Page 88 of Fire and Bones

What?

Come up to my room.

Give me ten.

Enough time for me to hop on the net.

She arrived in slippers and a long satin robe.

“Look at this,” I said, holding out my phone.

She took the device and studied the image.

“So?”

“Look again.”

She did.

The aquamarine eyes rolled up to mine.

CHAPTER 20

What do you see?” My voice was calm but backed by a fizz of adrenaline.

“The ugliest Camry ever. So what?”

“I parked behind that car when I visited the first Foggy Bottom fire.” Jabbing an excited finger. “There it is at the Aaronson scene.”

“How can you be certain it’s the same Camry?”

“Piss-yellow paint job. Window sticker saying I Brake for Aliens. What are the chances?”

“Might it belong to a reporter?” she asked.

I hadn’t thought of that.

Doyle’s brows dipped as she studied the image.

“The rear bumper is in shadow. I can’t read the plate.”

“Zoom in.”

Doyle expanded the image as I had done.

“There’s some sort of decal on the left rear window. Maybe a parking sticker?”

“That’s exactly what it is. A Montgomery County DOT residential perking permit.”

“It’s badly faded.” More zooming. “I think the date is 2019.”

“Still, it might be of use in tracking the vehicle’s owner.”

“Fuckin’ A.” Doyle leaned forward and raised a hand.

I smacked her upraised palm with mine.

I awoke to sun—Hallelujah!—and temperatures already in the eighties. Humidity looking to score a personal best.