While escorting Rachel to his cubbyhole, Grant had also been able to commandeer Frankel. Once he locked the office door, Grant had made the proper introductions, which seemed to make Frankel’s head spin.

“I thought the only reporter you’d been talking to was Ferguson.”

“Rachel and I only had breakfast yesterday.”

“And we don’t talk that much,” Rachel added. “In fact, that was the first time in over a year.”

Frankel looked at them in disbelief. “But you managed to lay out your entire case over tea and biscuits—including the connection we’ve held back from everyone, particularly the media, of which your daughter happens to be a card-carrying member.”

“It’s something we’ve always done. I’d share what I was working on and Rachel would listen, then usually offer up fresh insight.”

Frankel turned to Rachel. “And what did you conclude? Other than the idea of sharing with the world the one thing we were trying to keep for ourselves?”

“Besides the fact that you and my father have a real mess on your hands?” Rachel gave Frankel a slight shrug. “Not much.”

“I thought we’d agreed you weren’t going to write this story,” Grant said.

“Did you see it in print, Dad? If this was meant to be self-serving, I think an exclusive edition would’ve hit the streets by now.”

“Then why bring it up when you did?”

“Because doing it this way makes your lives easier. And lets the people in the city sleep better at night.” She shrugged again. “Well, unless you happen to be a killer or an adulterer. Then you might have to keep an eye open and double-lock the windows and doors.”

Grant tightened. “Jesus. You’ve been talking to Everett, haven’t you?”

Rachel didn’t exactly nod, but her eyes betrayed the truth.

Meanwhile, Frankel was still trying to keep up. “Wait. Everett? Everett—your brother, who you first figured this all out with? That Everett?”

“Yes. That Everett,” replied Grant.

“He called me this morning—just as I was leaving for work,” said Rachel. “He said he was worried about you and repeated the suggestion he gave you and it made a whole bunch of sense.”

“Suggestion? What suggestion?” asked Frankel incredulously.

Grant told Frankel how Everett urged them to come clean with the Ten Commandments connection for the precise reasons Rachel had just echoed.

“You could have told me what you were going to do,” Grant said to Rachel.

“Frankly, Dad, I didn’t know I was going to until it happened. I sat and listened to Ferguson make both of you look like accomplices in these last two crimes by blaming you for not reaching the victims in time. Everett’s idea suddenly made more sense than ever.”

She turned slightly to address both men. “You have to admit anything that simplifies your job and makes this guy’s process a little tougher can’t be all bad.”