“You know, it’s funny,” Rina said. “It’s not that I feel exceptionally compassionate. I’m okay with Gabe because he’s not a bother. He does his own thing and pops his head out once in a while to get fed.” Another pause. “You should hear him play, Peter. It transforms him into something otherworldly. Then he stops and he’s fourteen again.”

“That’s right. He doesn’t drive yet. Terrific. That means one of us is going to have to take him to school.” Decker thought. “He’s not going to want to continue at a Jewish school. What are we going to do with his schooling?”

“He’s got lessons arranged with this hotshot piano teacher in the middle of the school week at USC. He practices six hours plus a day. We should consider homeschooling him. Not you or me personally, but someone. He’s bright. I’m sure he could finish the high school curriculum in a year.”

“Yeah, he said something about going to Juilliard next year.”

“He also told me that he’d like to go to a regular university like Harvard. Because of his talent, he has lots of options. If his mother is alive, she’s going to eventually try to reunite with him. He’s not only exceptional, but he is her only child.”

Her only child. Decker raised an eyebrow. “I suppose we can deal with him living with us for a year or so—as long as he isn’t a psycho like his dad.”

“Time will tell. So far, I don’t see any indication,” Rina told him. “Who’s the missing woman in the hospital?”

“She’s a nurse—a former friend of Adrianna Blanc. Both of them worked at St. Tim’s. She disappeared a few days ago. While looking for Adrianna’s boyfriend in Las Vegas, Marge and Scott talked to a couple of cops who told them about a Jane Doe in the hospital. A one-car collision in the middle of nowhere could be an accident, suicide, or possible homicide. Whatever it was, she knows way more than she told us in our original interviews.” He finished his sandwich. “That went down well.”

“You want dessert?”

“No…well, what do you have?”

“Apple pie.”

“Leave it with me. I may succumb.” He checked his watch. “I’ll try to be home in an hour.”

“That means two hours. So I’ll see you around eleven, okay?”

“Fair enough.”

Rina stood up. “I saw Wanda and Lee at their desks when I came in. There’s also half a chocolate cake in the bag for you to share.”

“No wonder everyone loves you. No one cooks or bakes like you. You’re the candy man—the candy woman.”

“That’s me.” Rina grinned. “I spread good cheer and calories wherever I go.”