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Something else bubbled in my thoughts. Had I made sure the door closed after the rock had been thrown? I had a distinct memory of wanting to make sure the doors were locked, but had I just made the typical motion of closing the door without making sure of it, because I was more concerned about the front door?

I was second-guessing myself. I wasn’t flakey. Of course I made sure it closed. Right?

I looked at Calloway. “I hope Verro brings enough powder.”

“Me too.”

CHAPTER

13

“ARE YOU KIDDING me?” I opened my eyes as a knock sounded from downstairs and woke me up again.

I reached for my phone, surprised to see it was almost ten. I’d gone back to bed after the police left, thinking I’d try to grab another hour or so. I’d been tired, but ten was ridiculous. I needed to get out of bed.

I hauled myself up and out and made my way downstairs. I did and didn’t want it to be Sonny on the other side. I wasn’t presentable, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“Graham Kucero. We met yesterday.”

I opened the door a crack and squinted out. “Is there another sculpture?”

“No. Well, not that I’m aware of.”

I pulled the door wider. “What’s up?”

“I have some details to share about the skeletons.” He held his hands behind his back and looked uncomfortable. This was not an assignment he relished. He looked almost the exact same as he had the day before, but his brown T-shirt was unemblazoned. He wore the same cap.

“Graham, could I meet you at the diner in twenty minutes or so? Will that mess up your schedule too much?”

“No. Sure. That works.”

I closed the door and hurried back up to the shower, washing away the night—the bad stuff and the good stuff. I needed full focus.

“It’s not your father,” Graham said as he held on to a coffee mug’s handle. He’d removed his cap. His salt and pepper hair was short, though it didn’t appear to be from a professional cut. It was like he’d chopped at it with regular, plain scissors. I wondered briefly if that’s why he wore the cap. “It’s confirmed.”

I’d already taken a couple of gulps from the cup Trisha had delivered. Relief spread through me, even though there had been quite a few doubts. “That’s good to know. Thanks.”

“You were pretty sure it wasn’t him?”

“Wilmot was tall. One look at that femur and I thought the skeleton was under six feet. My father was just over. Of course, that couldn’t have been conclusive from my distant examination, so it’s nice to hear. Can you tell me more?”

“Well, the Tucson lab already had some of your dad’s DNA, back from when he disappeared—”

“I remember giving it to them, from his hairbrush.”

“Right. Anyway, that’s how they determined that it’s not a match.”

I took a deep breath and then another gulp of coffee. “It is good news, though I’m surprised it’s not Calloway who’s telling me.”

“He’s busy this morning, asked me to come tell you. He thought it deserved an in-person visit, not a phone call. I’m now a contact for Tucson too.” He swallowed hard, again as if he wasn’t fond of the position he’d been put in.

I’d helped with being the contact before, the go-between. A brief flame of jealousy lit inside me, but then I remembered that my father might somehow be involved. The investigators needed to keep me at a slight distance, even as I helped when asked. Besides, Calloway needed whatever assistance he could get.

I said, “Can you tell me more? The first set of bones haven’t been clean for long, have they?”

“They have not. In fact, the bones are pristine. No sign of ligament attachments or anything. No ID, but the dental records still might help. The police are investigating, even looking at some homeless shelters and visiting dentists. Nothing was immediately pinged.”