“They’ve initiated over three hundred thousand members since inception, and about thirty-six thousand are categorized as lifers.”
“How many in Minnesota?”
“I’m still trying to nail that down—I’ve requested a list of their current roster. There are three chapters in Minnesota, with over three thousand living loyal life Sigs according to their director. They had a local event as well as a national one. But I did track down an online picture of the group that attended here in Minneapolis.” She lifted a color picture she’d printed. “I’ve asked for names of those who attended that, too.”
“Is it an academic organization?”
She looked at him. “Silas. Did you ever walk frat row down at the U?”
“Only if I wanted to get ridiculed.”
She knew him back then, skinny, glasses, the kind of guy who stayed indoors on weekends to study. “It’s a big brick building next to Beta Theta Pi, and Phi Kappa Psi.”
He gave her a blank look.
“Across from Folwell Hall.”
“The foreign language department.”
“And, Latin,” she said, grinning.
“Right. I used to meet you there on Wednesday, right before we went to Stadium Subs in Dinkytown. And now I’m really hungry.”
“Sorry, I finished my sandwich.”
“I’ve been meaning to get down to the new deli. Did they have a big menu board?”
She made a face. “Inspector Stone brought the sandwich for me.”
Silas gave her a look. “Really? So, after a month of cold shoulder, he suddenly warms up?”
“It’s really the first time we’ve worked together since the bombing…” And, the thought just slid out. “You don’t think he’s just…”
“Trying to get on your good side?” He raised an eyebrow. “What do your instincts tell you, Brilliant Eve.” He smirked.
So, he’d heard that. “I don’t
know.”
“He’s either Mr. Cold Shoulder, or Mr. I Need Your Help. C’mon Eve, he’s just playing you.”
“With a ham sandwich?” She gave him a face. “No. He was just being nice.”
“Eve—”
“There’s just something about him that makes me want to trust him.”
“Trust? Or something else.”
“Stop. He’s smart. And a good detective. I know what you think of him—”
“What everybody thinks of him. Stone doesn’t exactly have a reputation for his sane thinking. I mean, who goes into a coffee shop that’s about to be bombed?”
“A guy who is trying to save lives?” She didn’t know why, but Silas’s attack on Rembrandt bristled her. “Did you know they found the body of his brother just a month ago?”
“The one who disappeared when he was a kid?”
“He was twelve. They were out biking, and his brother was taken right off the road. They found him in a nearby lake.”