"I intend to do that, but it's possible that the past is intertwined with the present. This attack appears to be personal and premeditated. The shooter waited for your mother to leave the house. He was able to vanish without being caught by any cameras in the neighborhood, which suggests he knew the area well."

"My father doesn't know this city. I don't think he's been here in years."

"Are you sure? You just said he travels a lot. Do you always know where he's going?"

I wished I could answer his question with a confident yes, but I couldn't. "No," I admitted. "But I don't want you to focus on my dad when he's unlikely to be involved."

"I follow the facts where they lead. Are you staying in the city tonight?"

"Yes. I'll get a room somewhere."

"Let's talk tomorrow. Once the shock has worn off, you may see things more clearly or remember information that might be helpful."

"I can't imagine what that would be, but all right." As he rose, I got to my feet. "Can I have my mother's bag?"

He hesitated. "I'm going to hang on to her phone, but we've already been through the bag and taken photos of its contents, so you can take that with you."

"I'd like the keys to her house, too. I want to see where she lives."

"They're in the bag."

Inspector Greenman ushered me out of the conference room and waved me toward the exit.

When I got back into my car, I locked the door, fastened my seat belt, and let out a breath. Then I opened my mother's handbag. There wasn't a lot to look at, but I started with a black wallet, which contained a driver's license with the name Laura Hawthorne on it and an address in San Francisco.

The face of Laura Hawthorne matched my mother's face. There was one credit card in the same name, and the photo of my mother holding me and Danielle. It was old and faded, ripped at one corner, and bent in the middle. There were two twenties in the billfold, along with a couple of quarters. In addition to the wallet, there was a lip gloss, a pair of reading glasses, sunglasses, a packet of tissues, and something that looked like a program for a musical concert. There were also a couple of keys on a ring that was shaped like a musical note.

A wave of disappointment ran through me. I had hoped to get more clues to her life.