David Levin continued to search for evidence and/or witnesses, checking out the backgrounds of all "persons of interest" in Cruz's homicide. He still worked alone from the summer of 2007 until the early months of 2008.

Denny Wood had been called up as a reserve officer and was on a foreign assignment. David Levin actually talked to Rein Curtis in late summer. He had found that she was working-or had been work- ing for Hendry's Bail Bonds near Pioneer Square in Seattle.

He went there and talked to a black man, who introduced himself as Henry Lewis. Ben asked if he knew of a Rein Curtis. "She's right here," the...