“No, not really,” Oliver answered.

“Then close the door on your way out.”

Oliver laughed and left.

I said, “So it looks like my weekend is booked. On Saturday, I’ve got my workout at the gym, afternoon is lunch with Mom, and then I’ve got bowling practice from six to eight in the evening. Then maybe if Koby’s off, we’ll go out. Sunday morning is brunch with my friend Hayley. I’ll look for David in the afternoon, then Sunday evening if Koby and I are still in good standing, we’ll go out again.”

“I’m getting tired just listening to you. You’re hyperactive, Officer Decker.”

“Loo, it’s better than crying in my beer.”

31

Since last week’s dinner at Mama’s, Rina had made a valiant effort to restrain herself, mentioning her grandmother’s case only a couple of times. Peter had played coy, refusing to take the bait. Since subtlety wasn’t working, it was time for the direct approach. After the dinner table had been cleared, she sashayed into the kitchen and slid her arms around his waist as he washed dishes. He had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt but had still managed to get his cuffs wet.

“I’ll do that,” she said.

“I’m almost done,” Decker told her. “But you can keep hugging. It feels good.”

“I love a man who knows how to scour a roasting pan.”

He smiled. “What’s Hannah doing?”

“Her homework. So what’s going on?”

“Not much.”

Rina broke away. Nervously, she smoothed out her denim skirt and hiked up the sleeves of her pink sweater to her elbows. She picked up a towel and began to dry the dishes. “Just answer me one question. Did you find Marta Lubke?”

“Yes.”

Rina was flabbergasted. “You did?”

“Yes.”

“Is she alive?”

“That’s two questions.”

She punched his shoulder.

“Yes, she’s alive,” Decker answered. “Even better, so is her older sister. I was going to tell you after Hannah went to bed. But since we started, what else would you like to know?”

“For starters, how’d you find her?”

“That would be giving away my trade secrets.” Decker winked at her. “I logged onto Google and got hits for around a hundred Lubkes … probably not the smartest thing to do since the Lubke I was looking for was from Germany. But I thought I’d test the waters here, maybe find a relative. From what I pulled up, I began a process of elimination mostly by age. I found about ten Lubkes who were old enough and sent out e-mails to all of them. I got unbelievably lucky. I received an e-mail response from an Anika Lubke. That, in itself, is pretty good—a woman in her eighties savvy in computers. You wouldn’t believe where she lives.”

“Los Angeles?”

“No, but almost as good. She lives up in Solvang.”

“You’re kidding!”

“Right north of Santa Barbara. I told you it was good.”

“You’re the best. So what did Anika Lubke write back?”

“That she was from Munich. And this is where it gets really unbelievably lucky. She has a sister named Marta, whose married name is Wallek. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, which I understand has a large population of people of German descent.”