"Take a break, Price," he says. "Follow me in for lemonade." We pull up to a coffee shop. Locaccio walks in without his hat and sits across from me in a booth.

A woman comes out and says, "Hi Carmine. Does your wife know you're meeting strange women?" She bends down and kisses him on the mouth.

Locaccio places his hand on her hip and says, "Honey, this is Jill Price. She's driving to Reno for a job interview. Jill, this is my wife, Maria and this is her place."

Shake hands with Maria. "I'm actually not all that strange once you get to know me," I tell her.

"A couple lemonades, hon," says Locaccio.

She leans close and gives me a stage whisper, "Be careful. He's not as dumb as he looks." Then she's gone.

Look at him and ask, "Carmine?"

"I'm a Guinea," he says with a shrug. "Took care of that Wayfreight," says Carmine. "Got outstanding traffic warrants in Utah and California. Should keep him busy all day."

"Thanks," I tell him as Maria returns. She sets down the drinks and says, "Two-fifty." Look at her and then at Carmine. They just look at me blankly. Pull the cash out of my back pocket and hand her three bucks. "Keep the change, Maria," I say.

"Thank you," she says and walks off.

"The Governor's gonna hear about this lemonade scam you got goin', Carmine."

"Saw a guy waving people over but no one was stopping," I tell him.

"So you pull over and offer to help," says Locaccio.

My time with detectives make this police tactic crystal clear so I say, "I'm a woman alone on a desert highway. Why would I do that?" We both sip lemonade. Mm-mm, freshly squeezed lemons in ice water. Good stuff. I smack my lips and have some more. "The kid okay?" I ask casually.

"A little beat up," says Carmine.

"Really?"

"Claims two truckers stopped. Kicked his ass, taped him up and took his money."

"Two truckers," I say, and sip more of the tasty lemonade.

"What the kid said."

I take out five bucks and said, "Best I've ever had. How about two to go, Maria?"

"Very well, and how about you, Carmine? Two to go?"

He nods enthusiastically.

My five bucks disappears. I purse my lips and shake my head.

Carmine smiles. "You're a good sport, Price."

"Why do you say that?"

"Good lemonade though, right?"

"Back there," says Carmine, pointing with his thumb. As I slide out of the booth, Carmine adds, "You know, we put that kid in the county lockup."

Stand up, stretch and ask, "What for?"

"He matches a description we got on someone involved with a missing person report. Young woman out of the San Luis Obispo area turned up missing. This kid might be involved."

Walk off to use the restroom. When I get back, the four lemonades are on the table with lids and straws—two in each bag. "Gotta get," I tell Carmine, gathering my bag. He slides out and walks with me.

"Thank you for stopping, Jill," calls Maria.

"My pleasure," I call back, waving. Carmine is holding the door so I scoot through the doorway. "Nice lady," I tell him.

"She's great," says Carmine. "Just opened up last week."

"She'll do fine," I say.

"I hope so," he says. "I get everyone I can to stop." Carmine leans against the `Bird and watches me lean over the door to set the drinks on the center console. "One trucker stopped by Wells to say that he saw two people talking beside another car near that Honda. One was a blonde woman. He couldn't describe the other person but he thought the individual was wearing a ball cap."

Ignore that about the ball cap and ask, "What was her name? The missing girl from California."

"Copy of the report in my car. Just a minute." He walks away and returns without the bag. Hands me a sheet of paper. "I hate these missing person reports. So many just never show up again."

Look at Melanie's smiling face in the photo, but the name underneath her photo is Linda Peterson. "I wish I could help you," I say to Carmine, "but I don't know her."

Carmine nods and says, "Well thanks, Price. Good luck in Reno." He begins to walk away.

"Hey Carmine," I say. He stops and turns. "How much did the kid say he got ripped off for—by the truckers?"

"Seven hundred, I think," he says.

Nod and wave, thinking that the little bitch did okay, not that I blame her.