password when she was ten, which wasn't difficult once she realized the woman had had a mad crush on Sam Menkins since she was, like, twelve and his birthday was in her calendar. In bold letters. Like she was still in high school. Granted when she moved with her, she was only eighteen, but she never not made note of this man's birthday in every calendar even the digital one on her phone.

All that aside, she could really be helping with the investigation instead of wasting time sitting in class, listening to a lecture on eye color and dominant traits, a concept she'd learned years earlier when she wanted to know why she didn't look like her mom much. She almost was her mom's opposite. She figured she looked like her father, but the pictures that her mom showed her of Spencer Porter looked nothing like her at all. She could have sworn based on her features that she had Native American blood, and Spencer Porter was one hundred percent white.

So, the content that the teacher was teaching was not relevant to her. Ashlyn being missing was more relevant. Not only that, who knew teenage girls better than other teenage girls? Who was better qualified to search for her new friend than herself?

She almost got up and danced when the bell rang signaling it was finally time for lunch.

She hurried out the door and texted her mom for an update. But before she could hit Send, someone making a race for the lunchroom crashed into her from behind.

She went forward, dropping her backpack and her phone, and plowed into some poor soul in jeans and a jacket.

Thankfully, that someone had long arms and catlike reflexes. He caught her before she face-planted on the tile floor. Then he helped her effortlessly to her feet.

She regained her balance, her fists curling into the guy's jacket as though her life depended upon it, and raised her gaze until it collided with the facial expression voted Most Likely to Turn People into Stone.

"Ricky," she squeaked, shoving away from him and dusting herself off. "I'm sorry. I didn't—" But when she looked up at him, he had refocused his scowl on the boy in a San Francisco 49ers hoodie running down the hall. "Yeah, he must be really hungry."

He turned back to her, and she noticed the muscles in his jaw flex as though he were grinding his teeth.

"Are you okay?"

She hesitated before answering, "Yes. Thanks to you."

After giving her one last look over, he turned and strode off. Like she meant nothing to him. Probably because she didn't.

She bent down to gather her things when another thought hit her. She bolted upright and turned full circle to take in the last of the students headed to lunch.

While she'd only met Ashlyn recently, surely she had some friends who'd known her longer. Maybe even a best friend. She had been in Lima Springs since June. Surely, she had someone she could confide in. Someone who would know if someone had been stalking her or sending her messages or, worse, threatening her.

Gina needed to interview Ashlyn's friends. The problem was she didn't know who her friends were.

She looked toward the guidance counselor's office, where a student aide readied himself for his turn at the helm, and she formed a plan.

But what if her plan failed? What would happen if her mom discovered she broke into a guidance counselor's office to steal another student's file? She could check Ashlyn's schedule. Go to her classes. Find out who her friends were. Surely, she'd made friends in her classes. And who knows? A concerned teacher could've made notes about Ashlyn. Who she hung out with. Who she ate lunch with.

So, what would happen if her mom found out and she got in trouble on her very first day of school? Her mom would kill her. Plain and simple. Of course, there were always worse alternatives. She could lose her phone.

Then again, she pretty much had her mom wrapped around her little finger. If she did lose it, surely it wouldn't take long to win back her mom's favor and her precious phone. Thirty years? Pshaw. She could get her phone back in ten years.

A tiny smile tugged at her mouth as she sized up the student who'd pulled the short straw and got the lunch shift. Ten years without a phone or helping rescue Ashlyn? Finding Ashlyn would be worth it.

And that was why Gina Porter was now sitting in the principal's office.

All things considered, she couldn't be that upset about her situation. Not when two male teachers escorted two boys into the office while she waited, the first boy wearing jeans and a green army jacket, the second wearing a San Francisco 49ers hoodie and a guilty expression.

Stunned, Gina turned to Ricky Lopez-Bowen. Even with his chin lowered in obstinance, the surprise on his face when he saw her sitting in the principal's office was almost comical, though probably no more than the surprise on her own. Had he gone after the boy who'd run her down? Had he hit him?

Mr. Rashad had been talking softly to Kitty. He finished and gave Gina his complete attention, something she'd never craved.

"I'm calling your mother this time," he said to her, almost sadly.

