“Could be that’s where the money for the Cassatt came from- both Cassatts.”

“Possible,” he said. “But that still leaves plenty. If she did deposit it in another bank, we’d be hard-pressed to find it any time soon.”

“How could she deal with another bank without leaving the house?”

“That kind of money at stake, plenty of banks would come to her.”

“Neither Ramp nor Melissa mentioned any visits from bankers.”

“True,” he said. “So maybe she just stashed it. For a rainy day. And maybe the rainy day came and she’s got it clutched in her hot little hand right now.”

I thought about that.

He said, “What?”

“Rich lady hauling megabucks in a Rolls. It spells victim.”

He nodded. “In a hundred goddam languages.”

We drove back to Sussex Knoll to get my car. The gates were closed but two floodlights above them had been switched on. Welcome Home lights. A stretch at optimism that seemed pitiful in the stillness of the early morning hours.

I said, “Forget the car. I’ll pick it up tomorrow.”

Without a word, Milo turned around and headed back toward Cathcart, putting on speed and handling the Porsche better than I’d ever seen. We sped west onto California, made the transition to Arroyo Seco in what seemed like seconds. Then the freeway, barren and dark and wind-lashed.

But Milo kept searching anyway, turning his head from side to side, checking the rearview. Waiting until we’d hit the downtown interchange before cranking the volume up on the scanner and listening to the hurts people were choosing to inflict on one another as a new day began.

19

When I got home I was still wound up. I went down to the pond and found clusters of spawn clinging bravely to some of the plants at the edge of the water. Heartened, I climbed back up to the house and wrote. Made myself drowsy in fifteen minutes and barely got my clothes off before tumbling into bed.

I awoke at six-forty A.M. Friday and called Melissa an hour later.

“Oh,” she said, sounding disappointed it was me. “I already talked to Mr. Sturgis. Nothing new.”

“Sorry.”

“I did exactly as he said, Dr. Delaware. Called every airline at every airport- even San Francisco and San Jose, which he didn’t mention. Because she could have headed north, right? Then I phoned every hotel and motel I could find in the Yellow Pages, but no one had any record of her checking in. I think he’s starting to realize it might be serious.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because he agreed to talk to McCloskey.”

“I see.”

“Is he really good, Dr. Delaware? As a detective?”

“Best I know.”

“I think he is, too. I actually like him better than when I first met him. But I’ve really got to be sure. Because no one else seems to care. The police aren’t doing anything- Chickering acts as if I’m wasting his time by calling. And Don’s gone back to work- can you believe that?”

“What are you doing?”

“Staying right here and waiting. And praying- I haven’t prayed since I was a little kid. Before you helped me.” Pause. “I keep going back and forth between expecting her to walk in at any moment and feeling really sick to my stomach when I realize she could be- I’ve got to stay here. I don’t want her coming home to an empty house.”

“Makes sense.”

“In the meantime, I think I’m going to try some hotels up north. Maybe Nevada, too, because that really isn’t very far by car, is it? Can you think of anywhere else that would be logical?”

“I guess any of the bordering states,” I said.

“Good idea.”

“Is there anything you need, Melissa? Anything I can do for you?”

“No,” she said quickly. “No, thanks.”

“I’ll be coming out there today anyway. To get my car.”

“Oh. Sure. Whatever.”

“If you want to talk, just let me know.”

“Sure.”

“Take care, Melissa.”

“I will, Dr. Delaware. Better keep this line open, just in case. Bye.”

The phone barked: “Sturgis.”

“Well,” I said, “it’s a lot better than “Yeah?’ ”

“Hey, I’m a working man now. What’s up?”

“I just got off the phone with Melissa. She told me the two of you conferred.”

“She talked; I listened. If that’s conferred, I guess we did.”

“Sounds as if she’s been keeping herself busy.”

“She worked all night. Kid’s got energy.”

“Adrenaline overdrive,” I said.

“Want me to tell her to cool it?”

“No, it’s okay for the time being. She’s dealing with her anxiety by making herself feel useful. I am concerned about what’ll happen if her mother doesn’t show up soon and her defenses start to crack.”

“Yeah. Well, she’s got you for that. Any time you want her to ease off, just let me know.”

“As if she’d listen.”

“True,” he said.

“So,” I said, “nothing new?”

“Not a damn thing. The bulletin has been expanded statewide and into Nevada and Arizona, and the credit checks are all in place. So far no big-ticket purchases have been phoned in. Small stuff is tabulated when the merchants mail in the receipts, so we’ll have to wait on that. I double-checked some of the places Melissa called- mostly airlines and luxury hotels. No one fitting Mommy’s description checked in during the night. I’m waiting for the passport office to open at eight, just in case she opted for long-distance travel. Told Melissa to keep working the local lines. Actually, she’s a damn good assistant.”

“She said you agreed to see McCloskey.”

“I told her I’d do it some time today. Can’t hurt- nothing else is panning out.”

“What time were you planning on visiting him?”

“Fairly soon. I’ve got a call in to Douse- the lawyer. He’s supposed to get back to me by nine. I want to verify some of the things Anger told me. If Douse is willing to answer my questions over the phone, I’ll take on McCloskey soon as I’m finished. If not, it’ll mean a couple of hours’ delay hassling Downtown. But McCloskey doesn’t live that far from the law office, so either way I should be there before noon. Whether or not I find him’s another story.”

“Pick me up.”

“Got plenty of free time?”

“Free enough.”

“Fine,” he said. “You buy lunch.”

He came by at nine-forty, honking the horn of his Fiat. By the time I got outside, he’d parked in the carport.

“Lunch and transportation,” he said, pointing to the Seville I’d picked up from Melissa’s house. Milo had on a gray suit, white shirt, and blue tie.

“Where to?”

“Downtown. I’ll direct you.”

I drove down the Glen to Sunset, got on the 405 south, then switched to the Santa Monica Freeway east. Milo pushed his seat back as far as it went.

“How’d it go with the lawyer?” I said.

“More of the same doublespeak we got at First Fidoosh- I had to engage in the requisite pissing contest before he cooperated. But once he gave in, the guy’s inherent laziness took over- more than happy to talk on the phone. Probably bill the estate for every second of it. Basically he confirmed everything Anger had said: Ramp gets fifty thou; Melissa takes the rest. Mom inherits if anything happens to Melissa. If both of them go before Melissa’s had kids, all of it goes to charity.”

“Any specific charities?”

“Medical research. I asked him to send me copies of all the documents- he said he’d need Melissa’s written permission for that. Which I don’t see as any big problem. I also asked him if he had any idea how Gina spent her allowance. Like Anger, he didn’t seem to think a hundred and twenty grand was anything worth messing with.”