Starkey sucked at her cigarette, then squinted at Pike.
'So you're the one. I heard Sobek put two in your guts and fucked you up pretty bad.'
Starkey wasn't long on sensitivity. She blew out a huge bloom of smoke, and Pike moved to stand with Chen. Upwind.
Myers walked over and asked Starkey for the list of names.
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She said, 'I phoned them in while I was waiting. Any luck, we'll hear back later today.'
'Cole said I could have the list. We'll run our own check.'
Starkey frowned past her cigarette at me, then took
out the list. She gave it to me. I handed it to Myers.
He said, 'What are we waiting for?'
Starkey glanced at Gittamon, clearly irritated that he
was taking so long, and called out to prod him. 'Any time, Sergeant.' 'Almost ready.'
He was red-faced from bending over. Myers went back
to the others, and Starkey had more of her cigarette. 'Prick.'
The black cat who shares the house with me came around the corner. He's old and scruffy and carries his head cocked to the side from when he was shot with a .2. He probably came because he smelled Pike, but when he saw other people standing in front of the house, he arched his back and growled. Even DeNice looked over.
Starkey said, 'What's wrong with that thing?'
'He doesn't like people. Don't take it personally. He
doesn't like anyone except for me and Joe.'
'Maybe he'll like this.'
Starkey flicked her cigarette at him. It hit the ground in a shower of sparks.
I said, 'Jesus, Starkey, are you nuts?'
The cat didn't run away like most cats would. Instead, his fur stood like a fright mask and he growled even louder. He stalked toward her sideways.
Starkey said, 'Holy Christ, look at that bastard.'
Pike went over to the cat and stroked its fur. The cat flopped onto its side and rolled onto its back. That cat
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worships Joe Pike. Starkey scowled at them like the
whole thing was distasteful.
'I hate cats.'
Gittamon finished with his shoes and climbed out of his car.
'All right, Carol. Let's see what you found. John, are you ready?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Mr. Chenier?'
Starkey said, 'Go first, Cole. Take us down.'
Pike and I went over the edge first, paralleling Ben's path like I did that morning. Starkey kept up better this time even though she helped Chen with his equipment, but Gittamon and DeNice had trouble with the footing. Myers moved as if he was annoyed with having to wait for the others.
We passed through the walnut trees, then circled the rise to come out above the area where I found the Game Freak. The sprigs of rosemary that Starkey used to mark the footprints stood in the soil like miniature headstones. I pointed out where Ben's footprints ended, then showed them the partial. I squatted at its heel again, and showed them how it was headed toward Ben. Chen opened his evidence kit, and marked the location with an orange flag. Pike bent next to me to study the partial, then moved downhill without a word.
Starkey said, 'Hey, be careful. We don't want to disturb anything.'
Gittamon and Richard crowded between Chen and Starkey to see the print, with DeNice and Fontenot behind them. Myers considered the print without expression.
'You haven't found any other evidence.'
Starkey said, 'Not yet.'
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Richard stared at the partial print, so still that he might have been numb. He touched the dry soil beside it, then glanced around at the rosemary and manzanita brush as if to fix the place in his mind.
'Is this where my son was taken, Cole? Is this where you lost him?'
I didn't answer. I stared at the print, and once more followed its line toward Ben. I had searched the ground
