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The Bristo Camino Police Department was a two-story space in the mall that used to be a toy store. Talley's officers jokingly called it 'the crib.' This time of night, the mall parking lot was empty; only one radio car was out front, along with the personal cars belonging to his officers. Talley left his car at the curb. The second floor contained a single holding cell, a ready room for briefings, a bathroom, and a locker room. The most serious criminals it had held were two sixteen-year-old car thieves who had driven a stolen Porsche up from Santa Monica only to wrap it around a palm tree; mostly, the cell was used to let drunk drivers sleep off their buzz. Office space for Sarah filled most of the ground floor, with the front desk being designated for the duty officer of the watch, though Sarah, herself not a sworn officer, served that post whenever she wasn't ensconced in the communications bay. Talley's office sat in the rear, but his own computer wasn't tied into the National Law Enforcement Telecommunication System; only one computer in the office could access the NLETS, and that was up front by Sarah.

Kenner, sitting at the front desk, raised his eyebrows in surprise when Talley entered.

'Hey, Chief. I thought you went seven.'

Seven was the code for taking a meal break, but it was also slang for going off duty. Talley let himself through the gate that separated the public space from the desks without making eye contact. He didn't want conversation.

'I've got more to do.'

'What's happening out at the house?'

'The Sheriffs have it.'

Sarah waved from the communications bay. She was a retired public school teacher with bright red hair who worked the job because she enjoyed it. Talley nodded at her, but didn't stop to chat the way he ordinarily would. He went straight to the NLETS computer.

Sarah called, 'I thought you went home?'

'More to do.'

'Isn't that sad about that little boy? What happened with that?'

'I just stopped by to look up something. I've got to get back to the house.'

He made his manner brusque to discourage her.

Talley typed in the Mustang's license number, 2KLX561, and requested a California Department of Motor Vehicles search.

'Ah, Chief, I'd like to get some time out there. You know, at the house.'

Kenner had come up behind him, looking hopeful. Talley leaned forward to block the computer's screen.

'Call Anders. Tell him I said to rotate you out there at the shift change.'

Talley turned back to the computer.

'Ah, Chief? You think I could work the perimeter?'

Talley blocked the screen again, letting his annoyance show.

'You want some trigger time? That it, Kenner?'

Kenner shrugged.

'Well, yes, sir.'

'See Anders.'

Talley stared at Kenner until he returned to the front desk. The DMV search came back, showing that license plate 2KLX561 was currently an unregistered listing. Next, he typed in the name Walter Smith and ran it through the National Crime Information Center, limiting the search to white males in the Southwest within a ten-year time frame. The NCIC search kicked back one hundred twenty-eight hits. That was too many. Talley could have limited the search if he had Smith's middle name, but he didn't. He cut the frame to five years, tried again, and this time got thirty-one hits. He skimmed the results. Twenty-one of the thirty-two arrestees were currently incarcerated, and the remaining ten were too young. As far as the law enforcement computer network knew, the Walter Smith who lived in York Estates was just another upstanding American with something in his house that men were willing to kill for.

Talley deleted the screen, then tried to recall as many details as possible about the three men and the woman who kidnapped him. The woman: Short dark hair that cupped her face, five-five, slender, light-colored blouse and skirt; it had been too dark to see any more. The three men had worn nicely tailored sport coats, gloves, and masks; he had noticed no identifying characteristics. He tried to remember background noise from when he spoke with Jane, some telling sound that could identify her location, but there had been none.