“No. The snitch lives three thousand miles away, and there’s not a chance in the world that he’ll hurt you.”

“Oh…” A pause. “Him.” Rina tried to appear calm, although she wasn’t. She couldn’t imagine why he’d be using Donatti as a source of information. She changed the subject. “Cindy called. They’re coming over for Shabbos. She also said for you to phone her when you get a chance.”

“Like in right away?”

“Like in when you get a chance…which could mean right away.”

He checked his watch. “Do you mind if I give her a buzz now? Maybe I can get her before she starts work.”

“Of course not. I’ll wake up Sleeping Beauty. Can you take her to school?”

“Sure. If you have time for lunch, I could probably get away for an hour.”

“I think that’s a go.” She stood on her tiptoes and gave her husband a peck on the cheek. “Give me a call if you don’t get swamped with work. And please, please, please, be careful. Your snitch may be able to provide you with a wealth of information, but it also means you’re swimming with a great white.”

Decker didn’t answer right away. Rina was swift in the logic department, but then again how many sources did he have three thousand miles away? “I’m always careful,” he reiterated. “I know whom—or what—I’m dealing with.”

“I hope so.” She bit her lip. “Just make sure that if anyone is chopped-up chum, it’s him and not you.”

Decker gave her a confident thumbs-up. As soon as she left the kitchen, he dialed his elder daughter’s cell. “Hey, I heard you called.”

“I did. Hold on.” The line went quiet but not dead. In the background was the roar of traffic. “Can you hear me?”

“You’re outside. Are you at the station house?”

“Yes, so I’ll make this quick. Rip Garrett got wind of your poking around the Ekerling case. He and Tito are grumbling. Thought you might like to know.”

“Are you getting flack?”

“No, because I’m acting like I’m on their side. When they pointedly asked me what was going on—and you knew that I was going to be called on this—I immediately offered to call you up and ask what you were doing. Of course, I knew what you’re doing. Later I told Rip and Tito that you said you were working on a cold case, but you were playing it close to the vest. Then I said something like ‘That’s my dad’s style, sticking his nose into everything. Is there anything you’d like me to say to him?’ And then they said something like, ‘Tell him if he has questions to give us a call and stop hotdogging it.’ Hence the call.”