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"Could it have been Merodie Davies?"

"That was uess, but no Not a chance Merodie had played softball that evening Afterward she and her teammates closed down Dimmer’s, then went to the house of one of theain--"Vonnie Lou Jefferson Merodie stayed the night Left at nine the nextBy then Becker had been dead for at least six hours"

"What about the girl?"

"What girl?"

"Merodie’s daughter?"

Froathered that Sochacki had no idea what I was talking about

"Merodie Davies had a daughter living with her at the time Becker was killed," I said "She must have been about four years old"

Sochacki shook his head "There was no daughter Merodie and Becker lived alone"

"Are you sure?"

"I was a very good investigator, Mr McKenzie I would have noticed a four-year-old girl"

Twentyin front of the counter at the Anoka County Correctional Facility The wolass partition was soft and doughy; she looked like soht beat up for exercise

"Merodie Davies," I said, repeating the name for the fifth time

"Are you her lawyer?"

"I work for her lawyer" To prove it, I slipped the letter G K had given me from my pocket The attendant couldn’t even be bothered to read it

"You aren’t her lawyer, you don’t get to see her"

"Why not? It’s visiting hours"

"She’s in isolation"

"For what?"

"Are you her lawyer?"

"No, but"

The attendant turned her back to the glass partition Suddenly, I wasn’t there anymore

I called G K on e: "Better check on Merodie"

Sitting idle in Priscilla St Ana’s concrete driveas her elegant black four-door Saab In the driveway across the street were a silver BMW convertible and a Lexus Compared to them, my world-weary Jeep Cherokee looked like refuse someone had abandoned at the curb No doubt the recyclables people would be around at any ed for ht Damn, McKenzie When did you beco ht

The maid, Caroline, met me at the door This time she allowed me to wait in the foyer while she su sound on her tile floor as she approached, and for afro, or if she always dressed so exquisitely around the house She earing a butter-colored dress under ajacket The skirt on the dress was shorter than h schools would allow

A looker, Michael Piotrowski had said

She was a beauty, said Detective Sochacki

"My goodness, Mr McKenzie, what happened to your face?" Cilia asked