In the four hours it took to fly to Montreal on that terrible Sunday night in November 2003, Ava Shaikh didn't consider the possibility that her younger sister, Tammy, was dead. An engaging 38-year-old with a warm laugh and expressive almond-shaped eyes, Ava was living in Columbus, Ohio, with her two-year-old son. She and Tammy spoke several times a day, every day – part of a lifelong running conversation. Tammy wasn't just a sister; she was Ava's soulmate. They even shared the same low animated voice.

On the phone that morning, Tammy had sounded optimistic. She was finally getting out of her marriage to Tommy Kane, a former National Football League(NFL)player who had once been rich and famous. The sisters were making plans to set up a business in Montreal, where Tammy was living with her four children. Even though they lived in different cities, they seemed to be on the same track, Ava had thought. Just like Tammy, she was starting a new life on her own after divorcing her husband. She could picture the two of them as old ladies, travelling together and enjoying each other's kids.

But then, a few hours after talking to Tammy, Ava's phone rang again. It was a friend in Toronto, who knew Tammy was having trouble with Tommy, and now she couldn't reach Tammy on the phone.

Neither could Ava, who then started calling hospitals in Montreal. When her calls turned up nothing, she grabbed the first flight there. Ava now sat nervously in her seat, clutching her son on her lap as a fierce headache spread across her brow.