A finalist for the prestigious Arthur Ellis Award for short mysteries.

Detective Ron Conroy gave up hoping for a better world a long time ago. When he attends the dilapidated home of Elvira Paradis to investigate the disappearance of her daughter, he finds not only a woman worn beyond her years, but also visions of someplace—else. Someplace wonderful.

A delinquent youth becomes the primary suspect and takes Ron into the world of high school art classes, unrequited love and lost hope. Will the investigation result in the arrest of the wrong man—or rekindle Ron’s faith.