“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass,” Decker said. “I still have quite a few more doors to knock on. Take one more look.”

“It won’t do any good.”

“Humor me,” Decker said.

Patty gave a cursory glance at the photo, then shook her head.

Decker said, “I just hate to see such a cute little kid like her in a foster home.”

“I’m sure her parents will turn up,” Patty said.

“I don’t think so,” Decker said.

Patty bit her thumbnail. “Well, it’s not my problem if they don’t. I’m not the savior of the world, you know.”

Decker said. “Maybe you want to keep the photo, just in case—”

“Waste of time.”

“Please. Just show it to your neighbors.”

Patty bit her thumbnail again. “You’re a stubborn man.” She took the photo, looked at it, and stuck it in her hip pocket.

Decker said, “Thank you for your cooperation, Mrs. Bingham.”

“Sure. And don’t listen to Jane. She’s got a big mouth.”

Decker smiled and walked away. Once inside the unmarked, he radioed in a request for the address of a Mrs. Jane Hickey. She lived a block and a half away, one of the houses where no one had been home yesterday. This morning she was outside, watering her small patch of front lawn, wearing a sunsuit. Her hair was wrapped in a kerchief, her face was deeply tanned.

“Mrs. Hickey?” Decker said. “I’m Sergeant Peter Decker, LAPD. I was wondering if I could have a couple of words with you.”

Jane looked at the badge. “What do you want?”

“I just spoke with one of your neighbors, Patty Bingham,” Decker said. He pulled out another picture of Baby Sally. “I’m trying to identify this little girl and locate her parents. I showed the picture to Mrs. Bingham, and she said it looked familiar to her, but she couldn’t place it. Do you have any idea who this child might be?”

Jane eyed the picture and laughed.

“What is it?” Decker asked.

“She looks a little like Patty’s youngest,” Jane said.

Decker’s eyes widened.

Jane said, “Of course, it isn’t Andrea.”

“Do they look a lot alike?”

“Just a little around the eyes…and the hair.” Jane handed the picture back to Decker. “All kids that age kinda look alike. Chubby little faces…you know. I don’t know who this one is, though.”

“Never saw her around the neighborhood?”

“No,” Jane said.

“You’re sure?”

“There’s a lot of kids around here,” Jane said. “I’m not positive that I’ve never seen her, but I don’t know the kid personally.”

Decker said, “Thank you for your time.”

He drove back to the Bingham residence.

“You again?” Patty said, when she saw him at the door. But she was smiling.

“I think I will have that cup of coffee,” Decker said.