“Well thank you, Dylan, and it’s past time you returned.”

Mrs. Taylor had a thin face and lips that he remembered were always painted bright orange, and still were. Although now the lines that bracketed her mouth sucked the color upward.

He didn’t respond to her words, which had her expression turning frostier.

“I’ll see you later,” he said, backing out of the room.

Voices greeted him as he took the stairs.

“Morning, Dylan.”

“Mr. Goldhirsh.”

The man sat at the kitchen table, looking relaxed, which Dylan guessed he did most of the time.

“You’re not the type who scares easily then, Mr. Goldhirsh?” Dylan said. “Considering you arrived with Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Jones.”

He wore a woolen hat pulled low over his brows and a long-sleeved thermal over which he had a T-shirt with the words London Marathon. On his legs were thermal pants and bright blue shorts.

“Elaine Taylor is all right, she’s just spent her life being mean and needs a reminder how to behave now and again.”

Ava was leaning against the counter eating oatmeal, and Charlie was dressed for the run and eating toast.

“So you got all the Howard siblings to accompany you this morning?”

His smile flashed a row of white teeth. Even the man’s dental hygiene was good. If he was the kind to feel inadequate, Mr. Goldhirsh would do it to him.

“Told you I’d pick you up for a run on Sunday. Today’s Sunday, and we’re going running.”

“Okay, let’s get it done then,” Dylan said, waving everyone toward the door. He stopped when his cell rang. Looking at the caller ID, he lifted a hand.

“I need to take this, sorry.”

Mr. Goldhirsh waved him to take it.

“Mickey,” Dylan answered the call. “What you got for me?”

“Whoever set out to get your sister knew what they were doing, Dylan. Fake email and bank accounts; he had access to everything he needed in her life to make this look legit. I need to dig deeper, so I’ll get back to you when I have more.”

Dylan listened as Mickey, a work friend, outlined what he’d found while digging into this business with Charlie.

“Okay thanks, man, I owe you.”

Pocketing the phone, he headed outside to where the others were waiting. Soon they were on the road. The pace started slow, and they met with a group of people at the end of the street who were wearing shirts that said Ryker Roadies.

“We don’t have to wear those do we?”

“You only get those if you earn them,” Mr. Goldhirsh fired back.

They were soon running up the hill toward town, and Dylan had to say it felt good. Mickey’s words were a concern, and he’d talk to Charlie about them later, but for now he’d just enjoy running with his sisters.