Sarah bit her lip. She knew that what she was about to ask him had the potential to be very dangerous, and she knew he could refuse to do it. She hoped fervently that he wouldn't say no, but she couldn't predict his response. Taking a step closer to him, she lowered her voice. "I was just wondering if...if you heard anything about," and here she simply mouthed her friend's name without using any sound, "Penny, if you could somehow let me know?"
She hastened to let him know that she wasn't expecting him to put himself in serious danger. "I'm not looking for a lot - just, maybe an owl saying 'yes' if you hear something good and 'no' if you hear something bad?"
She waited anxiously for his reply, hoping she hadn't overstepped the bounds of the friendship they had at one time enjoyed.