Page 92 of The Family Cross

“I guess sometimes pigs do fly.”

My phone rang.

“The breakfast line just closed at St. Anthony’s,” Bree reported. “No kids here this morning that fit your description. And I called the schools you said they attend. They haven’t been there, which is evidently a common occurrence.”

“What happened today isn’t common,” I said. I told her about my conversation with Ned.

“I knew Bijan was off,” she replied. “And an oligarch’s widow, hmm. Nice twist.”

“There has to be a photo of Bijan somewhere,” I said.

“Figure out where Volt’s jet is parked. I’m sure he’ll show up on security cameras wherever that is.”

“Good idea. I’ll text Ned. He must have the tail numbers.”

“I’m going to try to find David Lear and see if he’ll tell me why he cashed out and retired,” Bree said. She wished me luck and hung up.

The ME was putting Anna’s body in a black bag.

Sampson looked over when I put my cell away. “Anything on Boog and friends?”

I shook my head. “Those kids are in the wind or they’ve gone to ground.”

79

AFTER LEAVING THE ST. ANTHONY’S dining hall, Bree went to work and briefed Elena Martin on everything she’d learned about Jeffrey Frost, Tatiana Volt, and Egon Bijan.

“If Bijan is an alias, then my friend Rosalynn’s instincts were spot-on,” Martin said. “I’ll let her know, and we can assign you to a case that pays.”

“Of course,” Bree said. “But with your permission, I’d like to try to talk to David Lear, who sold out his position in F and L last year.”

“One more nail in the coffin, I suppose. Have at it, then move on, Bree.”

“Understood, Elena,” she said, and left Martin’s office.

It took Bree about fifteen minutes of internet searching to find an address for the right David Lear, now living in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Leigh. She thought for a moment, then called the Frost and Lear offices in Bethesda.

“Frost and Lear, this is Randi,” the chirpy aide said.

Bree affected a deep Southern accent: “Kelly Green here for David Lear.”

“I’m afraid Mr. Lear has retired.”

“That’s why the Washington and Lee alumni office has me calling to verify his contact information,” Bree said. She’d seen his alma mater listed on his old corporate biography. “Can you confirm his address in Austin?”

Bree read it off, and Randi said, “Uh, yes, that’s right.”

“And a new home phone?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have that. If there even is one these days.”

“The cell number is the same?”

“I believe so.”

“Can you confirm it for me?” Bree said as sweetly as she could.

“Sure,” the receptionist said after a moment, then gave her a number with a Maryland area code.