Page 109 of Fire and Bones

“Because I found the lead.”

I waited out a round of background sounds different from those on our earlier call. Sharp footfalls suggested Deery was striding along concrete. The shoosh of hydraulic brakes suggested a bus.

“Ronan Stoll is co-owner of Safe and Sound, along with a brother, Roy, same last name. Same DOB: 12/12/83. The outfit is small time, mostly just the two, and has an address on T Street Northeast. As of last March, Ronan still owned the Camry.”

“Does either have a sheet?”

“Parking tickets for both, some moving violations, a DWI for Roy back in 2008. Otherwise, the pair are clean as choirboys.”

“Anything else?”

“Roy was married briefly to a woman named Georgia Daughtler. That went south in 2012. No kids. Currently, the brothers share a rental on Willard Street in Northwest DC.”

“Worth a follow-up,” I said.

Deery didn’t agree or disagree.

I debated telling him about my experience at the Einstein Memorial. What the hell? The woman had blown me off.

Deery listened and drew air through his nose. Then,

“What the devil goes on in your brain?”

Figuring the question was rhetorical, I didn’t respond.

“You do understand that you’re not a cop?”

More nothing.

“Do you have any sense of how reckless your behavior was?”

“Meeting a woman in broad daylight in a public place?” Way too defensive.

“Let me recap. Some dodgy female drops a dime and asks for a face-to-face, so you gallivant off.”

“I do not gallivant,” I snapped.

“I’ll rethink the verb.”

“And the woman did not sound dodgy.” She did. And failed to show up.

Another pause, longer, Deery’s nasal inhalations filling the gap.

“I’ll speak to the brothers Stoll later today.”

“Dropping in unannounced on a Sunday. That’s smart. Catch them off guard. What time?”

“You’re not seriously suggesting I take you along?”

“I most seriously am.”

“Now why would I do that?”

“Because I discovered their link to the fires.”

“Possible link.”

A very, very long pause. Then,