PART 4

The following morning I called Ray Vance, a private investigator whose name Denise had given me years earlier when someone repeatedly stole deliveries from behind the market.

He had helped us then without embarrassing the staff or frightening our customers.

I remembered that he had worked for the state police before going into private practice.

His office was above a tax preparer’s storefront.

There was a worn couch in the waiting room and a clock that ran five minutes slow.