Harley was walking out of the convenience store with her third cup of coffee that morning when Callaway pulled in. She waited for him, hoping he would bring good news. Her encounter the previous night with Medrano had left a sour taste in her mouth, and she hoped Callaway had been more successful. They needed a lead.

You call your friend? Callaway asked, taking off his shades and resting them on the brim of his hat. His face had a rugged cleanliness to it that would have worked well in an Old Spice commercial.

My brotheryeah, she answered, stretching her legs, which were still sore from the previous night. Hes over at the Chino Mine in Santa Rita. According to him, theres an extensive network of old mines across the state, but theyre incredibly dangerous.

Callaway grunted. Any leads?

She shook her head, deciding there was no need to mention Medrano. Dead end.

So it goes, he answered with a shrug, as if this was a common outcomewhich it was. Conducting a criminal investigation was like navigating a maze: It was full of twists, turns, and dead ends. The key was persistencethat and a good memory.

Harley sipped her coffee, then made a face. It tasted like it had been filtered through a dirty sock. Still, as long as it packed enough caffeine…

What about you? she said. Any progress with the victims phones?

Hacked into both of them, he answered. Ray really knows what hes doing.

Learn anything?

A little. Its clear both victims knew Candy and were in frequent communication with her in the days leading up to their deaths.

Anything suspicious?

He shook his head. Just girl talkwhats on sale at the local mall, celebrity gossip, trading me-mes, that kind of thing. He pronounced meme as me-me, shooting her a cautious glance as if unsure how to say it.

She made a poor attempt at hiding her smile. I think you mean, memes. Going through a teenage girls chat conversations might be a bit outside your wheelhouse.

Yeah, yeah. He shook his head, unimpressed. The point is, theres nothing to connect the dots.

Harley couldnt help making another jab. You mean they didnt talk about their haunted mine sex fantasies?

He raised his eyebrows at her. Are you finished? Have you had your fun yet?

She shrugged, pleased with herself. Im just picturing you scrolling through those conversations. Probably not what you imagined when you joined the Bureau.

Honey, thats a long list.

They both fell silent. Harley took a long swallow of coffee and watched a group of people skirt the parking lot, a pair of strollers rattling over the asphalt. She tried to think of what stone they might have left unturned.

We may not know for certain what were looking for, she said after a moment, but that doesnt mean Candy has nothing to hide. I know bullshit when I smell it.