“Sure.”

Max perused the website for a minute. “Yeah, like his New York place.”

Decker said, “If Goddard folded shop in 2007, where did he get the money to buy the new gallery?”

Max bit his lower lip. “Some people were asking the same question. Chase not only bought out the lease, but a good portion of the old inventory, which, judging from the website, isn’t superpricey. But there’s a lot of it.”

“Okay.” Decker sipped coffee. “What else?”

“What makes you think there’s a ‘what else’?”

“I read people for a living. You’ve come this far. Don’t stop now.”

“Chase would buy from a lot of different sources,” Max said. “That’s not unusual. We all do. Our inventory depends on many different sources. But Chase had a reputation of skirting around provenance.”

“He bought hot items?” Decker asked.

“I didn’t say that. Just that he wasn’t as meticulous as maybe he should have been. We all slip up. We all get burned. Chase seemed to have more incidents of slipping up. I have nothing more to add. I’ve given you a starting point—several starting points. Good-bye and good luck.”

“Thanks for your time.”

But Max didn’t move. He bit his thumbnail. “The panels are still missing and now there are two murdered people. Do I have any reason to be concerned for my safety?”

Decker held up the list. “I’m just checking out art dealers who were in the Petroshkovich file. No reason it should come back to you.”

“The Goddard Gallery isn’t on the list,” Max pointed out.

“Latham’s murder took place up north. So it’s reasonable for me or Summer Village PD to check out galleries in the area.”

“I’m nervous.”

“I understand. You have security at the gallery. It might make sense to beef it up until we know more.”

“Could I ask a favor of you? Could you not come here anymore? I’ll talk on the phone but unless you have something urgent, could you stay clear of my family?”

“No problem. Thanks for your help.” Decker got up. “Maybe the next time we talk, I’ll give you good news.”

“That can be done on the telephone as well.”

They shook hands and left it at that.

Decker and McAdams walked out the door and into a blast of cold. It was five-thirty in the evening, dark, frigid, and depressing. The kid rubbed his gloved hands. “What now?”

“It’s too late to go over to the Merritt Gallery. We’ll do it tomorrow. Let’s walk back to my stepson’s apartment and go over the Petroshkovich files.”

“I see you don’t believe in cabs?”

“It’s a ten-minute walk.”

McAdams had to pick up his pace to keep up with Decker’s long stride. “Do you think he’s in danger?”

“Max?” Decker shook his head. “Not really. But if he wants extra security, why not? If anyone’s in danger, it would be us. We’re the ones stirring up the pot.”

“Peachy!”

Decker smiled. “No one forced you to join up, McAdams.”

“Greenbury is the new Mayberry. Nothing ever happens there.”

“Until it does.”

“Thank you for allaying my fears.”

Decker laughed. “I’m just messing with you, Harvard. Just about every detective I’ve ever known has retired safe and sound with a good pension. If anyone gets whacked, it’s usually the poor patrolman on a routine traffic stop.”

But McAdams remained troubled. “For the record, how often do detectives get whacked because of what they’re investigating?”

“Rare.”

“Can you quantify your answer more precisely?”

“No.”

“Have you ever gotten shot?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me it happened in ’Nam.”

“No, it happened when I was chasing down some stupid kid around twenty-five years ago. I was shot in the shoulder.” Decker lifted and rotated his arm. “All healed.”

“This is not reassuring.”

“If you’re nervous, you know I can go it alone. You’ve got nothing to prove with me, Harvard. Do I think anything will happen? No. Can I guarantee it? No. But if it’s going to prey on your mind, you won’t be able to concentrate. You have my blessing to remove yourself from the case, no judgment and I mean that sincerely.”

“You’re not worried?”

“I’m a drug addict, Tyler. I thrive on adrenaline. This is the happiest I’ve been in six months.”

The kid was quiet. Then he said, “I’m here as long as you want me here.”

“Okay. But if you change your mind, no harm, no foul.”

“The truth is, Decker, for the first time in my life, I’ve actually felt useful. I feel energized and the danger only adds to it. Yeah, I’m a little scared. But what really disturbs me is I like being a little scared.”

“A little scared is good. It keeps you on your toes. It’s when you’re cocky that bad things happen.”

“What if you’re cocky and scared?”

“Then you’ve just described the ideal homicide detective.”

WITH A GLIDE in her walk, Nina McAdams came in on the arm of her stepgrandson. She was thin, blond, and beautiful, wearing a black chiffon skirt and a silk top. What was truly humbling was that she was only ten years older than Decker. While he’d just gotten used to working with people young enough to be his son, he was now working with someone who was young enough to be his grandson.

The woman looked around the crowded table filled with Decker’s children, stepchildren, spouses, and significant others as well as Yasmine and two of her roommates, Jenny Lee and Katy Bera.

“My Gawd, this isn’t a dinner, it’s a party.” Nina regarded Decker. “Are all these yours?”

Tyler said, “Behave yourself.”

“Why should she,” Jacob said. “No one else does.”

“We are happy to claim ownership to all of them,” Rina told her.

Nina sat between Tyler and Decker. After all the introductions were made, Nina patted Decker’s hand and said, “You have a veritable UN here.”

Tyler turned red. Decker smiled. The woman spoke the truth. Koby was from Ethiopia, Yasmine’s family was from Iran while her two roommates, Jenny and Katy, were from Taiwan and India, respectively. Hannah’s fiancé, Raphy, was a Colombian Jew.

Rina said, “If the state ever mandates diversity within families, we will have complied.”

“Have a drink, Nina,” McAdams told her. “Or . . . maybe not.”

“How about we all have a drink?” She picked up the wine list and perused the selections. She sniffed. “I don’t believe I know any of these labels.”

“Probably because they’re kosher wines,” Rina said. “A lot of them are very good.”

“How about this one?” She pointed to the most expensive bottle. “Herzog To Kalon? Did I pronounce that correctly?”

“You did.” Rina winced. It was over two hundred dollars a bottle. “Sure, let’s get a bottle.”

“One bottle? Let’s get four. And don’t worry, young lady. I’m paying.”

“Told you,” Tyler said to Decker.

“We invited you, Mrs. McAdams,” Decker said.

“It’s Nina and pish on that. I know what poor Tyler makes. It’s appalling! And even with your pension from somewhere, this is a large crowd. It would be my pleasure and I won’t hear of anything else. So let’s spend a lovely Wednesday night eating, drinking, and being merry.” To punctuate her sentence, she picked up a menu and everyone else did likewise. Within moments, the table buzzed with conversation.

Decker spoke across the table to Cindy and Koby, “Thanks for making the trip.”

“If the mountain won’t come to Mohammad . . .”

“I’ll come. I promise. I’m dying to see my boys again.”

“They miss Grandpa,” Koby said. “I miss him as well.”

Decker smiled. “Who’s watching the boys?”

“My partner, Mary, and Koby’s classmate, Alicia,” Cindy said. “They met at a party at our house and are now an item.”

Nina said. “So you have the gay thing covered as well.”

Tyler put his hands to his forehead. Sammy said, “This is nothing.” He cocked a finger at Decker. “You should meet his mother.”

“Leave Ida alone,” Rina said. “She’s lovely.”

Rachel said, “I think I’m getting the short ribs.” She looked at Jacob’s girlfriend, Ilana. “You want to split it?”