Part 5 (1/2)

”And she never told you what she was working on?”

”G.o.dd.a.m.nit, Noah, you know Dinah. She's always been like a clam when itcomes to a work in progress.

With that amazing memory of hers, she never needs notes. And sure, astory absorbs her, sometimes makes her oblivious to most things. b.u.t.this time it had gone on long enough to bother me. So I tried to get herto talk about it that last morning, to tell me what she wasinvestigating. She told me practically nothing and ended up mad at me toboot.”

”Stop feeling guilty,” Bishop said. ”You couldn't have known she'ddisappear that day.”

Since guilt was only a small part of what Kane was feeling, he was ableto shrug without commitment.

Bishop looked at him thoughtfully. ”And you're sure, absolutely sure,that wherever she went, it wasn't't willingly?”

”Absolutely positive. And even if I'm wrong about that, she would neverstay away this long without letting me know where she is. If she couldget to a phone, she'd call me.”

Bishop was silent for a couple of miles, then said, ”We're reasonablysure that nothing in her personal life would have driven somebody to s.n.a.t.c.h her.”

It wasn't't a question, but Kane answered anyway.

”Nothing I can imagine. When her father died a few years ago, he was thelast of her family, I told you that. Or at least the last she knew of.

He left her a huge portfolio of stocks and other investments, but shejust turned the management of everything over to someone and more orless ignored the money, as far as I could see.”

”You said both you and the police talked to her financial consultant?”

”Sure, early on. Easy enough for me, since he man- ages my money aswell. He said Dinah's business affairs were perfectly in order, that shewasn't't being blackmailed or pressured in any way as far as he knew. Nolarge, unexplained deposits or withdrawals to or from any of heraccounts. Nothing. Not a single G.o.d d.a.m.ned breadcrumb to follow.”

”Still,” Bishop said, ”maybe it'd be worthwhile to talk to him one moretime. Money tends to be at the root of most bad things one way oranother. He might know something no one else could tell us, especiallynow that he's had plenty of time to think about' .

By this point, Kane wasn't't willing to discount any- thing, even goingover familiar ground a second time.

Dinah had been missing for more than a month, and so far theinvestigation had led nowhere.

Noah Bishop, special agent for the FBI, had come into the picture onlythe day before, when he'd arrived in Atlanta. He had been out of thecountry, whether on Bureau business or his own, Kane hadn't asked. Hewasn't't formally a part of the investigation, but both his badge andhis manner meant that when he asked questions, even of cops jealous ofthe' territory, he usually got answers.

Kane and he had been good friends since college, when they'd competed intrack-and-field events, and had been roommates in their junior andsenior years.

Their career choices had taken them 'in different directions after graduation, but Noah always found a long weekend every few months tovisit Atlanta.

He had managed three of those visits after Kane had become involved withDinah, so he had known her fairly well. And since she had beencharacteristically curious about the FBI and Noah's very specializedabilities and knowledge, and he had a high regard for investigativejournalists with integrity and strong ethics, they had found much totalk about.

So, he was almost as upset over her disappearance as Kane was, but onlythe white of the scar down his left cheek bore witness to that emotion. Other- wise, he appeared completely calm and in control, his voicesteady and sometimes filled with a dry humor, his powerful body relaxed,pale sentry eyes watchful as always but tranquil.

Kane wasn't't fooled.

In response to Bishop's statement, he said, ”Okay, we'll talk to ConradMasterson. I'll call him tonight. In the meantime, there must besomething else we can do.”

”Between you, the cops, and your private investigator, I'd sayeverything that could be done has been.” As if ticking off the facts onhis fingers, Bishop said, ”Her movements that last day have been tracedas much as possible and every potential lead followed. Everyone she'sknown to have talked to that last week has been questioned at least once.

You've kept a fire burning under the police. Your P I. has been d.o.g.g.i.ngevery step of the investigation and working his own contacts. You'vespent days in Dinah's office going through ten years' worth of files,and weeks running down information on anyone she might have p.i.s.sed offin the course of doing a story.

You've talked to her financial manager, her co-workers, and her boss.

