“Just tell me what I can do to help,” she said again.

“If you could withhold his identification and everything about this situation so we salvage what we can and get up to speed on exactly what happened,” he repeated. “After that, we’ll file a Suspicious Activity Report, and the public will know.”

Hammer glanced at her watch. It was almost three A.M. “We’ll get the FBI on it immediately. It will be in their best interest to buy a little time, too. As for Mauney, as far as I’m concerned, we can’t effect a positive identification just yet, and I’m sure Dr. Odom will want to withhold information until he can get hold of dental records, fingerprints, whatever, and you know how overworked he is.” She paused, and promised, “It will take a while.”

Cahoon thought of Mrs. Mauney III, whom he had met only superficially at parties. “Someone’s got to call Polly,” he said. “Mauney’s wife. I’d like to do that, if you have no objections.”

Hammer got up and smiled at him. “You know something, Sol? You’re nowhere near as rotten as I thought.”

“That works both ways, Judy.” He got up.

“It certainly does.”

“You hungry?”

“Starved.”

“What’s open at this hour,” he wondered.

“You ever been to the Presto Grill?”

“Is that a club?”

“Yes,” she told him. “And guess what, Sol? It’s about time you became a member.”

TWENTY-SIX

For the most part, only people up to no good were out at this hour, and as West drove seedy streets looking for Brazil’s car, her mood became more grim. In part she was worried. She was also so irritated that she wanted to slug him. What was he, crazy? Where did these irrational, angry fits come from? Were he a woman, she’d wonder about PMS and suggest he go back to the gynecologist. She grabbed the portable phone and dialed again.

“Newsroom,” an unfamiliar voice answered.

“Andy Brazil,” West said.

“He’s not in.”

“Has he been in at all the last few hours?” West asked, frustration in her tone. “Have you heard from him?”

“Not that I know of.”

West hit the end button and tossed the phone on the seat. She pounded the steering wheel. “Damn you, damn you, Andy!” she exclaimed.

As she cruised, her phone rang, startling her. It was Brazil. She was sure of it as she answered. She was wrong.

“It’s Hammer,” her chief said. “What in the world are you doing still out?”

“I can’t find him.”

“You certain he’s not home or at the paper?”

“Positive. He’s out here courting trouble,” West said rather frantically.

“Oh dear,” Hammer said. “Cahoon and I are about to have breakfast, Virginia. Here’s what I want you to do. No information about this case, and no identification until I tell you otherwise. For now, the case is pending. We need to buy some time here because of this other situation.”

“I think that’s wise,” West said, checking her mirrors, looking everywhere.