“Nothing else in the report from Jenny?”

“Sorry, Cliff. Lots of interesting facts. Nothing that connects. We’ve got people heading to all the known locations that Wilford stayed, including Atlanta and Florida, with Rudy and Tom covering New York. We’ve talked to his past employers, and his former associates. Nothing.”

“His family?”

“His father died ten years ago, his mother retired and lives in Florida. His older sister married George Mather, and died two years ago. He’s got a younger brother, Ricky, who’s now facing charges, thanks to our efforts. There’s a younger sister, Cynthia, who’s in college in California. She, however, is estranged from the family.”

“So we can’t connect his family with hate groups like we can Brogan’s.” Cliff sounded disappointed.

“No. I’d love to tell you that Derek White and Mallory Gerlach were our culprits, and that Brogan was the middle man. But as of right this minute, there’s no proof whatsoever.”

“Hell,” David’s voice was full of frustration, “we can’t find a connection between Brogan and the killers, how are we gonna connect Mather and Wilford to Derek White?”

Alex’s mind flashed to the picture she’d seen earlier in the day. There was something she remembered, but then she lost it. “Can you repeat what you just said, David?”

He looked at her. “What, about not being able to connect Brogan and the killers?”

“No, about Mather and Wilford, and Derek White.”

“We can’t connect them?”

She nodded. “We can’t connect them.” There was still something about the picture …

Alex moved to the computer she’d been working on earlier, and brought up the enhanced area of the photograph. She just stared at it.

Ben looked at it over her shoulder. “Looks like two guys shakin’ hands, Alex.”

“Exactly. But who are they?”

“Can’t tell.”

Cliff sighed. “All right. Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way. Instead of chasing Wilford and Mather, maybe we should find out what White and Gerlach have been doing. If we go through the surveillance files on their groups, maybe we can—”

“That’s it!” Alex was on her feet, and running towards her office. They could hear a crash of some kind from the hallway, and Alex yelling, “Sorry, Jodi!”

David put his hand over his eyes. “Okay, I’ll admit it. My partner’s crazy.”

Cliff shook his head.

Ben just chuckled. “She’s been right so often this week, I think I’ll wait ‘til she gets back to say she’s crazy.”

It was a moment more, and then they could hear Alex’s running footsteps coming back down the corridor. She appeared in the doorway, out of breath, and grinning like a lunatic.

“I —”

“Alex, get your breath back, then tell us what you knocked Jodi down for.”

Alex raised a folder in her hands and pointed to the photograph on the screen. She dropped back into her chair, and began looking at the programs listed on the computer menu. Finding the one she wanted, she started it, and opened the enlarged photo again. First she outlined the two men, then had the computer create a three dimensional image from it. After that, she turned it around so that the two men would have been facing her. It was impossible to make out any detail on the faces, but the general image of two men shaking hands was obvious.

Cliff was beginning to lose patience. Even Ben had his eyebrows raised at Alex’s behavior. David sat shaking his head, while Rudy sat and watched with a puzzled look.

Alex turned to the men, still grinning.

“It’s the same picture.”

No one spoke.

Finally Cliff said, “Okay, I’ll bite. Same as what picture, Alex?”

Alex reached into the folder and brought out a photograph. She held it next to the computer screen.

“Same as this one, Cliff.”

She was right. The men in the screen, though indistinct, were in the exact same position as the men in the photograph Alex held. A silver cup was held in the left hand of one of the men in the photo. The computer image showed a similar silver item. The feet were the same width apart, and the heads were tilted at the same angle.

“Well, I’ll be goddamned.” Ben’s exclamation finally broke the silence.

Rudy came over and looked at the two images. “Yep, I think you’re right, it’s the same picture.” He waited a moment. “So what?”

Alex and Ben turned to stare at Rudy, while Cliff and David still focused on the screen.

“Rudy, don’t you recognize one of the men in this photo?”

“No. Should I?”

Cliff finally blinked. “Not necessarily.”

“So who is it?”

Alex pointed at the man holding the silver cup. “I have no idea who he is.” She pointed to the other man. “But that’s Derek White.”

Rudy’s eyes went wide, and he looked from the screen to the picture and back. “Well, Cliff, I think we found a connection.”

Cliff had to find a chair before he sat down. “Yeah, Rudy. I think we have.”

David could only shake his head.

*******************************************************

Alex had just closed and locked her file drawer when David stepped into her doorway.

“Hey, partner. You going home?”

“Yeah. Cliff told me if he caught me staying past six tonight he’d ground me for another day. I have four minutes to make it out of the building.”

He nodded, and handed her jacket to her. “Alex, I just spoke to Miri, to let her know I was on my way. She told me she wanted me to pick up a few things.”

“Yeah?” She slipped her jacket on. “And that’s important because?”

“Well, you’re one of those things.”

Alex smiled. “That’s sweet of her, David. But I’m really okay, and I can go home by myself like a big girl.”

David looked uncomfortable. “I know, I know, but she said it had been a long time, and she wanted to see you.”

“Well, maybe this weekend we can get together.”

“Damn it, Alex, she said if I didn’t have you with me, I wasn’t to come home tonight.”

Alex had to laugh. David looked like a little boy about to lose his best friend. She couldn’t resist.

“Well, it looks like I’ll just have to go home with you then. Don’t worry, Davie, I’ll protect you from that big meanie.”

David brightened. “You will?”

“Sure.”

“Good. Will you protect me from the little meanie as well?”

“David, are you calling your daughter mean?”

“Me? No, no, never.” He paused. “But you will protect me, right?”

Alex pushed him out door.

*******************************************************

It had started to snow by the time they left the downtown area. The light frosting looked beautiful as it lay across the lawns near the capitol and monuments, but it had already turned to ice on the roads. What normally was a twenty minute drive turned into forty minutes. Both were glad to to see David’s house as they turned into the drive.

Miri heard them come in the garage door. “David? Did you bring Alex home with you?”

“Yes, Miri, he did. I’m here.”

“Good. Now he doesn’t have to sleep in the garage.”

Miri came out of the kitchen, and pulled Alex into an embrace. Alex hugged her back, glad she’d decided to accept the offer from her partner and his wife. It had been quite a while since she’d spent an evening with the two of them, and their infant daughter.

“It’s good to see you, Alex.”

“Same here.” Alex pulled back and looked at the shorter woman. “You look good, Miri.”

“Thank you.” She paused and met Alex’s eyes. “But you look tired.”

“Yeah, I have been. But I made it an early night last night, and I’m doing much better today.”

“Good. Tonight, you’ll have a good dinner, you’ll play with Arlea, and if I hear you and David talking about anything to do with the office or the case, I’ll beat you both with a wet noodle.”

Alex laughed. “You’re on, Miri. Not a word about work.” She watched as David gave his wife a kiss. “Speaking of Arlea, where is the munchkin?”