“Did Joe mind moving to Washington with you? He was twenty by then, correct?” Ava asked.

“He was happy when we told him we’d decided to move,” Evelyn said. “I’d assumed he’d want to stay in Newberg, but he said he was ready for a change of scenery. He was very content in Grandview.”

“Did some of his interest in activities come back?”

“Not really,” answered Evelyn. “By then he’d started to put on some weight and didn’t even enjoy watching sports. The cooler weather up there makes you want to stay home. It’s hard to be active when you don’t want to go out in the cold or wet. He was happy to work and watch his movies. He was a good son.” Tears slowly tracked down her cheeks, and Joe Senior patted her hand.

Ava wrapped up her questions and thanked the Uptons. After they were gone, she turned to the two men. “Is that really how it is for teen boys? They can change that much? I would think that if a boy loved sports, he’d always love sports.”

Zander lifted a shoulder. “Maybe he was disappointed to learn he didn’t have as much talent as he’d hoped. But yes, no one is the same person at eighteen as they are at twelve. Especially if they had a rough time in high school. Some kids are sensitive and their peers can be cruel.”

Ava leaned forward. “See, that’s what I think. I think something happened to Joe in high school that depressed him. I’d guess right before his senior year. The kid turned into a hermit, happy to live with Mom and Dad and watch movies for the rest of his life in Hicksville.”

“Maybe he got dumped by a girl, maybe he got bullied, maybe he had a fight with a close friend. I think you’re reading too much into it,” Mason said. “We need to set up interviews with others from Carson Scott’s and Aaron King’s pasts. Can we get some more manpower to help?”

Zander nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I also want yearbooks from their middle and high schools. Maybe there will be a possible link in there that we haven’t thought of,” said Mason.

“Good idea,” agreed Ava. She couldn’t get the image of an overweight man hiding in his parents’ home out of her mind. That life seemed very different from the painfully public one of Carson Scott and the average one of Aaron King.

Three very different men. What had tied them together?

Ava pulled into the parking lot of the Starbucks by her office. She needed her afternoon hit of caffeine if she was going to stay awake the rest of the day. She dashed through the rain and smiled at the man holding the door open for her, and then nearly tripped as she recognized Michael Brody, the reporter.

He gave her a venti-size grin.

Coincidence?

“Afternoon, Special Agent McLane.” He tipped his paper cup toward her in salute with his greeting.

“You were expecting me,” she stated.

“You’re rather predictable. You’re here most afternoons when you’re working out of the office, right? You could save a lot of money if you drank the office coffee.” He took a sip of his drink.

“The office coffeepot gets rinsed about every six months. I like to think they do it more often here.”

“Get your drink, and I’ll grab a table.” He smiled and turned toward the seating area.

Ava wanted to fume but was amused instead. No wonder he gets under Mason’s skin.

Minutes later she joined him at a table near the window. Brody had a relaxed appearance, but she noticed his gaze assessed every person in the room. “Deceptively casual” was the phrase that popped into her head. He tried to give the impression that he was laid-back. And she bet most people bought it, but he put out a high-alert vibe that triggered her radar immediately.

He didn’t fool her one bit.

Well, he didn’t fool her now that Mason had clued her in.

“What can I do for you?” she asked as she sat. “I only have a few minutes.”

“I’m sure Callahan has filled you in on our somewhat odd relationship.”

“Relationship?” She raised a brow.

“I consider him a friend.”

She studied the serious look on his face, getting the impression Michael didn’t call many men “friends.” “I think he feels the same in some sort of twisted, John Wayne–masculine definition of friendship.”

His eyes lit up. “I knew it.”

“So why are you here?”

“I have two things I’d like to discuss with you. The first is about your case. Carson Scott wasn’t a friend of mine, but I did know him. My father is in politics and Carson’s a little younger than me. Our paths crossed quite a bit in the last few years.”

Ava blinked, making a mental connection. “Your father is Senator Brody?”

“Yes.”

“So your uncle was—”

Michael cut her off with a wave of his hand. “I know. Yes, my uncle was the governor. It’s not something I like to discuss.”

Ava nodded. Former Governor Brody was sitting in prison. She tried to remember the details from the scandal last summer. Attempted murder . . . or had he been charged with actual murder? “What was Carson Scott like? How well did you know him?” she asked.

Michael scratched his chin. “The first time we met was at a party at the governor’s mansion. Carson represents Washington, but the Vancouver officials were usually included in any invitations. We try to keep them on our good side since their city is tied so close to Portland.”