“What did he say?”

“Happy to do anything he can once he’s finished with damage control.” Ryan pauses, and a hint of amusement dances across his lips. “He colored his statement with some descriptive words I haven’t heard since my Navy days. Said he couldn’t think of any soured deals, but he’ll bring whatever he can find tomorrow.”

Ryan squints, looking off to his left once again. When he’s thinking, he has a tendency to look off to the corner. Something clicks in that brain of his, and he dials his phone. He sets it on speaker so I can hear.

“Wolf!” The woman answering sounds happy and excited.

“Hey, Kairi. I’m here with a colleague, Dr. Rolfe. We’re working the Sophia Sullivan case.”

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Rolfe.” Ryan rolls his eyes. I assume it’s at his partner’s exuberance.

“Can you check out or reach out to some regulars on gun marketplaces?”

“You mean places like Black Market Reloaded and Agora?”

“Exactly. This is a longshot, but we’ve only got longshots right now. Can you see if you see any transactions with Sullivan Arms product?”

“Sure. Not a prob. Does it matter the product? Assault? Silencer? Parts?”

“No.” He pulls on his chin, contemplative. “Parts? You mean for ghost guns, right?”

“Yep.”

“People care about manufacturer for those?”

“I’ve never been in the market for parts myself. But I’ve read that ghost guns are a big issue. If forty thousand ghost guns are apprehended in a given year, that means a ton of parts are being sold by someone. My guess is it’s a big market.”

“See what you can learn. Thanks, Kairi.”

When the call ends, Ryan leans back against the sofa and rests his head against the wall. “Stella hired a forensic accountant, but we should ask the FBI if they have resources. If there is anything to be found.”

I sit down on the sofa beside him. There’s nothing to say. His assessment of our situation to Kairi is absolutely correct. We’re limited to long-range shots in the dark at the moment. It reminds me of fox hunting when you’ve lost the scent. You ride the trail based on knowledge of the land and foxes, but it’s all a guess. Sometimes you get lucky, and the hounds pick up the scent. Sometimes you don’t.

He reaches over and slides the tie down my ponytail, letting my hair free. He lifts several strands and loops the pieces around his fingers. Light flutters scurry down my spine.

“Erik’s wrapping up and hitting the road.” His gaze is off to the far corner once again. I’m the only one in the room, yet my sense is he’s talking to himself more than me.

“Why?” I ask, more to prompt conversation than for any other reason.

“He doesn’t like to be away from his woman for too long.” His deep introspection breaks, and a hint of smile softens his somber expression. “It’s better for all of us if he heads home. He can be one grumpy SOB without her.” The tips of his fingers massage the base of my scalp, and I inch back, giving him better access. “He’s got Shiloh running the research.”