McAdams said, “Baer’s story explains why his blood was there without admitting to murder. But why confess to anything? Why admit to all the after-the-fact crimes?”

“Maybe he’s thinking that his blood might also be in Elsie’s house. His confession would help explain why it’s there.”

“True,” McAdams said. “Part of me believes the story even though it does sound a little fantastical.”

“What don’t you believe?”

“That Elsie went out looking for them specifically, that she just happened to see them across the road. What’s more logical in my mind is that Baer and Pauline were arguing, and Pauline called Elsie to come pick her up.”

“Go on.”

“Maybe Elsie pulled out a knife. But it wasn’t meant for Pauline, it was meant for Baer.”

“Back off, dude,” Decker said.

“Exactly,” McAdams said. “But what if Elsie missed him and accidentally got her? Or maybe Pauline stepped in between the two of them to break something up.” He took a bite of bagel. “Or maybe Baer killed Pauline. He’s certainly had enough time to concoct a story.”

“Yep.” Decker exhaled. “Can you get me a bagel?”

“Sure.” McAdams fished one out of the bag. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Decker took a bite and said, “Baer is trying to make us second-guess what we know. But I agree with you that it’s a little strange for him to cop to all those after-the-fact charges.”

“So where are you on his story?” McAdams asked.

“Parts of it ring true.” Decker took another bite. “I do think Elsie Schulung had some kind of involvement. Murder? I’m not sure. But I’m thinking that she did something bad enough that she didn’t feel safe calling the police.”

“Protecting Bertram?” McAdams asked.

“I don’t know, Tyler. No one at the home gave us any reason to believe that Bertram had been traumatized. Certainly, if he helped bury the body, he would have been traumatized. But I know what you’re thinking. Why was Pauline buried so close to the diner?”

“Bertram has to fit in somewhere, Deck. He, Kathrine, and Elsie all disappeared around the same time.”

“Right.” A pause. “Is the coffee too hot for me to drink?”

“Let me check.” McAdams filled a paper cup halfway. “I think it’s okay.”

Decker took the coffee, sipped, and gave it back to Tyler. “We’ve got to find Elsie. No one else can put the pieces together except her.”

“From what we found out, she isn’t with Bertram’s family anymore,” McAdams said. “She could be anywhere.”

“And she’s not a fugitive,” Decker said. “She’s just someone we suspect, and that’s not good enough to involve any agency.”

“We have Baer’s story.”

“Which is unsubstantiated right now.” A pause. “At the moment, we are stuck.”

“I would agree.”

“I really don’t want to leave for my sabbatical in Israel until I know what happened.”