You've talked to neighbors in her apartment building. You've searchedher apartment. You've offered a million-dollar reward for information.”

Kane braced himself.

Quietly, reluctantly, Bishop said, ”Unless something new comes to light... Jesus, Kane. I'm sorry as h.e.l.l- but the trail is looking awfully G.o.dd.a.m.ned cold.”

Kane hadn't wanted to admit that to himself. Not today, when Bishop hadkept him from lunging across the desk of a police lieutenant and chokingthe man.

Not yesterday, when the last of Dinah's known rrues had proved tobe in prison on the fifth year of a ten-year sentence. Not the daybefore that, or the days and weeks before that, when useless informationhad piled up and leads dwindled and hope dissolved.

”I know,” he said. ”I know.”

Conrad Masterson had always amused Kane. He was average inappearance-average height, average weight, an average bald spot atop hishead. He didn't care how he dressed, which explained his badly cut suit,and wasn't impressed by impressive surroundings which was why his smalloffice was filled with aged furniture and worn rugs and smelled vaguelylike a wet dog. Or two.

He had no charm, tended to stutter when he got excited (always about anew stock or other investment opportunity), and had been known to arriveat the office wearing different colored socks and unsure where he'dparked his car. But what he lacked in common sense and personal style,Conrad more than made up in financial brilliance. In the investmentcommunity, it was well known that he made money for all his clients,handled their business with scrupulous honesty, and was the absolutesoul of discretion.

Blinking behind his thick gla.s.ses, Conrad said miserably, ”I want tohelp, Kane. You know I do. And if I thought there was anything, anythingat all, in Dinah's financial dealings that might help find her, I wouldhave said so to you or the police long before now.”

”But you won't show us her file?” It was Bishop who asked, his voicelevel.

”I can't do that. As long as there's no proof other- wise, I have toa.s.sume she could walk in that door any minute. And given that, I have tokeep her files confidential. I can't give you details-I just can't. Andthe judge agreed with me when the police tried to get a warrant, Kane,you know she did. Unless you or the police come up with information thatindicates Dinah's disappearance was somehow connected to her financialdeal' , my hands are tied.”

His ”Legally tied,” Kane noted.

”I have to protect my clients' privacy.”

Kane drew a breath and tried to remain patient, knowing only too wellthat he would want his own affairs treated exactly the same way. ”Okay,Conrad.

But think. Surely you can tell us if there was anything unusual, say inthe last few months. You've had time to think about it.”

”Yes, but ... unusual how? Dinah left her investments to me for the mostpart, you know that, Kane.

Occasionally she sold stocks against my advice for quick cash, usuallybecause she was trying to help somebody.”

”What do you mean?” Bishop interrupted.

Conrad considered the question and whether he would be breachingconfidentiality, then decided to answer frankly. ”Just that. She'd do astory on a home for battered women, and then call me to sell some stockso she could give them fifty thousand to remodel or hire a betterlawyer, something like that.

She'd do a story on a poor congregation losing its church, and rightaway pour tens of thousands 'into their rebuilding fund.”

He said with wistful fondness. ”I could always tell. She'd have thatnote in her voice when she called, so determined you could call ith.e.l.l-bent, and I'd know she'd found another wounded soul or bird with abroken wing. She's given millions over the years. Even before her fatherdied, she used most of the income from her trust fund to help others.”

Kane swallowed. ”I ... never knew that. She never said anything about.i.t.”

”No, she wouldn't have. It wasn't something she talked about. She oncetold me that her father had taught her a lesson she'd never forgotten atyou helped people without shouting about it, because just the act ofhelping them made you and your own life better. She believed that. Shelived up to that.” Bishop glanced at Kane, then said coolly to Conrad,With that in mind, don't you think she'd want you to help us find her?

So she can help more people, if nothing else. The trail is cold, Mr.Masterson. And she's been missing for five weeks.”

Conrad bit his bottom lip. ”I wish I could help, Agent Bishop. You haveno idea how much. But-” ”Had she come to you recently and asked you to sell stocks without anyexplanation, or without an explanation you considered reasonable?”