Gina felt the color drain from her face. Of course, he would call her mom. As far as he was concerned, she'd been stealing SAT scores or social security numbers or nuclear launch codes. She couldn't believe he'd caught her so red-handed. She totally needed to sharpen her sleuthing skills.

"And I'd call your dad," he said to Ricky, "but I'm not sure I can trust you to give him the whole story."

What did that mean? Ricky lifted a shoulder as he didn't care.

The kid in the 49ers jersey spoke up. "We were just talking," he said before giving Ricky an apologetic sideways glance.

"What? Between shoves?"

"It was just a misunderstanding." The kid looked at her. "I didn't mean to run you both down like that. It's just, it's tater tot day. Tots is the only food the cafeteria really does justice to."

Gina was partly amused by his honesty and partly flabbergasted. Ricky had went to guy to defend her honor? Her emotions seesawed between glee and awe.

"Yeah, well, Mr. Lopez-Bowen seems to have a lot of misunderstandings." He crooked his finger, and the 49ers fan followed him into his office.

Gina pretended to study her shoes and not stare at Ricky with hero worship on her face.

She could tell from her periphery that he had yet to focus on anything but her, but she couldn't tell if he was still angry with her or not.

"I didn't thank you earlier," she said, her voice softer than she'd intended. "So, thanks."

"Why are you thanking me?" he asked.

She only lifted a shoulder. She wanted to say, "For taking up for me. For being nice to me. For keeping me from falling on the hard floor face first."

Mr. Rashad opened his office door and summoned Ricky with a sharp, "Lopez-Bowen."

Ricky's gaze traveled over her face before getting up, his expression part curiosity and part appreciation, and Gina suddenly understood that whole boy-girl attraction thing on a much deeper level.

Before she made a complete fool of herself by revealing her crush, she nodded toward the office where Mr. Rashad stood waiting.

One corner of his mouth slid up, but he obeyed.

Cedes walked out of the restroom feeling like a brand new woman. Or, at least, a cleaner woman after washing her face and brushing and flossing her teeth. Vomit did tend to leave a nasty aftertaste.

She set her deputies on various duties, including a thorough background check on the Caswells and a preliminary search of the public areas in town.

Her phone rang just as she took the copy of the letter from Hunter. She checked the ID and slid the button to the right, her anxiety spiking again.

"Sheriff Porter."

Through the miracle of technology, a male voice floated into her ear. "Hello, Sheriff. I thought perhaps you'd like to come talk to your daughter. Explain things to her like how the law works. How breaking and entering is wrong. And how stealing is frowned upon in most civilizations."

"Gina?" Adrenaline shot through her, spiraling down her spine and contracting her stomach again. "My daughter Regina? What has happened?"

"Look, I know you're having one hell of a day, but maybe you could come to the school?"

She bit back a curse. "I'll be there as quickly as I can."

She turned to her deputies to make one final statement before heading out. "The kidnapper drugged her. And he's keeping her drugged."

Abrams gaped at her. "How do you know there's an he? And are you really taking that crazy note seriously?"

Now was not the time to question her. "About as seriously as I take you."

He showed his hands, and she groaned inwardly. What the hell did that even mean? He better not be telling her to talk to his hand or she would fire his ass immediately.

"McCarthy," she said, turning to the young deputy.

"Yes, sir. Ma'am. Sheriff."

She lowered her chin and raised a brow. "Call in the dogs."

The room went silent as Cedes turned and headed out the door. Then, in barely contained enthusiasm, McCarthy whispered, "I get to call in the dogs. I get to literally let the dogs out."

Hunter laughed as he followed her. "Do you want to explain that comment you made to Abrams?"

"Do you want to explain your face?"

"No explanation would do it justice. Let's just say the world needed a hero. I rose to the occasion. Clear-cut case of supply and demand." He guided Cedes to the passenger's side of the SUV. "I'll drive this time. In case you get sick again. I think you have a concussion from earlier."

Mortification swallowed her. "You heard me vomiting in my bathroom?"

"Everyone in a five mile radius heard that." After he started the SUV, he paused and sobered. Sober was not Hunter's best look. "Are you sure you're okay? You're taking this note thing more seriously than I would have expected."

"I am, aren't I? And do you know why? Because we're in the crazy capital of the world. I've been trying to tell you since we were kids. Things happen here that don't happen in other towns. Strange things. Unexplainable things."

"Like a regular joe's addiction to chocolate-covered pretzel sticks dipped in sriracha sauce?"

