“I’ll be nearby,” I said.

Arthur Vance was waiting on his covered front porch when I pulled up at his house at five o’clock.

He had on a wool cardigan buttoned up to his chin and held an accordion folder under his arm while rain dripped from the porch eaves.

“Captain Holt rang my home line ten minutes ago,” Arthur said as I came up the wooden steps.

“He confirmed my status with command,” I said.