“You do the same.” Decker turned around to go back to the hotel and McAdams followed. When they were a block away, and Quay was clearly out of hearing range, Decker stopped walking. “Let’s go back to the bar.”

“Because …” McAdams said.

Decker said, “Like I said, we’re missing a crime scene.”

“You think he did something to her inside the bar?”

“No, not the bar. But maybe the parking lot.”

McAdams looked around. It was almost eight in the evening, but there was still lingering daylight. “Sure.”

They reversed directions and went back to Tobacco’s Road. Standing in the parking lot, they were a good fifty feet from the entrance.

Decker said, “Okay, they came out of there.” He pointed to the door. “Maddy said she didn’t hear anything like screaming outside once they left, but maybe it happened too far away for her to hear. Let’s look around.”

“Fine.”

“Careful, Tyler, cars are coming in and out.”

“Okay, Dad.” After a half hour of scouring the pavement for … something … McAdams said, “I don’t see anything nefarious.”

“Agreed.” Decker turned and looked at the road. Across the street were small one-story businesses. No CC cameras in view. To his immediate right and left, there were stores as well.

McAdams said, “No good place to do the deed. Everything’s in the open. What if Baer had a car? Could have done it there.”

“Certainly possible.” Decker organized his thoughts. “They left the bar, skunk drunk, continued the fight in the car, and then he stabbed her there, making the car the crime scene.”

“How do you stab someone when you’re driving?” McAdams said. “At some point, you have to pull over.”

“Maybe he stabbed her when the car was parked.” A pause. “Or maybe it happened in Pauline’s car. She was driving and he reached over and stabbed her.”

“Then she would have lost control of the car,” McAdams said. “There would have been an accident, don’t you think?”

“Okay …” Decker said. “Let’s say there was an accident. Someone lost control of the wheel. That means there should be swerving tire tracks somewhere.”

“It happened a long time ago, boss. Even if there had been tracks, with all the summer rain, they were probably erased.”

“Maybe not.” Decker thought and shrugged.

McAdams said, “If it happened in Pauline’s car, then that’s our crime scene. We have no idea where her vehicle is. If it happened in Brock Baer’s car, then the crime scene is there. We don’t know if he owned a car or if he rented one. Whatever the case, sticking around here won’t tell us anything.”

“I’d still like to come back in the morning and take a look.” Decker’s eyes scanned the area. “Which direction is Elsie’s place?”