Decker recapped his conversation with Captain Mike Radar. The kid was silent but he did take notes. “I have the victim’s phone bill. I’m going down the list, trying to find her parents so I can do a notification. That’s a lousy job even for someone experienced, so I’ll do that.”

He slid the phone bill across his desk over to McAdams’s desk.

“This is last month’s phone bill so it’s out of date, but right now it’s all we have. What I’d like you to do is to go down the numbers and find out what matches to what. If you find her parents, give the call to me. As soon as I make the notification, we’ll go to Littleton and start interviewing friends and acquaintances to see if we can get a feel for who she is—”

“Sorry for leaving, Decker. That was really unprofessional.”

“It’s past history, Tyler. Let’s just move forward because we have a lot of work—” His cell rang. Decker looked at his phone window. “This may be the parents. Hold on.” He depressed the button. “Greenbury Police.”

“I’m looking for a Peter Decker.”

A woman’s voice. He said, “This is Peter Decker. Who am I talking to, please?”

“This is Karen Bronson. What’s going on?”

“Are you related to Angeline Moreau, ma’am?”

“I’m her mother. Is Angeline in trouble?”

The expected panic. “There’s no easy way to tell you this, ma’am. There was an incident in her apartment. I’m very sorry, but Angeline is deceased.”

The wailing was immediate. Over the phone, Decker heard a male voice asking what was wrong. Then the female voice screaming, “Angeline is dead!” Then there was a lot of shouting and even more voices followed by sobbing. No matter how many times Decker did this, it never, ever got easier. It always made him sick in his gut.

The man came on the line. “Who is this?”

“Detective Peter Decker from Greenbury Police. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

“Are you positive it’s her?”

Decker paused. “Sir, I’ll tell you everything I know, but it would be better to do this in person. Who am I talking to?”

“Jim Bronson. I’m Angeline’s stepfather. You didn’t answer my question.”

“I know. We don’t have a positive ID because of the condition of the body. We may have to do a DNA test. I can get a twenty-four-hour turnaround if you bring me her toothbrush or hairbrush.”

“So it’s possible that it isn’t her?”