(Scottsdale, Arizona: Two months before Henley's adduction in Las Vegas)

Jaelyn Coe, Henley Marlow's closest friend since childhood and lover, sat on Henley's bed and reached up to caress the rainbow banner hanging above her headboard.

"I can't believe you're really going for this thing, Henley." She then stretched back cozily against her. Jaelyn was herself attractive, with dark, Mediterranean features—yet not so mediagenic and stunning looking as Henley. "I remember how much you didn't even want to enter the Miss Arizona thing. Almost a year ago. But you did it, girl. And pulled it together and won!"

"I know, Jae. But believe me. I'm not sure I'm totally behind this one. Even now. And I just sent the final paperwork to them in Las Vegas. My signed commitment to the stupid rules and responsibilities these things put on contestants. Was that a mistake? It's such a nightmare. Really."

"Well, sweetie . . . I guess that means you're going for it"

"Gosh. That sounds so final!"

"Come on. When you won Arizona, everyone was just so positive for you, they all assumed you'd be going for Miss World USA. It's going to be in London town, baby! . . . So, is it the pressure . . . or something you really don't want, girl?"

Henley just lay back next to her lover and warmly took her hand. Her blond hair, ice-blue eyes, and shapely gymnast's body were all now in silent repose. She just stared up wistfully at the ceiling in her modest bedroom. She was obviously still conflicted about the heavy decision she had just made by official confirmation—to represent her state in the upcoming national competition.

"Your mom's OK with it, right?"

"Oh, she's all for it," she finally said quietly. "If it helps me to go on with what I really want. But the money and recognition would only be for that, I swear. You know how much I hate being called . . . 'Beauty Queen,' Jae."

Jaelyn squeezed her lover's hand, then leaned over and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "And what is that . . . exactly? What you really want, Henley. I know your college studies are so important to you."

"To be taken seriously in the world of psychology. With an advanced degree. To be a spokesperson for it. I want to represent that field and its latest research with respect. Somewhere in the media, maybe. To communicate through different formats about the mind. My dream is to bring the power of our self-understanding to people who never had a chance to study the field. So many of the world's problems could be solved if we just understood ourselves more."

"Well, you always had the grades to do just that, girl. And I know how you feel about people who just never associate beauty with intelligence. You're the perfect person to do just that, my love. If it's your goal to bring that message to the world . . . there's really nothing stopping you."

Henley rolled over and put her head on Jaelyn's chest.

"That's so sweet to say. I just need your support to keep me thinking like that."

"And your father? What does he say about you going for this Las Vegas adventure?"

"My father. When has he ever cared about my decisions? Honestly, Jae. Since he left my mom and me when I was twelve, I stopped wondering about his feelings toward me. He's just there. Somewhere in Wisconsin managing a warehouse full of farming equipment. More worried about the snow each year than his daughter."

"OK. But he must have been proud of you when you took Miss Arizona."

"Not really. I remember how he just asked if the whole year of responsibilities would affect my studies. Well, it obviously hasn't. That coursework I'm taking remotely from Johns Hopkins will get me that master's degree in dream research. With or without his fake concern."

Jaelyn brushed the blond strands of hair off Henley's face, then kissed a finger and touched it to Henley's lips.

"Well, you know you have great friends, here and elsewhere who support and love you, Henley. We all see you as more than the Beauty Queen. And as for me . . . the love we share, can never be broken. Our secret bond will remain wherever you go. Even if you become that 'Miss Universe' you've now agreed to try for."

"Eeek, don't remind me!" Henley turned and gave her partner a long and lasting kiss on the lips. It was to be a lasting pact of their commitment to a deep and very private affection.

* * *

(The Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas, the day after Henley's disappearance)

Following the bittersweet results of the Las Vegas beauty pageant, and the crowning of a contestant from California to proceed to the Miss World pageant, later that year in London, the tragic story of Henley's disappearance cascaded into the news cycle with an avalanche of questions. The contest authorities and local law enforcement were being grilled by the press as to whether foul play was indeed a part of the perplexing story.

The only facts available to the public by the second day of the mystery were details about Miss Marlow's life. It was widely reported that she was born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, where at the age of twenty-two claimed the title of Miss Arizona. She had been a student and summa cum laude graduate of Arizona State University, with a BA in Psychology. Excelling in gymnastics while in high school and then college, Henley Marlow had also briefly performed in theater groups during her summer breaks in both New York and Los Angeles. These experiences, it was reported, earned her the prerequisites she would need for work in the TV and film industries, though her intent was to combine this media exposure with a love of behavioral science. Known for being studious and level-headed, it was a shock to her family and those who knew the otherwise quiet and humble young woman, that she would willfully enter into any situation, which might put her life at risk.

By the end of the first week of her continued disappearance, her family and a reported cadre of female friends remained devastated by Henley's tragic disappearance, setting up a crowd funding project, to offer a growing $75,000 reward leading to her whereabouts. This resulted in many possible leads for the Las Vegas Police Department as well as the FBI, which by then had received reported sightings of the girl in places as far-flung as the East coast, Oregon, Canada and Mexico.

As the case entered its second week without any substantial lead to turn up hard evidence, or any notification of an expected ransom agreement, hope was beginning to fade that Henley Marlow might not be found alive. What was understandably a sensational case of a vanished beauty queen, was also turning out to be one of the biggest mysteries nationally in the annals of recent crime records.

* * *

During those first critical days following the conclusion of the pageant, only slightly dimming the lights along the Strip in Las Vegas, Jeffers and Mattingly were able to catch a few of the less fortunate contestants in the Hotel Luxor. They had lingered on briefly before traveling back to their respective home states. Most were only sad about Henley's disappearance but could add no substantial details, with only the exception of her roommate, Audrey Dawson, a strikingly attractive and tall African American woman from Chicago.

