Decker was about to reply but laughed instead. He reached inside his pocket, took out another pair of gloves, and tossed them to Cindy. “Put these on. As long as you’re here, I don’t want you accidentally touching the wrong thing, messin’ up my evidence.”

Cindy grinned and put on the gloves. “Evidence for what?”

Damned if Decker knew. And damned if he was going to admit that to Cindy. “Find any blood work on Marie, Marge?”

“Yes, but it isn’t specific. Marie’s A-positive and has a normal clotting time. Same as the blood found in the parking lot. But A-positive is a common blood type.”

“Yeah, isn’t it about forty percent of the population?”

“Something like that.”

“Couldn’t they come up with any of the specific blood factors?”

“Nothing else is written in Marie’s chart.”

“What was Marie hospitalized for?”

“A D and C three years ago.”

“A D and C? Did she have a miscarriage?”

“Chart didn’t say anything about that,” Marge said. “Just that she was admitted for a D and C. I wrote down her doctor’s name—a Stanley Meecham. Why is that name familiar?”

“Darcy case couple of years back,” said Decker. “Remember the bees?”

“Oh yes, the bees.”

And a triple murder, Decker thought. He said, “Meecham was Linda Darcy’s doc. He was treating her for infertility. I wonder if Marie was having the same problem.”

“If so, we’ve got a potential motive for the kidnapping.”

“Woman cracks because she can’t have kids?” Decker said.

“Why not?” Marge said.

Why not? Decker repeated in his mind. Look at poor Rina. A hysterectomy had plunged her into a deep depression. And this was a woman who already had three healthy children.

“Why not indeed,” Decker said out loud. “If she was having fertility problems, does that mean there was a guy in her life?”

Marge shrugged. “I’ll ask Paula.”

Decker said, “Why else does a doc do a D and C?”

Cindy said, “Grandma had one when she was getting irregular periods due to menopause.”

“Really?” Decker said.

“Marie’s a little young for menopause,” Marge said.

“It’s been known to happen,” Decker said. “Could also be a reason for a sudden snap. Marie sees her last chance for a kid slipping away, so she takes one.” He stared at the key in his hands. “I’m going to keep looking for the box. You do your number on this Paula Delfern. See what the story is between those two.”

“Got it.”

“I also put a call in to Marie Bellson’s bank, telling them to call us if Marie or anybody shows up at any of the branches wanting to withdraw money from Marie’s account. So if someone’s patched through to you from American International, you’ll know what that’s about.”