“There’s more to this Herb and Phyllis thing than you’re telling me.”

“You’re imagining things,” Lisa said, but she looked down at the worktable, not meeting Hannah’s eyes.

“I don’t think so. And it’ll probably help to talk about it. Tell me what’s wrong, Lisa.”

Lisa sat there in silence for a moment, and then she gave a deep sigh. “Herb’s been working late every single night this month. I know he loves me and I know that I should trust him, but it’s every night.”

“When did this start?”

“A couple days after Mayor Bascomb transferred Phyllis to Herb’s office.”

It was Hannah’s turn to sigh. “Did you drive past Herb’s office to see if he was there?”

“Yes, after it happened five nights in a row. And Hannah. . . Herb wasn’t there!”

“Maybe he was out on patrol?”

“No. His cruiser was in the lot, right where he always parks it. But his personal car was gone!”

That didn’t sound good, and Hannah reached out to pat Lisa’s shoulder. “Did you try to find him?”

“Yes. I drove past Dad’s house because I thought he might have gone over there to help his mother with something. He wasn’t there, and I didn’t go in to ask if they’d seen him. I was too embarrassed. I didn’t want them to think I was tracking him down!”

“Of course not. Did you try anywhere else?”

“Yes.” Lisa gave a little nod. “I drove past every place I could think of, anywhere I thought he might go.”

Hannah hated to ask the logical question, but there was no way she could leave that particular stone unturned. “Did you drive past Phyllis Bates’s apartment?”

“Yes,” Lisa admitted and she looked shamefaced. “I know that a wife should trust her husband, but when I couldn’t find Herb anywhere else, I drove out to The Oaks. I didn’t want to, but I just had to know!”

“Of course you did,” Hannah reassured her partner, remembering the night she’d driven past the back of the Magnolia Blossom Bakery and spotted Mike’s car there. “Was Herb there?”

“No. At least I don’t think he was there. I didn’t spot his car in the visitor parking section.”

“How about Phyllis’s car?”

“It was in her parking spot. I tried to convince myself that if Phyllis was home and Herb’s car wasn’t there, he couldn’t be with Phyllis. But then I noticed that there were no lights on in her apartment.”

“What time was that?”

“A quarter to ten.”

“Maybe she was tired and she went to bed early,” Hannah suggested, even though she doubted that Lisa would accept that explanation.