HOPING TO FIND some quiet time to read Adrianna’s diary cover to cover, Decker had arrived at his desk by seven-fifteen and began sorting through pink message phone slips, most of which could wait but a few needed to be dealt with. There was a call from the coroner regarding Adrianna Blanc, two calls from Kathy Blanc wondering when the body was going to be released, two calls from Melissa McLaughlin, Terry’s half sister, and one call from West L.A. regarding Terry McLaughlin.

He made the LAPD call first, to Detective Eliza Slaughter in Missing Persons, who was handling the case. At this hour, he was lucky to find her at work.

“No body, no car, nothing,” she said. “Where can I get hold of her husband? I’d love to talk with him, and the number I have for him doesn’t work.”

“Do you have a few minutes?” Decker said. “I need to bring you up to speed and give you an idea on what and who you’re working with.”

With questions and answers, the few minutes took twenty.

“Oh my, my,” Eliza said. “That’s a story and a half. This guy is really a hit man?”

“So I’ve been told.”

“So why hasn’t he been caught?”

“He’s excellent at what he does.”

“And you talk to him on a regular basis?”

“Not on regular basis, but we’ve communicated on and off over the years. Like I told you, he was supposed to come in last night and pick up the kid. I don’t know where he is, but somewhere in the future, he’ll contact me or his son or both.”

“This is a little much for me to absorb this early in the morning. You say he owns brothels?”

“He owns some legit ones in Elko, Nevada. He used to have others scattered throughout the States that were illegal. Maybe he’s cashed those in for the legal ones. I haven’t kept track of his business ventures.”

“How’d he get a license to run legit brothels if he’s a felon?”

“It’s all in his wife’s name: one of the reasons why they got married.”

“Should I call up Elko PD?”

“You know, I’ve been thinking about that. If Donatti thinks he’s going to be cornered, he’s gone. My feeling is the best thing to do is wait him out. But it’s your call.”

“What if he killed his wife? Why would he stick around for you to wait him out?”

“He could have killed her, but the fact that he called me back says maybe he didn’t. Did you get a chance to talk to the staff yesterday at the hotel?”