Decker said, “In Schulung’s house, there were pictures of Bertram Lanz and his girlfriend, Kathrine Taylor. She lived in another residential home where Bertram used to reside. That’s how they met. Then we discovered that Kathrine was missing as well.”

“What about Schulung’s car?” Marge asked.

“Missing at first,” McAdams said. “We eventually found it hidden by brush in the woods.”

“If Elsie fled, how did she escape without her car?”

“Schulung had a girlfriend named Pauline Corbett,” Decker said. “We think she used her car.”

“Corbett is the body you just discovered,” Marge said.

“Yes,” McAdams said. “And the blood in Elsie’s house matched Pauline’s blood. We have a few theories; one of them is obviously that Elsie killed Pauline.”

“Or someone in Elsie’s house killed Pauline,” Marge said.

“Exactly,” McAdams said. “Since Bertram, Kathrine, and Elsie have all seemed to have disappeared around the same time, we’re thinking there’s a connection.”

“She took them as hostages?”

“Maybe.”

“And how did they get to where they were going after they ditched Elsie’s car?”

McAdams said, “The short answer is we don’t know. But Pauline’s car is missing.”

“If Elsie took Pauline’s car, who drove Pauline’s car to the spot where Elsie ditched her car?” Marge asked.

McAdams said, “We don’t know the answer.”

“Could Elsie also be dead?” Marge asked. “Buried in the woods?”

Decker said, “My guess is that she’s with Bertram and Kathrine. And we know Kathrine was okay as of about three weeks ago because her parents spoke to her.”

The car turned silent. Decker added, “Bertram was charged and found guilty of manslaughter in a bar fight back in Germany about ten years ago. It was one of those brawls and a lot of punches were thrown. But Bertram’s fists killed a man.”

“Then he’s not afraid to fight,” Marge said. “You’re thinking that Bertram might have stabbed Pauline? Why would he do that?”

“We’ve kicked around several things,” McAdams said. “But we really don’t have a strong motive.”

Marge said, “Any ideas on how Pauline’s death is relevant to your Missing Person?”

“No,” Decker said. “But now, at the very least, we have a body. That’s why we want to talk to the sister … find out more about the victim.”

“Basic Homicide 101.” Marge smiled, then cocked her thumb toward the backseat. “Pay attention, young’un. You can learn from this guy.”