White Offerings (28 page)

Ari looked up and laughed. “Have breakfast?”

She smiled and felt the knot around her heart loosen—a little. “I think I just need more time to get used to it.”

Ari kissed her. “I know. And you’ve given me enough for now.”

They retreated to the kitchen and found the ingredients for omelets. Once the eggs were cooking, Ari wandered to the piano and shuffled through the pages of Itchy’s open file. Molly had brought it home earlier in the week, hoping she could find clues—clues they didn’t need anymore.

“What’s this?” Ari asked.

She realized Ari was holding a copy of the mysterious scrap of paper with the words
Here to Help!
printed at the bottom and the numbers on the other side. “We never figured that out. Itchy had it in his backpack. We thought it was an important lead that would help us catch his killer, but we didn’t need it. I’m wondering if it had something to do with the leak, but I don’t think we’ll ever figure it out. All the brass will care about is that John Rondo’s dead and so is his accomplice. Case closed.”

“Interesting,” Ari said.

Molly dropped the bread into the toaster and glanced up. “Why?”

“I’m just wondering why a street person would have an original piece of stationery from a title company.”

Molly froze. “That’s from a title company?”

“Uh-huh. American National.”

Molly’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”

“I’m positive. I’ve got lots of their stuff in my files unfortunately. Jane and I hate dealing with them because their slogan is worthless. They are the
least
helpful and ethical company in the valley. We never let our clients use them if we can help it.”

Ari paused, as if waiting for Molly to say something, but she was too surprised, and all of the switches in her brain were clicking. Perhaps this was still important. Perhaps it would lead to the mole. “So if the numbers were written on stationery from a title company—”

“Then I’ll bet that the numbers are part of an address.” Ari held out the scrap of paper. “Why would a street person need an address?”

He wouldn’t, but the mole would.

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