Both Jeffers and Mattingly stood before room 421 in the distinctive pyramidal Hotel Luxor as the door opened only slightly. Mattingly held out his badge for the young woman to read. As he could see her ethnic persuasion was closer aligned to Corey's, he quickly maneuvered Jeffers to be the one to speak to her.

"Good morning, Miss," Jeffers began. "Las Vegas Police Investigations. We know this is a difficult time for you. May we ask you a few questions?"

Wearing a peach-colored athletic warm up suit and no makeup, the young woman opened the door slowly and cautiously.

"Guys . . . You've caught me packing for my trip outa here. I've already talked to the FBI and . . ."

"We're aware of that, Miss. We just have a few routine questions to ask you before you leave town. Could you spare us a few minutes?"

The young woman looked closely into Corey's face and paused.

"Alright. Come in. But I really need to catch a plane this morning in little over . . . two hours."

"You'll make it." Corey smiled, stepping into the posh room with Mattingly behind him. "It's only fifteen minutes to the airport from here."

She nodded in relief. "OK. Look . . . I don't have anything to offer you guys to drink . . ."

"No problem. So you are, Miss . . ."

"Dawson . . . Audrey Dawson."

Corey checked his notes and nodded.

"And no. I didn't make it into the finals, in case you're wondering."

Mattingly just hung back and let Corey do the talking. He knew his partner was far better skilled with younger people generally, no matter their sex or ethnicity.

"Well, if you ask me . . . that was their loss," Corey said, taking the gamble to make the compliment.

Mattingly just raised his eyebrows and looked away.

"Well, thank you . . . That's the first nice thing I've heard since this pageant ended. It's not a friendly town you know."

"Working here, I completely agree, Miss Dawson . . ."

"Audrey."

"Well Audrey, I'll make this quick so you can get on your way back to . . ."

"Logan Square . . . a town on the outskirts of Chicago."

"Well, I'm more of a West Coast brother, but OK."

"She smiled."

"So how well did you get to know Miss Marlow?"

"As close as you can get in just a week or so. There were non-stop activities. The rehearsals here were brutal. Henley was a great dancer, so she enjoyed that part of it. But yeah. We talked briefly at night. Talked about food mostly. You gotta understand. Girls starve themselves at these things."

Corey looked at Mattingly and smiled. Audrey smiled too. It was her modelling smile.

"Understandable. Did Henley seem . . . overly anxious or depressed the night she left the hotel?"

"I really can't say about that night."

She let out an exasperated breath.

"You see . . . I was out late. The night she left. I broke the curfew and just wasn't in till much later that morning. That's when I noticed Henley never returned."

"Got it."

"But generally . . . No. Not at all. She was a super chill girl. About everything. I still can't understand what happened to her. Poor thing. I just wish I hadn't gone out that night. She was so gorgeous. In every way. And she had a chance out of that final cut in the competition. All us girls knew that."

She suddenly covered her face with both hands. It was clear she was holding back tears.

"I'm sorry Audrey. We're almost finished. Was she much for socializing? I mean with people you two might have met here in Vegas?"

"Henley?" Are you serious? She was the biggest female nerd I ever met. And also . . . yeah, the prettiest" she said sadly. "But No. She usually went to bed a few hours after evening rehearsals. And before that, she read her damn books and worked on her laptop."

"Books?"

"Yeah." She looked over at the other side of the room. "There not here anymore. Nothing of hers is. Those FBI guys took all her stuff. Her computer, books and clothes mostly . . . to give to her parents, they said."

"They took her laptop?"

"Definitely. All her clothes and books too."

"What sort of things did she read?"

"Psychology. It was for some . . . courses she was taking online. Her Master's, she said. At Johns Hopkins I think she told me."

"Hopkins University?"

"Yeah. In Baltimore. Told me she went there last summer. Some graduate course or other on . . . dream research."

"Dreams, you say?"

"Yeah. She was pretty crazy about her studies."

"So, you don't have any reason to believe anyone would have . . ."

"A reason to mess with Henley? . . . Want to harm her? No way. She was an angel."

"So, nothing like that?"

"No. Like I said, we all liked her. Not just for being so gorgeous, she was just not like you would think. Full of herself or anything. Super quiet . . .went out only a few times. With girlfriends always. Some she met here at rehearsals . . . and I recall a couple she said she already knew in Vegas from before."

Corey glanced over at Mattingly.

"Seemed always like . . . just chummy stuff. Never any guys in the picture with her. Wish I could say that for some of the sleezier girls at this thing. They attracted some real assholes around here before the curfew kicked them out each night."

"I'm sure," Corey said. So, nothing out of the ordinary you remember on the night Henley disappeared?"

"Like I said, I came home late. She was not in the room. I woke up and still no Henley. Listen guys, I would do anything if I could go back and be here on the night she decided to go out. It was just so out of her character to leave the hotel that late."

"Alright. We understand your feelings, Audrey. Let's hope we can find out more of what happened. You've been really helpful."

"So . . .do you guys think she's still . . ."

Corey took out of his pocket his LVPD Investigator card and handed it to her.

"For now, we can't assume anything. If you remember or learn something new . . . which might help to find her. Call me. There is a chance she's still OK somewhere. These next days are critical that we locate her."

"I know."

Corey put his hand lightly on Audrey's shoulder. "Look. There's nothing you could have done about this." he said solemnly. "Sometimes bad things happen to the best people."

"Alright Lieutenant. I'll be watching the news when I get home." She looked once more into Corey's handsome and concerned face. She then walked them to the door, finally shutting and locking it.

Mattingly and Jeffers left the hotel and got into their unmarked car. Reflecting on the more or less inconsequential interview, they both felt even more perplexed about the case than when they started it.

* * *