“Jaime’s car,” he said. “It’s for sale at a car lot up town. I went in and asked about the man who sold it to them, and I was right, it was Jaime’s.”

“So he sold his car,” she said. “What does that tell us?” For a moment, Quinn thought of Dateline and how so many people ended up being found murdered after their car was discovered abandoned or sold.

“Nothing, if that was the case, but he didn’t sell it. He traded it.”

“Traded?” she asked.

He nodded. “He traded it for a van and five hundred dollars. A Volkswagen, to be exact. And that tells me he probably got the van to live in. We see a lot of that around here. Go to any beach after dark, and you’ll find a van or two, the occupants camping out in it. But at least that means he hasn’t left Maui. If he planned to jump islands or go to the mainland, he wouldn’t need a van.”

Quinn thought of the $500 that someone had left Maria. So maybe Jaime hadn’t abandoned them completely, after all.

“Did he give you a description of the van?” she asked.

“He didn’t. Once I got excited, he clammed up. Said it wasn’t any of my business. But on my way out, I stopped and asked the guy washing cars, and he said the only van sold in the last few months was a 1970 canary-yellow Volkswagen.”

“So we just have to look at every yellow VW van we see then,” Quinn said, already thinking of how they could map out the island and check it, section by section.

“I’m still not so sure that’s a good idea. Obviously, he doesn’t want to be found.” Liam shot her a doubting look.

“I don’t care,” Quinn said. “He can tell that to my face after I tell him how badly he broke Maria’s heart. And those kids. They need their dad.”

Liam shook his head. “I’m just warning you. That’s not the way things are done around here, but if you’re going to be out there digging around, I’ll help you. Or at least be there to shove off anyone who tries to take advantage.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Quinn said. But she hoped that Liam really would come. So far, most of the homeless people she’d seen around the island looked harmless, but there had been a few she wouldn’t want to come upon alone. Having Liam with her could mean the difference between a crummy experience and a tragic one.

Liam slowed down and then turned in and parked near a small building.

“Twin Falls Farm Stand,” he said, shutting off the car and turning to her.

“More food?” Quinn asked. “I don’t think I can.”