"Yes," she said, vindicated. "Finally, someone gets it."

He headed toward the high school without her having to tell him. "Any idea what that kid of yours did to have the principal calling you on her first day of school here?"

"Not a clue but he mentioned breaking and entering and stealing. But in her defense, I did come on strong with the act like Minnie Jones pep talk I gave her this morning."

"You have got to cut that shit out, Merciless. She's going to end up in prison if she acts like your mom did when she was younger."

He had a point. One she chose to ignore. Her mom had never gotten caught. That was the secret to taking down clowns, assaulters, and bigots.

Instead, she looked out the window as they drove down Main Street. Much of the town was made up of the old housing the miners had lived in when they were searching for gold during California's Gold Rush.

Most of the businesses that occupied the stores on Main Street were typical tourist trade places and talent, but there was also a grocery store, fancier restaurants, and the firehouse that served the entire county. The police station was just a tiny office that was more historical than relevant for today's Lima Springs. It was only responsible for the blotter and not true investigative work.

A few minutes later, Hunter pulled into the high school parking lot, threw the SUV into park, then turned to her, doing the serious thing again. "You didn't tell me that after it happened."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not wanting to relive something she barely remembered herself. "Tell you what?"

He avoided looking at her in the eyes. "That you were drugged when you were kidnapped and held for ransom."

He didn't need to say anything else. She knew where he was going without saying another word. "It's still too hard for me to talk about that time in my life with anyone. And what I do remember about my ordeal is not something that I will ever want to talk to you about if I am being honest."

Honestly, she didn't remember even a tenth of what had happened to her, it was a violation of her mind, body, and soul, and it was of epic proportions. There was still a barrier she couldn't quite get past, even with her best friend who she knew she could trust about her past and the other part of the reason she left Lima Springs.

When she turned to get out, he stopped her with a hand on her arm. "I truly understand that. I always have. But you were drugged, and you went through the same thing Ashlyn described in her letter. You felt the same thing she did in her dreams. I saw how the effects of the letter on you. I know you are still in pain from that experience."

She looked into Hunter's eyes and saw the hurt and anger there. She so rarely considered what he went through that summer, and it was unfair of her to leave town nine months later without an explanation. But now was not the time to discuss her past.

"Hunt."

"I know right now is not the right timing to talk about this. But now that we're working together, we are going to talk about it. Eventually."

She swallowed hard, then nodded. "One of these days. I promise." She hurried out of the vehicle before he could question her again, but he caught up with her short legs easily.

In a tone that told her everything was okay between them, he pointed out one pertinent fact. "One of these days doesn't mean when we are seventy-two. It means before this year is over."

Gina had never really thought of herself as Goody Two-shoes because being an amateur detective meant you had to break the rules. She knew it was important to never get caught because her mother did not play the radio. Looking at the expression on her mother's face today, she knew she was right in playing it safe at school in the past.

She took a hit off her inhaler and sank down in the chair that sat across from Kitty's desk in the main office as the principal who was busy eyeing her with a combination of disappointment and humor as he ate lunch at his desk. Kitty was taking her lunch, as well, and the scent of breadsticks from the Breadstix made Gina's mouth water more so then the sight of the soup and salad the thin woman was eating.

Mr. Rashad had already let Ricky go back to class. She had no idea if he'd gotten ahold of his dad or not, but when Ricky left the office, he didn't seem particularly upset.

Then again, not much seemed to get a reaction out of him.

Hunter stepped inside the building with her mom, and Gina's fears imploded, bringing tears to her eyes. So, now both her mouth and her eyes were watering.

Principal Rashad stood when he saw the law enforcement officers enter, and Gina could only pray that they'd talk about the incident inside his office. The bell was about to ring, and everyone in school would see her being interrogated for breaking the law on her first day of school.

Mercedes Porter stepped into the office, her expression completely neutral when she cast Gina a quick glance before addressing the principal. He summoned Gina with a crook of his finger.

Time slowed as she walked past Hunter, ignoring the look of encouragement he wore—she didn't deserve it—and took a seat in front of Principal Rashad's desk.

It was good to see the mascot again on that very desk. She could only pray Principal Rashad wouldn't tell her mom about the wildcat's adventure or the spray paint fiasco. Her mom had enough to worry about with Ashlyn missing.

