Page 84 of Fire and Bones

“Maybe we could do a side run around Burgos. Use Deery as our point of contact.”

“Not a bad idea.”

Doyle checked the screen of her mobile. “Anyone think either Burgos or Deery is out there chasing leads at ten on a Friday night?”

Zanetti and I gave almost identical shrugs.

“Besides. It’s time I get to the studio.”

“You work too hard, babe.” Zanetti reached over and ran a gentle thumb down Doyle’s cheek.

“Wait up for me?” Coquettish smile.

“You bet.”

So, tacitly, we decided that phoning either Burgos or Deery could wait until morning.

A big mistake.

True to his promise, Zanetti gave me a lift from the restaurant. He drove a red Land Rover. Said he needed it for hauling would-be buyers from house to house.

“I’m a rock star with the soccer moms.”

“Not to mention the glamping set.”

Zanetti swiveled to face me, brows raised in question.

“Campers wanting all the luxuries when venturing out into the wild.”

“I could use Big Red to pull my forty-foot RV with AC, flat-screen, De’Longhi, and wet bar? Hot diggity!”

We laughed, rode several minutes without talking. Then Zanetti asked,

“Did Ivy say she’s friends with your daughter?”

“Yep.”

Oncoming headlights showed brows halfway to the nary-a-deserter hairline. “No way you’re old enough to have a daughter that age.”

“Ivy may have a few years on Katy,” I ventured, successfully quashing an eye roll he wouldn’t see anyway.

Another mile of silence. This time I stepped up.

“Are you and Ivy planning a big wedding?”

“Like carny in Rio.”

“Have you set a date?”

“For me the sooner the better. Ivy’s the one dragging her feet. But, as you may have noticed, until the lady makes up her mind, there’s no pushing her.”

Thankfully, Jelly Roll interrupted at that awkward point.

I dug my mobile from my purse and checked caller ID.

Lizzie Griesser.

“Sorry,” I said. “This is important.”