“The police are doing their thing and we’re doing ours.”

“Why isn’t that a surprise?”

“My concern now is Joe. He’s all in, and I’m just trying to make sure he’s in for the right reason. I’m also trying to figure out what kind of trouble these people are in.”

“Hang on—I’ll call him back. No more calls now, Loretta, I am out of the office—all right, hon, I’m back. Tell me what I can do.”

Cole smiled, and loved the way she said it without hesitation. Tell me what I can do.

“If I can locate someone who knows them, maybe I can get a line on what’s happening. Getting a line is the problem. All I have are their names. No former addresses, no social security numbers, no last known addresses, nothing. I don’t even have a picture of these people.”

“I understand. I’m thinking—”

She fell silent, and Cole let her think.

“They left with the storm?”

“That’s what I’m told. I don’t know if it’s true.”

“He owned a restaurant in New Orleans?”

“Owned or worked in, I don’t know which, and I don’t even know if it’s true. He’s a cook.”

“Okay, pretending it’s true, do you have a name for the place?”

“Sorry, Luce.”

She fell silent again.

“The storm was so many years ago. There were sites and services for refugees to reconnect with missing family, but I don’t know if those things still exist. Did you meet Terry when you were here?”

Terry Babinette was the investigator used by Lucy’s firm. He was a retired Baton Rouge Police detective.

“Shook his hand.”

“Let me talk it over with him to see if he has any ideas.”

“That would be terrific, Lucille. Thank you.”

“Why aren’t you convinced?”

Cole didn’t understand.

“About what?”

“Earlier, you said you weren’t convinced they were honest with Joe. Why aren’t you convinced?”

Cole propped his foot on the edge of his desk, feeling bad all over again with the deep-in-the-gut fear you might lose something precious.

“I have reason to believe their relationship is not as they’ve described it.”

“Joe and Dru?”

“Dru and her uncle.”

Elvis described his conversation with Steve Brown, then repeated the things Jared Palmer told him.

Lucy sounded hollow when she spoke.

“Oh my God.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Do you believe this kid?”

“He’s been spot-on about everything else. And Brown was furious. Smith’s been living there without his knowledge, and he’s been talking to the woman every couple of weeks. That makes her a liar. She told Joe she moved in with Wilson, not the other way around, so that makes her a liar twice. So she could be lying about their relationship, too.”

“What does Joe think?”