"Why do you ask? Is it one of your cases?"
"Naw. I'm a short timer with mostly circulars on my desk. I keep tabs with what's going on. I heard a recording of the Delaware tip and it struck me as really strange. It came from Boston, a few hundred miles away; sort of like the tip you just made."
"Are we just two guys talking?" I asked.
"This conversation is going nowhere you don't want it to go. You didn't see this stuff personally, did you?"
"Let's say I'm passing on information but I'm close enough to vouch for its accuracy."
"Good enough. Look; I won't ask you how; I don't think I want to know. Are there more?" When I didn't answer, he continued. "Maybe we can help."
"I don't want to work for the FBI."
"And I'm not in a position to hire you but perhaps I can help." Once again, I held back. "Like today; you obviously didn't know who to call. Maybe I can put you in the right direction. Incidentally, you showed some smarts not calling down to Georgia and getting lost in the cracker barrel."
"Thanks."
"So how about it? There are other cases, aren't there?"
"What makes you ask?"
"A hunch. I used them a lot over the years, not always to the FBI liking which didn't help my career but I found they often work. I don't know how you're doing what you do but I got a strong feeling if I keep an open mind, good things will happen."
"Check out Elsie Otis in Kentucky and Timothy Burton in Rhode Island," I said and quickly and hung up. I kept Daniel Brennan's cell phone number.
Betsy was awake when I returned home and wanted to know what delayed me.
"I may have violated our secrecy code," I told her as I slipped into bed. I explained how an Agent connected my call to the Delaware murder of Marcia Stonehurst. "He asked if there were others and I told him about two. I had the feeling if I hadn't, he might have chased them down himself. At least I obtained his promise of confidence."
"Do you believe he'll keep the conversation to himself?"
"Yes, I do. He's a week from retirement and he seems to be something of a maverick. He's offered to help and I believe he could be very useful."
"What do you plan to do?"
"I have to discuss it among all five of us." I put out the light by the bed.
Betsy snuggled closer. "It was only a matter of time before someone began to connect our tips. There is a marked similarity to them. They're all several hours after the fact and come from an unusual viewpoint; not where there would naturally be someone observing. The tips are states away from what's being tipped. It's a wonder someone isn't already putting them all together."