She turned. Her expression moved through surprise, confusion, settled on alarm.

“Please.” I raised both hands. “Can we talk?”

“You tried to break in to my house.”

“No. Really.”

“I saw you. I called my cousin. He came and found you in the yard.”

“Housebreaking wasn’t my intent.”

“Why are you stalking me?”

“I told you at the restaurant. I’m worried about Annaliese Ruben.”

“Why do you care about her?”

Zinger. Why did I? Ruben had probably killed four infants. Did I want to protect her? Or did I simply want to catch her to charge her with murder?

“I don’t like to see people hurt,” I said.

She seemed to relax a bit at that.

“Is Annaliese at your house?”

“I told you, I don’t know her.”

“Is she at the Gold Range?”

Her fingers tightened on the cart handle.

“Why did you stop at the hotel this morning?”

“My husband works there.”

“Josiah.”

Fear rekindled in her eyes. “Leave me alone.”

“Can you tell me why you went to the Gold Range?”

“If I do, will you stop bothering me?”

“Yes.”

She hesitated. Debating what to say? How best to escape? “I forgot my house key. My husband had one.”

I was skeptical. That didn’t explain her rushed departure from the Explorer. But I could think of no appropriate follow-up question.

Nellie’s mention of Horace Tyne that morning had given me a small sense of victory. I felt I’d discovered a lead. A possible link to Annaliese Ruben. In fact, aside from a name—possibly of no significance—I’d learned nothing new. And that was maddening.

So I kept my word. I asked her nothing else. “My name is Temperance Brennan.” Handing her a card. “Annaliese may be in danger. If you hear from her, please call me at the Explorer.”

Back in the Camry, Ryan shot me a questioning look through the shades. I think. I shook my head.

“Ollie’s got Rainwater coming out here.”

I nodded.

We watched in silence another five minutes. Then, “Isn’t that the boy who was walking with you earlier?” he asked.

I followed Ryan’s sight line. Binny was sitting cross-legged on a boulder at the far end of Ragged Ass. His bike lay on the grass beside him. His eyes lay on us.

I lowered my window and waved. Binny did not wave back.

“His name’s Binny.”

“Weird-looking kid.”

“I like him. He’s spunky.”

“Didn’t look so spunky tear-ass pedaling up Fiftieth.”

“Your meltdown scared the crap out of him.” I waved again.

Binny hopped on his bike and rode off.

Maybe Ryan was right. My people skills really did seem wanting.

“What did you mean, the kid could be useful?”

“When I was asking Nellie about Ruben, she let slip a name. Horace Tyne. Binny claims to know the guy.”

Ryan curled his fingers in a “go on” gesture.