“You don’t understand, Mia.” Vanessa lowered her voice to a whisper. “Beck really doesn’t like Mickey at all.”

“Trust me. That won’t have a thing to do with it. Beck is too professional to allow his personal feelings to influence an investigation.” She hoped. No, she knew. Beck was a cop first. “Look, how about if I check downstairs, see what’s what. I’ll stop over at the shop later, all right? I’ll keep you in the loop, I promise.”

“Okay.” Vanessa nodded.

“Vanessa, are you in love with him? With Mickey?” Mia couldn’t help but ask.

“No.” She smiled weakly. “But we’re friends. He’s not capable of doing…whatever Beck thinks he might have done. Mickey’s had a hard year, with his wife leaving him and all that, but he’s a good guy, Mia. He really is.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Mia nodded. She watched Vanessa head for the door. “Vanessa,” she called out and the young woman turned. “Do you know why she left him? Mickey’s wife?”

Vanessa nodded. “She was offered a job with some big hospital in Philly.”

“What does she do?”

“She’s an E.R. doctor. After the kids were born, she worked part-time, mostly weekends, but then, I guess it just wasn’t enough for her. According to Mick, she sent out applications to a bunch of hospitals without telling him, then when she got an offer she liked, she just told him she was leaving and taking the kids. Sad, huh? To just walk like that?” Vanessa shook her head. “Talk about dropping a bomb into someone’s life…”

“Yeah.” Mia nodded. That would certainly qualify as a life-changing experience…

She knocked on the door, then opened it without waiting to be invited in.

“Beck.” She walked into the room as if she’d been expected. “Mickey.”

“Agent Shields.” Mickey, his eyes dark and angry, glared at her from across the room. “I was just leaving. Unless, of course, the chief here has any more questions…? I am free to leave, aren’t I?”

“You’re free to leave. Just don’t leave town.”

Mia stepped back as Mickey passed her on his way out. He stopped in the doorway and looked back at Beck.

“I don’t know anything about Lisa Singer being missing, Beck,” Mickey said softly. “I swear it on my kids’ lives. For Christ’s sake, she was my friend.”

Beck appeared to have not heard. He neither turned to the door nor did he look up when Mia closed the door after Mickey left the room.

“What’s the latest on Lisa?” she asked.

“Same as yesterday. Gone without a trace.”

“I ran into Vanessa upstairs.”

“She needs to keep her distance from Forbes right now.”

“Do you really think he has anything to do with Lisa’s disappearance?”

“As far as we know, he was the last person to see her, to talk to her. Until we find someone who saw her after he did, he’s our best bet.”

“It doesn’t feel right.”

“Why not? You said yourself he fits the profile.”

“I just don’t think he’s all that smart. I think our killer is much smarter, slicker. He’s more sophisticated. Mickey’s like, oh, like a big goofy pup. There’s nothing playful about our killer.”

“Maybe he’s smarter than he looks, Mia. Maybe that’s a ruse.”

“If it is, he’s damned good at it.” She sat down across the table from Beck. “Beck, I’m really, really sorry that you weren’t able to get in touch with me. I left my phone on the kitchen counter and unfortunately, forgot about it. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about Lisa. And that I wasn’t here for you. Personally and professionally.”

He nodded slowly. “It was a long, sad night, Mia.”

She reached across the table and took his hand in both of hers. “Start from the beginning. Tell me everything…”

“I stopped out at Singer’s house around six, but there wasn’t anyone there. I stopped at the showroom, but Jay said Todd hadn’t gotten back from taking the kids to Annapolis, that he’d called and said he was staying to have dinner with his sister and her family. Then Todd called me at home around eleven. Said he’d just gotten back and Lisa wasn’t there. He wanted to know if she was working overtime. I got in my car and I drove up and down every street in town, looking for her car. I called in Hal and Susan and had them search for her, too. This morning I put everyone on it. If she’s in St. Dennis, she’s hidden pretty damn well.”

“Those old buildings you were talking about yesterday…” She disengaged their hands.

“Funny you should bring that up. He held up a stack of computer printouts. “Three of the buildings were open-not secured in any way, and they were searched overnight. Oh, there were signs someone had been in them, but it was most likely kids. There were a few comic books, some empty beer cans. Cigarette butts, that sort of thing. There were a few that were pretty well boarded up, though. Hal had someone in records check them out. You’ll never guess who they belong to.”

“Surprise me.”

“Hamilton Forbes.” Beck shoved the list across the table. “Mickey’s father.”

“So you went inside and found…”

“Nothing, yet.” Beck looked at his watch. “Once Ham knew we’d brought Mickey in and why, there was no point in asking for the keys. He went ballistic.”

“I imagine his mother didn’t appreciate it much either.”

“Christina?” Beck scoffed. “She was the one who insisted Mickey come and talk to me. She says he couldn’t possibly have anything to hide, so there was no point making it look as if he did by making him hide behind the family lawyer. She also demanded that Ham hand over the keys to all the properties he owns, which he is refusing to do. So the two of them are at each others throats again.”

“And in the meantime, Lisa’s still missing.”

“Yes.” He looked at her with weary cop’s eyes. “Lisa is still missing.”

“I’m assuming you asked for a warrant…”

“I’m just waiting for Hal to get back here with it.” He nodded. “I swear to God, if I find a trace of her in any of those buildings…”

He pushed back from the table and out of his chair.

“She’s a good cop, Mia. One of the best. She’s a great mom-she’s devoted to her kids, devoted to Todd…” He raked a hand through his hair. “If that bastard has taken her, I swear to you…”

“We’ll find her, Beck. We’ll turn St. Dennis inside out if we have to, but we’ll find her.”

Duncan buzzed in on the intercom.

“Chief, Hal just called in. Judge Enoch signed the warrants. He said he’s on his way down to the river and he’ll meet you at the old crabbers’ lodge.”

“Thanks.” Beck headed for the door. “Let’s do it,” he said to Mia.

She reached for her keys that she’d tossed on the table and followed him up the steps and out the door.

“Garland, call Susan and tell her to stick to Mickey Forbes like a burr on a dog.” Beck and Mia passed the dispatcher’s desk in a blur. “And find Duncan. He should have been in by now…”

Beck stopped outside the front door and cursed.

“What?” Mia asked.

“I meant to call for a rental car. I keep forgetting.”

“Where’s your cruiser?” She gestured for him to follow her.

“Hal has it. He loaned his car to his brother, Phil, who’s on vacation, so I let him use mine. It was actually his, you know?” Beck waited for Mia to unlock the Lexus. “When he was chief. He picked out the options, he ordered the car. Whenever I drive it, I feel like a kid who’s borrowed his…”

“His father’s wheels?” She slid behind the wheel. Without waiting for him to comment, she added, “Nice of you to let him continue to drive it.”

“He got shot when he was in ’Nam. Upper left thigh. He likes to pretend it doesn’t bother him, but if he’s on his legs for too long, I know it hurts. So I’d just as soon have him use the cruiser. I like to walk around town anyway.”

“Which way am I going?”

“Go left on Charles, then straight out to the highway. There are several roads leading down to the river. The old buildings Ham Forbes bought are all within walking distance from each other. One used to be a boat house, another was used by the crabbers who worked the bay. I forget what the third one was used for. Hopefully, not chaining up women and torturing them.”