“You want your coffee extra strong?” Evelyn asked. “Or through an intravenous?”

“I got it,” Jack said. “Dee? You talk.”

“Ah, so you’ve finally realized the advantages of having a partner,” Evelyn said. “If nothing else, it saves you from the supreme effort of speech.”

Jack kept walking. I pulled my leg up and started massaging the muscle.

“If you want something for that, just ask. I’ve got a damned cupboard full of crap. The days when muscle rubs and ointments replace massage oil and lubricants…Never thought I’d see it.” She leaned back in her chair. “So, what happened with Baron?”

I glanced over at Jack, but he kept walking. So I told Evelyn.

“Well, that’s priority one, then. Finding him.” She seemed ready to go on, then glanced toward the kitchen. A pause, then she turned back to me. “I made some progress myself. Leon Kozlov, former associate of the Nikolaev family. A small family, but an old one. One of the first in America.”

“You know them?”

“I know folks associated with them, which is how we’re going to get the story on Mr. Kozlov.”

“He got insurance?” Jack called as he retreated into the kitchen.

I told Evelyn about our theory.

“Well, not really a theory,” I said as Jack returned with our coffees and sat beside me. “At this point, it’s just one more avenue to explore.”

“A good one. People die, someone always benefits, and usually it’s money. Let me see what I can dig up. First, though, I’ll find Baron. Pathetic fuck.”

One could say those two words with sadness, even empathy. Evelyn did not. Jack’s shoulders tightened and he pushed to his feet as if to hide the reaction.

“I told you this would happen,” she said. “Didn’t I?”

“Yeah.” Jack headed for the computer and turned on the monitor. “Let’s get looking. Find him.”

Evelyn turned to me. “When Baron retired, I told Jack it wouldn’t work. It never does.”

“Didn’t argue,” Jack said.

“You gave Baron the benefit of the doubt.”

“Nothing wrong with that. Want me to log on?”

“You don’t know my password.”

“Yeah?”

They locked gazes, but Evelyn only shook her head, refusing to be distracted.

“You have a sentimental streak, Jack.”

“An optimistic streak. And it’s not fatal. Dee doesn’t need to hear this shit. You want me to say it? You were right. Now log on or—”

She stood. “Get away from my keyboard before you break something.”

Baron’s number didn’t lead anywhere. Not immediately at least. Evelyn put in a few cybercalls for more information, both to trace the phone number and to track Baron through the criminal network.

“But that won’t bear fruit today, so you can go and check that cartel lead while Dee and I check out Kozlov and research the insurance theory.”

“You don’t need her.”