Decker laughed. “Do you know when Gabe will be back?”

“Two weeks if his agent doesn’t extend the tour.”

“Must be hard with him away so much.”

“Actually, Lieutenant, I’m okay with that. I’m not a natural student. I have to study real hard to get my grades and Gabe . . .” She made a face. “I love him to death, but he takes up a lot of my time when he’s here.” Another face. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

“It’ll be our secret.”

Yasmine stuffed her material into a backpack. “See you later.” She disappeared behind a door.

McAdams said, “She reminds me of a cricket . . . all little and bony and chirpy and big eyes.”

“She’s Persian and comes from a very sheltered environment. I’ve got to hand it to her. She followed her dream by coming out here and being with Gabe.”

“The delusion of love.” Tyler picked up the box of files and laid them on the table. “What’s the plan, sir?”

“Eventually I’ll look through the files with a fine-tooth comb. Right now all we’re looking for are names of art dealers that Sugar and Arrenz interviewed. I want to run them by Maxwell Stewart. See if he or his dad knows them.”

“When are we meeting with Stewart?”

Decker checked his watch. It was twelve-thirty. “I’d like to pop by the gallery at three-thirty.”

“You didn’t make an appointment?”

“No, I did not.”

“How do you know he’ll be in?”

“Someone will be there. I assume whoever it will be has the capacity to call him up.”

“No need for sarcasm.”

“Pot . . . kettle . . . black.”

“Ha ha and ha.” McAdams opened the box. There were ten stuffed file folders inside. “What if Stewart’s name is in the file?”

Decker gave him a closed-mouth smile. “Then that should make my interview with Maxwell all the more interesting.”

AT THREE-THIRTY IN the afternoon, the sun was sinking behind the skyscrapers, casting long shadows over the avenues. The winds were strong and icy especially coming off the park. The skies had slowly dimmed as if someone had a rheostat to the ethers. Decker rang the bell to the gallery. Redheaded Jill looked up, recognized him, and buzzed them inside the sally port. A moment later, he and Tyler were standing inside warmth, light, and a lot of sparkle from gems he couldn’t afford.

“Is Max expecting you?” Jill asked.

“No, ma’am, but we’d like to talk to him.”

“Of course. Good news, I hope.” When Decker didn’t answer, she said, “He’s downstairs. I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“Thank you.”

She rushed downstairs and a minute later, she bound back up, “He’ll be up in a minute.”

“We can wait if he’s with a customer.”

“No, he’s . . . can I get either of you coffee or tea or hot cocoa?”