Serpent’s Tooth. Faye Kellerman

If we’re meticulous in our calculations, maybe the computer will spit us back a step-by-step simulation of Harlan’s movements at Estelle’s.”

      Webster said, “Welcome to Cybermurder.”

      “Except the victims were flesh and blood.” Decker stood. “We start tomorrow. For now, all of you. Go home.”

      As Decker pulled into the driveway of the ranch, he noticed the living-room light shining through the bay window. Immediately, his heart took off. Not that it was late—quarter after ten. Still, when Rina waited up for him, she always kept vigil in the kitchen or their bedroom.

      He shut off the Volare’s motor, jogged to the front door, and opened it. His wife was asleep on the living-room couch. On the floor was his dog, Ginger, nestled among piles of loose papers. Next to the sheets were a calculator, pens, pencils, and a couple of ledgers.

      Instant relief. Everything was all right.

      Then came the curiosity. What was Rina working on? He considered rifling through the pages, but discarded the thought. All in due time. For now, let her sleep.

      He regarded the room. In dim light, it seemed worn, his furniture over a decade old, purchased during his divorced days. The buckskin couch had been rubbed shiny in spots, the coffee table was scratched, the two wing chairs had faded. Keeping guard at the bay window was Rina’s pine rocker purchased after Hannah was born—the only new thing standing.

      Yet Rina never said a word about replacing his shopworn pieces. Guess she was waiting for him to relinquish the last vestiges of his bachelor years. Not that his wife hadn’t added her own feminine touches. The silk-screened floral couch pillows, two hand-crocheted throw blankets, fresh flowers, and lots of framed family photos. Observing her sleeping form … he really needed to do better for her.

      She stirred. Even without makeup, her face was striking, though her creamy skin was a shade paler than usual. Her lips—lush and red and always alluring. Eyes moving behind translucent lids. She was dressed in a black angora sweater and black knit skirt. Her outfit matched her raven hair, which fell over her shoulders like a sable shawl.

      He shut off the light, put Ginger outside, debated checking the horses’ stables but nixed the idea. Too damn tired.

      He headed into the bedroom, stripped in seconds, then beelined into the shower. Turning the water up to full pressure, he stood under the faucet, allowing the blast to run over his stubbled face while razor-hot needles rained down on his aching back, cooking his freckled skin bright red. He continued his baptism by fire until the water grew cold. By the time he was done, Rina had tucked herself into bed. She was half awake, her lids still hooded. But she spoke. “S’right?”

      “I’m just fine.” Decker toweled himself off as he spoke. “Go back to sleep.”

      “Boys send their regards.”

      “Regards back.” He ran his hands several times through red shocks of wet hair, then went over and kissed his wife. A short one, then a long one. She purred. “That was wonderful.”

      He slipped under the sheets. “That’s because you’re half asleep.”

      She opened her eyes fully. “How are you holding up?”

      “Been better, but I’ll survive.” Immediately, he switched the topic. “What were you doing out there in the living room with all those loose papers? Building a nest?”

      Rina thought a moment. “Oh. That. Rav Schulman called—”

      “Why? What’s wrong?”

      “Nothing. He had some bookkeeping questions. They turned out to be a bit complicated, so I stopped by the yeshiva and picked up some of the ledgers.”

      “The yeshiva doesn’t have a bookkeeper?”

      “Peter, I didn’t question him. He asked me to do him a favor, I said yes.”

      “You have that much spare time, go ahead.”

      Rina was quiet. Decker forced himself not to push it. But he knew there was more. Lately Rina had been using the learned Rabbi for therapy … just as Decker had done many times in the past. His wife had been very depressed since an old friend of hers—and her late husband’s—had died. Abram Sparks had also been a friend of Rabbi Schulman. Decker was sure that Bram’s name had come up in the course of their conversations. Holding that thought, Decker rolled over, buried his head in the pillow.

      Rina turned off the light. “Your father called today.”

      Decker pivoted to face her. “And?”

      “The shooting must have made the news over there. He was concerned about you.”

      “What’d you tell him?”

      “I lied. I said you were fine.”

      “That’s not lying, I am fine.”

      Rina didn’t answer.

      Decker hesitated. “Did he mention my mother at all?”

      “No … why?”

      “No particular reason. Let’s go to sleep.”

      Rina knew he was fibbing, that tight catch in his throat. He was worried about his mother, leaving Rina to wonder if her mother-in-law was ill. Eyes closed, Rina waited and waited, then gave up. She was just about asleep when he finally decided to talk.

      “She called me about two weeks ago. She’d been cleaning out the garage … had some of my childhood junk and wanted to know what to do with it. I told her to send it here … or throw it away … whichever was easier. Then …”

      He paused.

      “Then I asked her why … at this moment in time … was she cleaning out the garage … which has been a storage house of our family junk for God only knows how many years. She just said, ‘If not now, when?’”

      Rina touched his arm. “Did you ask her if something was wrong?”

      “Yes, of course. As I expected, she denied any problems.”

      “Did you press her?”

      “I can’t press my mother, Rina. This is as big a hint as I’m going to get.”

      He waited a beat.

      “I can’t approach my father. Because she could be keeping something from him, too. I did call Randy. He doesn’t seem to know anything, so I guess they’ve kept him in the dark.”

      “Or maybe nothing’s wrong.”

      “Maybe. Either that or my brother hasn’t picked up on Mom’s nuances. He’s not a font of sensitivity.”

      “Peter, why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

      “I don’t know. You have your own parents to deal with … your own problems as well.”

      Rina was silent, guilt coursing through her body. “I know I’ve been very upset since—”

      “It’s not important.”

      Again neither spoke.

      “Do you want to go out for a visit, Peter?”

      “She wouldn’t like that … me, just popping in. She needs her privacy, I’ve got to respect it.”

      “Darling, can you try talking to her? Hiding behind a wall of stoicism isn’t good for either of you.”

      “Rina, I respect your culture. You respect mine.”

      She counted to ten, told herself to breathe calmly. “How about if I called her up—”

      “No—”

      “Can you let me finish?”

      Decker waited a moment. “Sorry. Go on.”

      “I’d like to invite