With that done, my time was my own. I went back to my apartment and spent an hour researching database software online before giving up in despair. I needed something more sophisticated than I could afford—like the police reporting software we used at the station but something I could customize for my own purposes. That is, if I had the faintest idea how to do such a thing, which I didn’t.

I knew someone who did, though. Or at least I’d gone to high school with him. I tried the phone book, but there was no listing.

I called Jen. “Hey, do you have any idea how to get in touch with Lee Hastings?”

There was a pause on the other end before she asked in an incredulous voice, “Skeletor?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I heard he moved back to town a while ago.”

“Why do you want to get in touch with Skeletor?” she asked.

“I need a computer geek,” I said. “And he sort of had a crush on me.”

“Good luck,” Jen said. “He skipped college and went straight into the gaming industry. I heard he made a shitload of money out in Seattle before he moved back. Now he gets paid big bucks as a consultant. Basically, he’s Alan Cumming in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, only without the part where he came back better-looking.”

“So you’re saying I can’t get him to do my homework just by promising to be nice to him anymore?”

“Is that how you got a B in computer science?” she asked. “I always wondered. You know, come to think of it, you were actually pretty decent to him. Let me call my mom. She keeps in touch with Mrs. Hastings.”

“Thanks.”

Fifteen minutes later Jen called me back. “Okay, this is going to sound weird, because it is. He doesn’t give out his info, but you can try contacting him on his Facebook alias page. If he feels like it, he’ll accept your friend request.”

“What’s an alias page?” I asked her.

“It’s this persona he’s created. Dan Stanton. Apparently it’s a minor character in one of his games.”

“Ohh-kay.”

“Told you it was weird,” she said. “Hey, how are you feeling today? How did it go with the evil twin sister?”

I hesitated. “I’m fine. And it went . . . okay for the moment. She left, but she’s coming back. She gave Sinclair an ultimatum. Leave town or else.”

“Damn!”

“Yeah.” I lowered my voice. “We’re working on it. But I broke things off with Sinclair this morning.”

“I’m sorry, Daise.” Jen’s sympathy was genuine. “Because of his sister? Or because he didn’t tell you about her?”

“Not really,” I said. “I mean, yeah, I guess that set it off. But I realized we’re better off being friends right now.”