Principal Rashad motioned for her mom to come around to his side of the desk, while explaining, "Your daughter broke into the counselor's office and was caught going through her things. I'm just confused as to why she would do that on her first day at a new school."

Her mom leaned over and looked closer at his computer. Was there surveillance footage? Is that how he got her. Surely, she would have noticed cameras, or were there hidden cameras in every room that the principal could look at the entire building. If, so, then she could understand why she got caught even though she was cautious. And yes, telling herself that made her feel better.

"Of course, after the morning she's had, I'm more than willing to hear her side of it." He said, and Gina shut her eyes not wanting her mom to know about the bullying and harassment she had received all day as well as being framed with the wildcat in the locker.

"What do you mean after the morning she's had?" her mom asked. "What happened earlier?"

While Cedes' demeanor remained calm, Gina could hear the stress in her voice. The edge in her tone.

Gina curled her hands into fists and clenched them tightly. Her mom didn't need to know everything that happened this morning.

Mr. Rashad glanced at her in surprise, then pressed his lips together. "I just mean, it's her first day, and the first day at a new school is always difficult."

"Gina?" Cedes was looking at her daughter for some sort of explanation.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I just had to help with the investigation. I wanted to help you find Ashlyn."

All three of them looked at her in astonishment.

Cedes reacted first. "And just how was your breaking and entering going to help us find Ashlyn?"

Gina hadn't wanted this. She was usually so good at these kinds of things. She could find a needle in a haystack given the right tools. She was a master of taking things and putting them back after she used them to gather intel. Through all the cases she'd worked on—she preferred to call them cases as opposed to favors since she'd started charging for her services—she'd never been caught. But only one day at Lima Springs High, and her perfect record had come to an unfortunate and terrifying end.

"I was going to question her friends, but I don't know who her friends are, so I wanted her class schedule, so I'd know where to start, but I knew they couldn't just give it to me, so I needed the counselor's password to hack into the system and get it."

While the three adults in the room stared at her, Gina could tell her mom wasn't sure what to do. Now was her chance to get her mom to see how helpful she could be to this case.

"Who do you think could better investigate a teen than another teen?" she asked. "I mean, I can gather information here while you're investigating the case out there. I can be your informant."

When Cedes finally spoke, the edginess in her voice hadn't dissipated, much to Gina's chagrin. "Regina Grace Porter. You broke the law. And you had plans to break it even more. Since when do you hack into someone's computer?"

The sting in the backs of Gina's eyes caused her frustration to spike even further. "I really can help you, Mom. I'm very good at getting information when I need to, and Ashlyn is missing. Isn't that all that matters?"

Cedes sat in the chair next to her. "Sweetheart, did Ashlyn say anything to you?"

"Not directly. That's why I wanted to talk to her friends. I could tell that Ashlyn seemed to know something was going to happen her."

"How?"

"She texted me a couple of days ago."

"When you met up at the Lima Bean?"

She nodded. "She was acting really strange, saying things like she was so glad we got to be friends, even for just a little while. I didn't understand, but I think someone was following her, Mom. Or threatening her. I mean, why would she say something like that?"

Hunter knelt in front of her. "Okay, Gina, did she say anything else? Anything that could help us identify who was threatening her?"

"No. And I didn't push." The wetness she'd been fighting slipped past her eyelashes. She swiped at the trail, annoyed. "Hunter, she's so nice. She's my friend. We have to find her."

Without another word, Hunter pulled her into his massive arms. His hug felt like home. Warm and comforting.

Principal Rashad stood. "Regina, I need to know you aren't going to try to hack my system again."

Hope blossomed inside her. "I won't try again, sir. I swear."

"Well, then, I don't see why we can't let this slide, considering the circumstances."

While Mr. Rashad seemed satisfied, the new sheriff wasn't so easily placated. Her expression remained impassive as she scrutinized her daughter.

"Mom?" Gina said, her chest squeezing her lungs until they hurt.

"And," the principal continued, addressing the surly woman in black, "since there's an ongoing investigation, I suppose giving you a copy of Ashlyn's class schedule wouldn't be breaking any laws. If it just happened to slip out of your hand and into someone else's—like, say, a student's—that wouldn't be on me."

Her mom deadpanned him. "You're encouraging my daughter to insert herself into an ongoing criminal investigation?"

