He beamed as he thought of his children, chipping in money to buy Rina and him business-class tickets. Such a lucky man. He slid into a chair with a footrest. He had a bigger pillow and a thicker blanket than usual. He had his own TV, with flight attendants offering him juice, water, or champagne before the takeoff.

He could get used to this.

Rina came over. She was seated three rows behind him. “Pretty luxurious.”

“Unbelievable,” Decker said. “Nice surprise.”

“We did well,” Rina told him. “Any word from Gabe?”

“I know he got hold of his father and that Chris agreed to help.”

“Nice, if he doesn’t kill Terry first,” Rina said.

“It’s been over ten years.”

“Why do I feel Chris is the type of person to carry a grudge?”

Peter’s phone buzzed.

Rina said, “Turn that off. We’re on vacation.”

Decker looked at the screen. “It’s Tyler.”

“It’s eleven-thirty at night. He can’t miss you that much.”

“Yeah, this isn’t good.” Decker clicked in the call. “What’s going on?”

His partner said, “Someone found a body earlier in the evening. In the woods about three miles from the diner where Bertram Lanz disappeared.”

Decker’s heart sank. He and the entire Greenbury police force had been looking for the disabled man for weeks. He had hoped that Lanz was safe with his parents in Germany. But maybe that wasn’t the situation. The incompletion of his case was a weight on Decker’s shoulders. He knew he shouldn’t have taken time off without the solve. “Where are you now?”

“I just left the scene to call you. No bars up there. I’m going back as soon as I hang up.”

“Do you need me to come back, McAdams?”

“Peter!” Rina said.

“No, no. We’re fine, boss. Coroner should be here soon. Kevin cordoned off the area. I’ll keep you posted. I just wanted to let you know.”

The flight attendant started making announcements. Rina said, “If you’re going to be intransigent, I’m going back to my seat.”

Decker barely heard her. He stuck his finger in his ear. “You’re sure that you’re okay?”

“We’re great, boss. Don’t worry. Enjoy your time overseas.”

Decker said, “Before you go, any thoughts about the body?”

“Rigor’s come and gone, bloat has come and gone.”

“Then the corpse is weeks old?”

“Possibly. There’s decomposition.”

Decker asked, “Insect activity?”

“Some in the orifices—nostrils, eyes, and mouth.”

“Then part of the face was exposed to the air, so the flies could lay their eggs.”

“Yeah, we found the body partially buried.”

“Animal activity could have disturbed it.”

“Nothing we can see,” McAdams answered. “But that may change once the autopsy is done.”

“Any idea if the corpse is male or female?”