“Yeah, that’s what the females are good for. Talking to the other females.” Davidson rubbed his hands together. “How’s your home emergency? Your wife sounded shaky.”

“Under control.”

Davidson nodded and left to check out the newest discovery. Decker went back to the car and called Rina.

“He’s outside,” she said. “Officer Tim Calais?”

“That’s the one.” He checked his watch. “Are you feeling better?”

“I’m nervous Honey is going to walk in any minute. Peter, what do I say to her?”

“I’ll be home soon. Don’t say anything until I get there.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He hung up and checked his watch. Fifteen minutes had passed. He’d try his luck and call back Tour-Time. “Nancy, this is Detective Sergeant Decker-”

“We found the car, Detective.” Nancy’s voice was nervous. “It’s on the Santa Monica Freeway.”

Decker took out a pencil and his notepad. “The number ten freeway…Okay. Is the car heading west or east?”

“It’s not heading anywhere. It isn’t moving.”

Decker paused. “It’s on the shoulder?”

“Yes, it appears to be on the westbound shoulder, stationed right before the 405 off ramp south.”

The off ramp to the airport, Decker thought.

“We’re sending someone from the company out to investigate,” Nancy said. “We’ve also placed a call to the Highway Patrol. It could be she just had engine problems or tire trouble…” Her voice faded. “Maybe you’d like to call the Highway Patrol personally.”

“No problem.” Decker hung up, then asked the RTO to be connected with the CHiPs unit closest to the Aerostar. Again, that took some time. Five minutes later, Rachel Parks identified herself to Decker.

“I’m at the site.” She sounded tense. “I don’t know what you’re working on, but maybe you should come down here. The car has two flat tires, but no visible puncture wounds. Something’s screwy.”

“Anyone inside?”

“No, Sergeant. No one’s inside.”

“Is the car locked?”

“Nope.”

“Officer Parks, could you just take a peek inside the interior and tell me if something looks funny.”

“Hold on, Sergeant.” Rachel returned a minute later. “Nothing immediate. I take it you don’t want me poking around, messing up your evidence. You want to come down before the rental company picks up the car?”

“Yeah, I’ll be down.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Patrol Officer Parks hung up.

From the outside, he heard one of the lab men shouting. “Another one-male. Gunshot wound in the gut.”

Decker joined Davidson at the mountainside. The Loo said, “As soon as Bar Lulu makes the ID, I’ll put out an APB for the boys. I’ll also have a couple of uniforms check out the airlines. Free you and Dunn up for the major investigation.”

Decker nodded, staring at the lab men who were gingerly scraping mud off the buried corpse. “This is going to take a while.”

“You got a plane to catch?” the Loo asked.

Decker recapped his conversation with Rina and with Rachel Parks.

Davidson said, “It’s West LA’s problem, Decker.”

“Not when it affects my wife.” Decker kept his voice even. “Loo, the lady’s got four kids, they were staying at my house. Now I don’t care under whose jurisdiction it technically falls, I’m going out there.”

Davidson stared at the chilled ground and rubbed his hands together. “Body’ll keep. Be back in an hour.”

Decker nodded. “See you in an hour.”

Decker reflected: A twenty-minute ride from the corpses to his ranch-a sobering thought. He welcomed the sight of Tim Calais’s patrol car parked in front of the house, thanking Tim for coming through and offering to return the favor, if needed, in the future. When Decker opened the front door, he found Rina in the living room, pacing, Hannah bouncing on Mommie’s hip. In front of the fireplace was a suitcase. Decker kissed Rina, then took Hannah and gave her several smooches on her cheek. The baby took the assaults with stoicism, then patted Daddy’s chest. Decker’s eyes traveled back to the luggage.

“Planning an impromptu vacation?”

“I’m very good at reading your tone of voice,” Rina said. “You’re going to suggest we spend the night at my parents’ house.”

“Very good.”

“I’m willing to go. But what do I do with Honey and her family? I can’t just desert them.”

“I don’t think you’re going to be hearing from them.” Decker told her about the abandoned van. “An HP officer is waiting for me. But I wanted to get my family squared away first.”

Rina’s face was frightened. “Abandoned…they just upped and left…or was it an abduction…like the case you’re working on?”

“Rina, I don’t know,” he said, nervously. Then he remembered he was holding Hannah. He didn’t want her to absorb his tension. He spoke calmly, “Do you know if Honey’s luggage is still in the house?”

“I haven’t checked.”

“I’ll do it.” Decker kissed his wife’s cheek, then walked into the guest room.

It was as neat as an army barracks-two twin beds and four cots, all of them made up. The Kleins’ suitcases were still in the room. They were closed and stacked in the corner. Decker switched Hannah to his other arm, went over to the valises and opened up the top piece. It seemed to belong to Minda, judging by the size of the dresses. The clothes inside were jumbled. He opened the second suitcase-Pessy’s. Again, the apparel was messy.

That made Decker feel better. Honey didn’t seem to care about her kids’ packing habits. She was just trying to keep the room neat for them. Decker closed the second suitcase.

“How you doing, Muffin?” Decker said to Hannah. “Putting up with crazy Dad?”

The baby smiled. Decker tickled her tummy. “Let’s see what’s in the bathroom, okay?”

Again the baby smiled. Decker smiled back. “My, but you’re agreeable. Are you sure you’re a member of this family?”

He went inside the bathroom. The towels were neatly hung, the vanity to the sink was clean, five toothbrushes standing in the borrowed glass cup.

Decker leaned against the wall. Toothbrushes still in the bathroom, suitcases still stuffed with clothing. His stomach was tight. Rina interrupted his thoughts.

“The suitcases are here. They were planning on coming back. Peter, this is sickening!”

“Yes, it is. But worrying about them isn’t constructive. Honey Klein said her husband might have been involved with the wrong people. You’re right. I want all of you out of here for the night. Better to be paranoid than sorry. Can you get the boys after school?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s go.” Decker started to pick up a suitcase, then noticed Rina hadn’t moved. “Are you all right?”

“Peter, I don’t mind being exiled to my parents as a precaution, but it’s disruptive for the boys. I took the liberty of calling Rav Schulman. He said he would watch the boys for a couple of days. I think they might be better off at the yeshiva.”

Decker frowned. “Rina, we just pulled them out of the yeshiva. You think it’s smart to send them back?”

“Just for a couple of days.” She clasped her hands together. “I’m still ambivalent. I spent almost eight years of my life at Ohavei Torah. I’m very attached to it-to the Rav. And he’s so attached to the boys. I feel obligated to keep up contact for the boys’ sakes.”

Decker blew out air. Moving the boys from the ultra-Orthodox yeshiva to a more modern Orthodox school had been a mutual decision. But he knew Rina had guilt pangs. Though she didn’t say it, Decker knew his wife was trying to preserve the memory of her late husband for their sons. And that was admirable. Decker also knew that if something ever happened to him, Hannah would know who her father was. And in police work, who knew what could happen?

“Fine,” he said. “Send the boys over there for a couple of days. Actually, it’s a good idea. They’ll be safe, they’ll have fun visiting their old friends. Now if you’ll kindly take Hannah, I can load up the Volvo in one trip.”