‘Thanks, Manny.’ She walked back over to her Tahoe while Cord stayed and talked to Manny. When she was far enough away from the commotion to hear, she dialed Hal and read off the vehicle identification number, feeling like she’d hit the motherlode. With this, they could learn everything about the car: the year, make, model. But more importantly, it would reveal the car’s ownership history, including whoever it was currently registered to.

Her fingers and scalp tingled in anticipation as Hal typed the information in, mumbling to himself as he did, and then, with something close to reverence, shared what he discovered. ‘The 2017 Dodge Viper is registered to none other than Rosenfelt Holdings and Finance.’

‘Wait, Rosenfelt Holdings? As in, billionaire Bartholomew Rosenfelt, one of New Mexico’s largest land moguls? Doesn’t he live in New York or New Hampshire or Delaware or somewhere on the East Coast now?’ She knew he hailed from the Land of Enchantment, but despite his land holdings, which counted in the upper hundreds of thousands of acres scattered all around the state, the man himself hadn’t lived in New Mexico for a number of years.

‘Connecticut, and yes, that would be to whom I’m referring,’ Hal confirmed. ‘And before you ask, yes, he’s currently there, not in our great state, and how do I know? Because, as luck would have it, guess who’s flying into Double Eagle II tomorrow morning? Let me just tell you: One Bart himself. It’s been all over the news for a week now.’

‘I don’t suppose you have a way of contacting this Rosenfelt fellow now, do you?’ Alyssa felt her excitement sink a little at the prospect of having to wait.

‘Why, Alyssa, I can’t believe you underestimate my abilities. I actually have his personal cell phone number right in front of me – and no, I won’t tell you how I acquired it. That’s my secret. I’ll text it to you now.’

‘Hal, you really are the bomb. Do kids still say that?’

‘Sure, let’s say they do. And… it’s sent.’

Alyssa’s phone chimed, and she hung up and hurried back to Cord. ‘Let’s go. We’ve got a name.’ To Manny, she said, ‘Thanks for this! We owe you one.’

‘By now you probably owe me more than one, but who’s really keeping score, right?’

Alyssa laughed, and she and Cord rushed back to her Tahoe. As she performed a three-point turn, she said, ‘I’m glad this is a four-wheel drive. I’m amazed that Viper was able to make it through some of this rocky terrain.’

‘Maybe because of its lack of clearance, but you never even shifted out of two-wheel drive,’ Cord pointed out. ‘So, you going to tell me who the car is registered to, or am I just supposed to figure it out by reading your mind?’

‘Rosenfelt Holdings and Finance.’

Instead of the excitement she’d expected to see, Alyssa watched as Cord cupped the back of his neck and rotated. ‘Bartholomew Rosenfelt is one of the richest men in the country… any country.’