“No. If Mendoza hadn’t been seen at the house, then maybe, but Mendoza changes the game.”

“So you think, what, he followed them home to threaten them, but it turned into an abduction? He forced Smith to make the call?”

Pike nodded, but did not voice his darker fear—that the abduction had become a body drop.

“Have you tried calling them again?”

“You call, you get voice mail. They don’t call back.”

Cole nodded, his face vacant as he thought the scene through.

“Which is what would happen if their phones were taken away from them.”

“Yes.”

Cole glanced over.

“Forgetting Mendoza for a minute—maybe they were so freaked out, they figured enough with the bad news and turned off their phones.”

“Wilson, maybe, but not Dru. Dru would call if she could.”

“She would?”

Pike realized Cole was staring.

“I know her.”

“Ah.”

Pike thought he probably should have phrased it another way.

“We had a beer.”

“I see.”

“We made a date. She asked me to call.”

“I understand.”

Cole asked for their numbers, saying he would try to learn about their account activity from the service provider. Pike recited the numbers, then gave him Mendoza’s shoe box and Hector’s phone. Cole fingered through the contents.

“Okay, good—I can work with this. What about the police? Are they treating it as an abduction?”

“They don’t know about Mendoza.”

Cole glanced up from the box.

“Why not?”

“I want you to see the house first. You have fresh eyes, you’re faster, and you’ll see things they miss.”

Cole tried to look modest.

“That goes without saying.”

“But you won’t have much time. We get you set up, I’m going to Button. He’ll move on Smith’s house, so we have to move on it first.”

Cole glanced at Mendoza’s picture again, then handed it back.

“Let’s get busy.”

Pike led the way with Cole following in his own car. Because of the narrow lanes and difficult parking, they left their vehicles on Venice Boulevard and approached Smith’s house on foot. Pike didn’t want another conversation with the Palmers, so he stopped well out of their view to point out Smith’s house. Pike had already warned Cole about Jared.

When Cole saw the house, he glanced at Pike.

“A dude trying to make a go of a sandwich shop owns this place?”

“They’re house-sitting. It’s owned by a retired TV writer.”

“Were you inside?”

“Only to check for bodies. I entered through the side window at the laundry room, but I didn’t disturb the scene.”

Pike described finding no signs of forced entry outside the house, and no blood evidence or signs of struggle in the carport or courtyard inside the front gate. He wanted Cole to concentrate on the interior because their time would be limited once he went to the police.