"Uh huh."

"Even though we both know it's my turn?"

"Sure."

"Ok, I owe you a donut. Thanks, man."

Theo wrote up the report. He investigated the incident. He canvassed neighbors. He checked with body shops, junkyards. He sniffed around the local ERs and doc-in-the- boxes on the off-chance that the hit-and-runner was himself hurt. He never got a break, and he never did find out who done it. Early one evening, three weeks after the incident, he called Jennifer Ludlow—he'd memorized her number—to report his lack of progress. She picked up her phone on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Miss Ludlow?"

"Speaking."

"This is Officer Sutcliffe..."

"Um, sorry, who?"

Theo...