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Seven hours later, he’d been crucified

Forensics tea on his back on a rug A cheap rug, the kind cut in sections unprofessionally, so that tufts of it stayed in his hair The rug had also contained sediments of oil and brake fluid

Under the nails of his left hand, they found type A blood and the chemicals used to form white Pan-Cake makeup

Detectives hadfor a female killer

Hair fibers and plaster casts of footprints quickly discounted the theory

Makeup Why were Rugglestone and Hardi makeup?

27

Around eleven, I called Devin on the walkie-talkie and told him about the makeup

“Bothered me too at the time,” he said

“And?”

“And it ended up being just one of those incidental things Hardilestone were lovers, Patrick”

“They were homosexual, Devin—that doesn’tin any of these files about the makeup”

“I don’t knohat to tell you, Patrick It never added up to shit Hardilestone killed Morrison and then Hardi pineapples on their heads and dressed in purple tutus at the tie those facts”

“So in those files, Devin I know it”

He sighed “Where’s Angie?”

“Asleep”

“Alone?” He chuckled

“What?” I said

“Nothing”

In the background I could hear Oscar’s guttural guffaw

“Spit it out,” I said

Devin’s ah followed the squawk of the walkie-talkie “Me and Oscar just made a little side bet”

“Pertaining to?”

“You and your partner and how long you’ll be able to

stay cooped up together before one of two things happens”

“And those things would be?”

“I say you’ll kill each other, but Oscar says you’ll get buck wild before the weekend”

“Nice,” I said “Aren’t you guys late for your political correctness training session?”

“Police departues,” Devin said, “and h”

“Of course”

“You sound like you don’t believe us,” Oscar chimed in

“Oh, no You’re posterboys for the New Sensitive Male”

“Yeah?” Devin said “Think it’ll help us pick up chicks?”

After I hung up with Devin, I called Grace

I’d been stalling , but even so I wasn’t sure how I’d explain ie to her I’m not a particularly possessive person, yet I’m not sure hoell I’d take it if Grace calledup for a few days with a male friend

As it happened, the issue didn’t come up immediately

“Hi,” I said

Silence

“Grace?”