A wicked smile spread across his face. "I try to nurture the talents of all my students. Not just your daughter, tiny tots."

Gina almost snorted aloud. Instead, she slammed a hand over her nose and mouth to hold it in.

Her mom cast him a withering scowl. "You know, you got away with that nickname when I was in high school—"

"And I'll continue to get away with it now."

Ignoring her indignation, he walked to his office door. "Kitty, could you print a copy of Ashlyn Caswell's schedule?"

"Of course," she said, stuffing the last bite of her meal into her mouth and swinging her chair around to her computer.

Two office aides had come in to work, a boy and a girl, both of them upperclassmen and each one of them on separate tasks. They both paused and focused their attention when Principal Rashad walked to the door. But what Gina found interesting was when the principal asked Kitty for the schedule, the guy whipped his head around in surprise.

He caught himself and recovered quickly, bending over a stack of papers he was separating into three mystery piles, but his knee-jerk reaction was hardly subtle.

Gina made a mental note to check him out later. Unfortunately, when she turned back to her mom, she realized she'd made the same mental note.

Gina gestured toward the guy, urging her mom to let her help, to let her question him, but Mercedes fired a warning shot letting her know that her answer was and would always be hell to the no.

As frustrated as Gina was, she did understand. A girl was missing. Her life was in danger. Gina had to remember that. Not only could she get caught up in a bad situation, she could botch the entire investigation.

But she wasn't born yesterday. She knew the stakes. And she knew how to handle herself. She prodded her mom to let her help with another pleading glance.

As the principal droned on about something her mom had done in high school involving a teacher's car and did he say tater tots? Gina gave her mom the puppy dog eyes that her mom found hard to resist.

Mercedes still shook her head.

Gina spread her hands in the air.

Mercedes crossed her arms, refusing to budge.

Gina crossed her arms, too, and sank down in her seat, now pouting like a five-year-old denied a cookie from the cookie jar.

Mercedes tilted her head to the side, asking her to understand her position.

Gina turned her face away, refusing to even try.

Mercedes released a long sigh.

Gina kept her gaze averted.

Mercedes softened her expression.

Gina sat up and offered up her best look of hope.

Mercedes caved, and she dipped her head in a barely perceivable nod of approval, but then her expression morphed into a lecture. A long lecture complete with a slideshow and a pop quiz, and she did it all with one scary glance.

Gina nodded. She understood what was at stake.

"And that's how your mother came to be known as the Tiny Tots Crusader."

Gina sat beaming, then the principal's words sank in. "The Tiny Tots what?"

"Can I have a moment alone with my daughter?" her mom asked him.

"Of course." He grabbed the schedule from Kitty, handed it to the sheriff, and left them alone. Well, almost alone. Hunter was still there.

"What you two were doing earlier was really interesting," he said. "Can all mothers and daughters have an entire conversation without saying a word?"

"Yes," her mom said before leveling another death stare on her.

"I'm really sorry, Mommy."

Watching her mom downshift from an enraged law enforcer to a worried mom was what she imagined the melting of the Grinch's cold heart looked like.

"Sweetheart, what you did was serious. Mr. Rashad could press charges in a heartbeat. And this is serious. A missing persons case is not a chance for you to play Nancy Drew. A young girl's life is at stake."

"I know, Mom. But I really believe that I can help."

"And what if the kidnapper comes after you? Then what?"

"It doesn't work that way," she said. She considered quoting statistics, but her mom knew them even better than she did. Heck, her mom was the one who usually quoted them to her.

"It doesn't usually work that way. We simply don't know what's going on. We can't make assumptions this early in the investigation. If this guy feels like you're a threat—"

"I know. But really, Mom, unless he goes to school here, how would he even know I existed?"

"And who's to say he doesn't go to school here? Do you think high school kids don't commit crimes?"

"I know they do. That's exactly why you need me on the team. I'm your inside man. Only without manly parts." She could tell her mom was coming around to the idea. That meant she was desperate. "I'm your inside girl."

"You're something alright," her mom agreed, shaking her head. "I'm just not sure what."

Gina jumped up and hugged her. "I'll let you know if I get any leads."

"Don't even consider missing class for this or putting a target on yourself."

"Never!" she said, running out the door. She was late, yet again, only this time she didn't care. She had a case to solve. What would her mom do without her?