“And when was the last time you were in Grand Rapids?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Were you up there on November sixth, maybe?”

“November sixth?” Spud felt the color drain from his cheeks. “What’s this about?” He couldn’t quite seem to catch his breath. He looked again at Max, but it was like looking into the sun.

“We just have some questions that we think you might be able to help us with,” Macey said. “You want to help us, don’t you?”

“Yeah, but I don’t know anything about that.”

“About what, Peter?”

“About… Grand Rapids or anything. I can’t remember where I was on the sixth. I don’t keep track…”

“Peter, you seem flustered. Is something wrong?”

“I’m tired, that’s all. I lost my mother. And you come here and ask me all kinds of questions that I—”

“Peter, what if I told you that someone said they can put you in the area around Grand Rapids on the sixth of November. Is that possible?”

“Who said that?”

“Were you up that way last week?”

“You know, I don’t… I think I want to be alone. I’ve had a hard day and… maybe you all should leave.”

Macey stared at Spud and let the room fill with silence. Spud swallowed hard and looked at his feet.

“Okay, Peter. We’ll go, but we’re not done here. We’ll be back.”

CHAPTER 43

Max, Niki, and Detective Greene left the house and walked across the street, stopping at Niki’s squad car. “We struck a nerve,” Macey said. “I thought he was gonna swallow his tongue for a second there.”

“He knows damned well where he was on the sixth,” Niki said. “Strangers on a fucking train.”

Macey looked over her shoulder at the house. “Think he’s watching us?”

“I’m sure he is,” Niki said. “We should stay here and chat for a bit. Let him sweat.”

“I’m betting he’s making the call already.” Macey looked at Max. “I can expedite the data—might get it in a few days.”

In a few days, Max thought, Reed will be long gone. Peter now knows that we are onto him, and in a few minutes, Reed will know it too.

Macey said, “I’m gonna get started on that subpoena.”

“I think we’ll hang here for a bit,” Niki said. “Keep him worried.”

After Macey walked to her car, Niki turned to Max. “So, what’s the plan? Stay at my place until we get that tower data?”

“I think I should head north—be ready.”

“I have some vacation time I could burn. Maybe I should head north with you.”

Max didn’t have the words to tell Niki just how terrible an idea that was. He would be following an illegal tracker, one that he put into Peter Molinar’s belongings during the course of a felony burglary. He and Lyle needed to make first contact with Reed—and hopefully Pip—without law enforcement, just in case they were wrong about everything. Only if they were right might their many sins and crimes be overlooked. Max couldn’t risk getting Niki tied up in that mess.