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Before the lawyer could block her, she leaned forward, her eyes steady on DeBlass’s face “Let me tell you hoent down You took your private shuttle, paying the pilot and the flight engineer to doctor the log You went to Sharon’s apartment, had sex with her, recorded it for your own purposes You took a weapon with you, a thirty-eight caliber Smith & Wesson antique And because she taunted you, because she threatened you, because you couldn’t take the pressure of possible exposure any longer, you shot her You shot her three tienitalia”

She kept the words co fast, kept her face close to his It pleased her that she could smell his sweat “The last shot was pretty clever Messed up any chance for us to verify sexual activity You ripped her open at the crotch Maybe it was syun with you? Had you planned it? Had you decided to end it once and for all?”

DeBlass’s eyes darted left and right His breathing grew hard and fast

“My client does not acknowledge ownership of the weapon in question”

“Your client’s scum”

The lawyer puffed up “Lieutenant Dallas, you’re speaking of a United States Senator”

“That makes him elected scum It shocked you, didn’t it, senator? All the blood, the noise, the way the gun jerked in your hand Maybe you hadn’t really believed you could go through with it Not when push caer But once you had, there was no going back You had to cover it up She would have ruined you, she never would have let you have peace She wasn’t like Catherine Sharon wouldn’t fade into the background and suffer all the shaainst you, so you had to kill her Then you had to cover your tracks”

“Lieutenant Dallas—”

She never took her eyes fro at hiet aith it You’re a United States senator, the victied her on the bed, indulged yourself, your ego You could do it again, and why not? The killing had stirred so in you What better way to hide than to e?”

She waited while DeBlass reached for a glass of water and drank thirstily “There was a e You printed out the note, slipped it under her And you dressed, calmer now, but excited You set the ’link to call the cops at two fifty-five You needed enough tiot back on your shuttle, flew back to East Washington, and waited to play the outraged grandfather”

Through it all, DeBlass said nothing But a muscle jerked in his cheek and his eyes couldn’t find a place to land

“That’s a fascinating story, lieutenant,” the lawyer said “But it remains that—a story A supposition A desperate atteht their way out of a difficult situation with the media and the people of New York And, of course, it’s perfect ti accusation should be levied against the senator just as his Morals Bill is co up for debate”

“How did you pick the other two? How did you select Lola Starr and Georgie Castle? Have you already picked the fourth, the fifth, the sixth? Do you think you could have stopped there? Could you have stopped when it hteous?”

DeBlass wasn’t red now He was gray, and his breathing was harsh and choppy When he reached for a glass again, his hand jerked and sent it rolling to the floor

“This interview is over” The lawyer stood, helped DeBlass to his feet “My client’s health is precarious He requires medical attention immediately”