“True.” I ceded. “But I’m not sure Fred or Mel would agree. Also, why did the gun turn up in their cabin? Did Fred do a bad job of hiding it?”

“Fred, not Mel?”

I thought back to finding the gun and the shock on Mel’s face. “I can almost guarantee she had no idea the gun was in the couch. Also, at dinner, Mel seemed genuinely frightened by the prospect of a killer among us.”

Anarchy rubbed his chin and sipped his scotch and stared into the night.

“I wonder if there’s more to the bad loan? Did Graham somehow force Fred to make it?”

His gaze shifted to me. “You mean blackmail?”

“Yep. Graham was not a nice man. What’s more, they don’t have real alibis. Mel would lie for Fred in a heartbeat.”

“So Fred’s near the top of your list. What about Buffy and Bill?”

“Bill has an alibi.”

Anarchy waggled his hand. “Not so much.”

“But Misty saw him.”

“He could have made it to the Landingham’s cabin and shot Graham before you left for coffee. Also, Randy didn’t see him on the dock.”

“Interesting. Graham discovered Bill was using company funds to keep a mistress in an apartment on the Plaza. And Graham wasn’t discreet. Thatch knew all about it.”

“Is that what made Buffy leave the table?”

“Yes.”

Anarchy rubbed his chin. “I wonder what else Graham found.”

“Besides the apartment? I wondered that, too.”

“So Bill has opportunity and motive. You only focused on the men. What about the wives?”

I shook my head. “Except for Sumner, I don't see it.”

“Let’s talk about Sumner.”

I pictured Sumner as she’d been Friday night. She’d worn a low-cut dress, those spidery eyelashes, and a hopeful smile. She’d looked down the table often, smiling ever-brighter at Graham. “Unless there’s life insurance, she's not getting a big payday.”

“How do you know?”

“Women talk. Graham made a lot of money, but they spent it—that house.” Far too big for two people. “They went on safari in Kenya this spring. Also, Sumner’s jewelry. Did you notice the diamonds in her ears? At least a carat apiece.” I scratched at a mosquito bite. “Actually, if there’s life insurance, the firm may hold the policy. Graham was a rainmaker.”

“Explain.”

“Large law firms have partners and associates. There are levels of partnership, but let’s keep this simple.”

“Simple is good. Go on.”

“Associates are paid a salary.”

“Okay.”

“Partners eat what they kill.”

“Meaning?”

“They’re paid for their billable hours, but the real money comes from bonuses. Bonuses are determined by the number of hours billed to a particular client or file. Oh!”

“What?”

“I thought Thatch was being decent when he said the firm would drop Dr. Adams’ suit against Charlie.”

“He wasn’t?”