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Tanya doubted his deep set eyes lint of the eye to a shadow in the background Judith had told her he claie-he had just turned fifty nine-but Judith denied it vigorously She said he could play back a casual encounter or a testimony from memory, with deadly precision, even several months later She claimed his mission in life was to force everybody to respect the law, nothing ods

Tanya smiled back at hi to greet her He clasped her hand in both of his "Miss Tanya Caldwell, right? A friend of Judith's, right?" Before Tanya could reply, he said, "Malcolm Clark here"

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Clark Judith has told estured, and she sat in the chair before his desk, her hands folded in her lap

"Judith told me of your problems," he said with a warm smile that showed his perfect teeth "But I want to hear about it from you Tellthe death of your roommate"

Tanya stared into his eyes She felt as if he could see coh her, as if she were as transparent as the very air around her She looked away from him and spoke to his twenty five years of service award on the wall In a ain, slowly and smoothly, as she'd told Detective Warner, but even more concisely

"Is that all?" he asked, after a moment of silence

"Yes," she replied

"Could you tell me a bit about your past life, perhaps?" His s

Tanya told hiave everyone-orphan, foster ho, scholarships and academic interests She covered her entire life in ten lanced all around the roo from picture to floor, to the papers on Clark's desk She did not look into his eyes

"Tanya," he said, an undercurrent of concern in his voice, "I need to know you, need to knohere you are, where you've been, and where you're going" He paused "I need to knohat you've done in your life"

Tanya became defensive "I never harmed anybody, Mr Clark I always have been very careful not hurt anybody's feelings I couldn't afford to upset anybody around me, believewrong Absolutely nothing"