Rome? My declining to go?” “This is about you being here right now. I don’t

believe you’re here for me. So there must be another reason. I would just like

to know what it is. Simple enough.” “I came here to help you, Puller. I know our

last meeting was not a positive one. But your offer…it meant a lot to me. And

you don’t know how close I came to accepting it. And not a day goes by that I

don’t regret not going with you.” This frankness made Puller’s features soften.

“Are you being genuine, Knox? I want to know. Just tell me.” “Let me put it this

way. I’m not supposed to be here. But I am here.” She gazed over at the Malibu.

“Care to go for a ride? We can talk?” “I’ve got someone to meet.” “Still have to

drive there, right?” She opened the passenger door of his car. Puller shook his

head and climbed into the driver’s seat. They buckled up and he backed out. “So

who are you going to meet?” “Somebody who might know something.” “And something

always leads to something else. I remember that’s your mantra.” “My brother

actually invented it. But, yeah, it’s how I think too.” “Your mother disappeared

thirty years ago.” It wasn’t spoken as a question.

 

He glanced at her as they drove along. “You looked at the file?” “Of course I

did. If I’m hooking up with you I come prepared. I know better than most that

you don’t like to waste time.” “Yeah, thirty years ago.” “You were eight years

old, your brother nearly ten.” “Right.” “Your father was supposed to be out of

the country but now we know he wasn’t. Yet he wasn’t at the house that night.

The flight manifest said he was wheels down at Norfolk at one that afternoon.”

“How the hell did you score that information?” he said, his frustration clear.

“I don’t even have it.” “Doesn’t matter. That’s what the information says. The

question becomes this: Your mother left the house around seven-thirty that