S THEY WALKED BACK to the car Robie said, “We’ve visited all three and nothing happened.”

“Meaning they didn’t tip their hand as to which one was important,” said Vance.

“Smart move, actually.”

“Maybe it didn’t matter. Siegel didn’t know anything except that Van Beuren was in a hospice. Van Beuren couldn’t tell you anything because she’s terminal. Cassidy was a little strange, though.”

Julie said, “I liked him. He sort of reminded me a little of my dad.”

Robie said, “He’d definitely tried to locate your family. But it was odd that he never knew any of the others were in the area. If the guy could afford to look for the Gettys, why not some of the others?”

“My family helped him, like he said,” replied Julie. “And my dad saved his life. The other ones were just soldiers in the same squad.”

“Maybe,” said Robie. “But I’m not convinced.”

Vance eyed his car. “You think it’s okay to get in it?”

“I told you about the special features. But if it makes you feel any better I’ll get in first and start it up.”

“Robie, you don’t have to do that. We’re in this together.”

“And because we’re in this together, I do have to do it. No sense in all of us going up in the same flame ball.”

They waited at the corner while he unlocked the car and got in. Vance and Julie tensed noticeably when he started the engine. When nothing happened, they both let out long breaths at the same time.

He drove to the corner and they climbed in.

“Now where?” asked Vance.

“Back to our little HQ, compare notes, think it through, and come up with new leads.”

“I don’t see anything to think through,” grumbled Julie.

“You’d be surprised,” replied Robie.

“Well, let’s hope we’re surprised,” said Vance. “Because I don’t see any daylight in all this either.”

Traffic was just as bad heading west and it was well over ninety minutes later before they were seated at the table in the farmhouse kitchen staring at each other.

They’d grabbed some burgers and fries on the way back and had eaten in the car. But while their bellies were full, their heads were still empty of any promising leads.

“Okay, let’s go through it again,” said Robie.

“Do we have to?” said Julie. “It seems like a waste of time.”

“Most of investigative work can be a waste of time. But you have to do it to get to the parts that actually mean anything,” shot back Vance.

Robie looked at Vance. “Your turn.”

Vance said, “Okay, we’ve gone down some scenarios that petered out. Let’s retool and start by ruling out some people. From what you said about Van Beuren I don’t see how she can be involved in any of this. She’s been in hospice for months. She’s got a machine breathing for her. Her husband and daughter are just watching her die, basically.”

Robie nodded. “And Siegel seems to be just as clueless. He’s more concerned about losing his job. And he seemed genuinely surprised when I told him why I wanted to talk to him.”

“So maybe you were wrong, Robie,” remarked Vance. “You said it was what Julie mentioned, about the other squad members, that caused them to try and kill her. It just doesn’t appear to be the case.”

Robie said, “But what about Cassidy?”

“What about him?”

“He knew the Gettys. I don’t personally buy the fact that he couldn’t find them. Or that he didn’t know that any of his other squad members were around. The guy has cash, and cash gets you results. And while he seemed genuinely surprised that Curtis and Sara were dead, it just seems pretty odd.”

Julie said, “My mom and dad never mentioned him. That’s pretty odd too, considering how close he said they were. I mean, why didn’t they answer his letters?”

“It doesn’t make sense,” agreed Robie.

Vance was about to say something when her phone buzzed. She looked at the number.

“Don’t know that one. But the area code is northern Virginia.”

“Better answer it,” said Robie.

“Hello?” said Vance into the phone. The person on the other end of the line started speaking fast.

“Wait a minute, slow down.” Vance clamped her phone against her ear with her shoulder, pulled out a notepad and pen, and started scribbling.

“Okay, okay, I’ll be right over.”

She clicked off and looked up at Robie.

“Who was it?” he asked.

“Maybe you were right after all,” said Vance.

“About what?”

“That was Gabriel Siegel’s wife. I left my contact info with her.”

“Why was she calling?”

“Her husband got a phone call just after you left him. He walked out of the bank right afterwards and never came back. He missed a meeting with a client and a luncheon the bank was holding. He’s just disappeared.”