“Can you do anything for him?” Rina asked.

“Probably not,” Decker said. “But as promised, I’ll call around. It all depends on the charges, if there were drugs on the premises—”

Rina groaned, “I didn’t even think of that.”

“Think about it, honey.”

“Then he’s in deep trouble?”

“You kidding?” Decker laughed. “If it’s the usual first offense, no drugs involved, a slap on the wrist. He’ll be out and back on the prowl before you fly home.”

“I’ve got to get back.”

“I’m not telling you not to,” Decker said. “I’m just telling you don’t worry about it.”

Rina sank into a chair. “Out of curiosity. Could you have influenced people if this had happened in L.A.?”

“Could I have, or would I have?”

Rina didn’t answer.

“Depends,” Decker said. Then he smiled. “Why? You have a parking ticket you want me to fix?”

“Oh, Peter!”

“What should I do with all this chopped-up lettuce?”

“Put it in a bowl.”

“What do you want to do about dinner?”

“I’m not hungry,” Rina said. “And I have to start calling airlines. I hope I can catch a nonstop flight before Shabbos. Shayna says come out now. Beam me up, Scotty. We live in the jet-age world, but as of yet, travel isn’t instantaneous.”

The thought hit Decker as sudden as a gust of wind.

Travel isn’t instantaneous.

As with the Darcy case, it was just a matter of putting the horse before the cart. Had Granny Darcy come back to get Earl, or had she been there all along? Thinking along those lines, Myra Steele’s case was the same damn thing.

They took her to Hollywood Pres, but her mom insisted she be moved to County, because she didn’t have any insurance.

The right ingredients, but he lacked evidence. But if luck be a lady, he’d get a hold of something. Enough rope for the hanging.

He said, “I’ll call the airlines for you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Rina said. “My family has caused you enough grief.”

“It’s no bother, Rina,” Decker said.

“Honestly?”

“Honestly.”

“Well, if you do that,” she said, “the least I could do is throw together something.”

“No,” Decker said. “You lie down, read a book. After I call, I’ll take you out to dinner at that Italian kosher restaurant on the other side of the mountain.”

Rina smiled. “That sounds great!” She added, “I’ll drive.”

He wasn’t the least bit tipsy, but thought it would be bad form to argue. “Fine, darlin’.”

“Try to get me a United flight,” Rina said. “I’m saving up for mileage with them.”

“Fine.”

As she started to walk away, Decker asked, “Honey, you ever been to Detroit?”

“Twice,” Rina said. “Why?”

“What airline did you take?”