BY EARLY TUESDAY, Luke had read the transcript of the interview with George Sanders over and over. There was no mention of his uncle, which didn’t surprise him; it fit with the theory that Uncle Luke was in the freezer and heard nothing. At the time, the big thing was a Sony Walkman to play music, and his mother had told him that his uncle had it on all the time, like people and their iPods today.

And it was well documented that Buck Morgan kept a shotgun in the restaurant for protection. The story Sanders told was plausible. But if Buck Morgan was still alive, how could he stay hidden for so long, and how could he leave his daughter that day to be murdered?

Luke drove down to Serenity Park. He had with him the picture of the restaurant in the background and the interview printed out, and he tried to see that day in his mind, filling in blanks with his imagination. He got out of his truck and walked to where he envisioned the front of the restaurant was.

Gavin Kent, Louis Rollins, and the drug dealer come in —did they threaten Patricia? The idea was to get her to back off, according to Sanders. His wife being threatened couldn’t have sat well with Buck. The Morgans both know Abby is in the office asleep; did they try to mollify the men? Patricia was trying to buy Rollins out; was money there? Did the drug dealer want Patricia’s money to settle Buck’s debts?

Were both Kent and Louis armed? Somewhere in the mix, a fight started and guns went off and Patricia and the drug dealer were killed, according to Sanders. Kent was wounded and Buck Morgan fled.

Luke frowned. He could not wrap his mind around a father leaving his daughter to be murdered. If that’s what happened, then what kind of man is Buck Morgan?

If it were me, I’d do anything and everything to try to protect my daughter with the last breath in my body.

He turned when he heard a car door shut. It was Ice Age Orson. He’d called and Luke asked him to meet at the park.

“Hey, great place for a meeting. Brought you a cup of joe.”

“Thanks, I could use it.” Luke accepted the coffee as he and Orson took a seat on one of the benches. It was very near the memorial plaque.

Orson noted the photo. “What’s that?”

“Oh, it’s a picture of this area before the park.” He handed his friend the picture.

Orson held the photo up and compared the areas before and after.

“Hate to say it, but I like it better with the park. This was the restaurant that burned?”

“Yep. Taking my uncle and two other people with it.”

“You making any headway?”

“Some new information has surfaced —not sure how much it will help.”

“Okay, then let’s move back to the future. Have you decided to take the job?” Agent Orson sipped his coffee and regarded Luke with anticipation.

“It’s tempting, I’ll admit, but I’m still thinking. And I need to sit down with my family. I got your e-mail but I haven’t read through it. I wanted to thank you for helping Detective Wright out with that ID. I have another favor to ask.”

Orson tilted his head. “Ask.”

“Some of what has surfaced concerns a person on the governor’s staff.”

“I hope this isn’t headed where I think it’s headed.”

“I guess it is. Can you find out any information on Gavin Kent?”

Orson studied his coffee. “You cast a wide net. Anything specific?”

“Is there any connection between him and the dead guy who accosted me on the bike path?”

Orson gave him a look that said he was thinking. For a minute they sipped their coffees in silence. Finally Orson spoke up. “Since the case has my interest, I’ll see what I can do. But I’ll be beyond discreet. Clear?”

“Clear.”