“Yes. Actually, twice. The first was that Monday—Glen hadn’t shown up at work, and Ricky wasn’t at school and Ricky’s teacher said he went home with Joe and Ginny. The kids and Jill weren’t home, but I confirmed that Ricky left at six—that’s what Jill had told me. The detectives returned later in the week—I believe Thursday, maybe Friday—with more questions and a hostile attitude. It was right after dinner. They wanted to know the last time we’d seen the family, if they said anything about a vacation, if we’d heard from Ricky.”

“Did they tell you that they believed the Albrights had left the country?”

“I pushed because I don’t particularly like anyone who comes in and demands anything from me, especially at the dinner hour. I missed too many dinners with my family when I served, I don’t miss many now. I didn’t like their attitude, and the way they talked to my son Joe was uncalled for.”

“How so?”

“They accused him of lying, said that he had to tell the truth or he’d be committing a crime.”

“Truth about what?”

“If he’d seen Ricky over the weekend. He said no, and he had no reason to lie, but the cop treated Joe as if he was. He was nine, dammit. My kids don’t lie, I don’t condone it, and they know better. I didn’t like the cop accusing him. They said there was evidence the family had gone to Mexico and that Denise was under suspicion of embezzling from her employer. I didn’t believe it, but they showed me a photo of their car crossing the border, and said if we heard from any of them—parents or kids—to call them. Then there was an article in the paper a week or so later about how Kiefer Brothers lost millions to embezzlement, lost a major government contract, and were on the verge of bankruptcy. Think they did go under, if I recall.”

“Did you ever hear from anyone in the family?”

“No.”

Nate said, “We promise to treat your kids with respect, sir.”

JJ looked at them both, then nodded. “If I say stop, you stop, agreed?”

“Yes, sir.”

He let them into the house. Jill offered them something to drink, but they declined. “Sit, please, ma’am,” Nate said.

“I’m fine, really,” she said, but sank into a chair at the dining table.

JJ left out the back door and called for the kids. Jill said, “JJ built a tree house back when they were little, and they practically live out there, even now that they’re almost thirteen.”