Heart of the World by Linda Barnes Page A

everything that had gone down at Josefina Parte's apartment. He made notes.
    â€œSo the kid might already be in the system,” he said. “Name of the guy who hit him?”
    â€œI didn’t get it.”
    â€œYou didn’t think he was a player.”
    I shook my head. “A two-bit bully.”
    He said, “Okay, what lines are you following?”
    â€œI’ve done a Missing Persons in Cambridge and Watertown. Gloria's got the cabbie-network looking. Roz is interviewing high-school kids. Kinko's is running off copies of a photo. I’ve called at least fifty shelters. I’m planning to visit the locals this afternoon, but—”
    â€œWhat are you trying to say, Carlotta?”
    â€œHer favorite jeans are in the closet at my place. Her best boots. Her toothbrush is in the bathroom.”
    â€œA toothbrush is easy to replace.”
    â€œYeah, but Mooney—all those things, what do they add up to? If I hadn’t known about Diego, fastened on Diego—”
    His eyes flickered. “You’re thinking she didn’t run. That she was taken?”
    I nodded, grateful he hadn’t made me say the words.
    â€œOkay, Carlotta, let's get this straight. You’re saying that if this were a client, if Marta came to you with this, and you didn’t know Marta, that's what you’d think?”
    â€œShit, Mooney, I do know Marta. Matter of fact, that's something you can do. Marta's got a new man, a guy named Gregor Maltic. Can you run the name, see if he's got a record?” I was avoiding his question. I knew it; he knew it, but he just passed me a sheet of paper and asked me to print the name.
    I didn’t know the answer to the question because it was Paolina, because it was Marta, because I wasn’t objective about any of this. I was flat-out scared.
    He said, “Okay, how else can I help? Let's do a full-court press on this. You check the buses, the trains, the airlines?”
    The word “help” shifted the knot in my throat and suddenly I could talk more freely. “I did buses, Roz did trains, Lemon hit the ticket counters with a photo. Gloria phoned the airlines. Lemon handled Logan, too. Paolina wasn’t holding a reservation.”
    â€œI’ll get somebody to check passenger lists.”
    She was smart enough to use an alias. Mooney knew that as well as I did. I knew without asking that he’d extend the search to similar names, to Paula Fords and Patsy Fines.
    He pressed his lips together and stared at the phone. “School locker?”
    â€œI’m on my way to check it now.”
    â€œShe have a credit card? Cash?”
    â€œNo card. I don’t have any idea how much cash, but she can’t get into our joint account without me, and Marta's not missing any money.”
    â€œYou tracing calls?”
    I nodded. “Number ID on my phone and Marta's.”
    â€œGood, that's good.”
    â€œBut if she calls my cell…”
    â€œYeah,” he said, “damn cells. She calls you there you gotta find a way to talk her in.”
    â€œMoon, there haven’t even been hang-ups. I’m doing everything I can think of—”
    â€œNow we’ll do everything the both of us can think of.”
    â€œThanks.”
    He looked away, rubbing his jawline like he was checking to see whether he’d remembered to shave. He used to use the gesture in interrogations, right before springing a tough question on a suspected perp.
    â€œCarlotta,” he said quietly, “did the two of you fight?”
    â€œJeez, Mooney, I’d have told you if—”
    â€œWhat about Gianelli?”
    â€œWhat about him?” I snapped the question off, jaw tight. Mooney didn’t reply right away, just stared at me, waiting. “Mooney, Sam and Paolina get along fine.”
    â€œYeah, Carlotta, that's exactly what I’m saying. You ever think that somebody who wants his own back with