“I assume that’s where you’re headed after you drop me off,” I add.

“I took the liberty of getting Page to grab your bug-out bag from the hall closet at home, and we have it with us. Any other items hopefully you can pick up at the office. I realize you need to get out of your scrubs and clean up a bit. Then we’ll head out.”

“I’m not going with you, Benton.”

“We’d like you there.”

“Even if I didn’t have responsibilities here, I wouldn’t get involved. I don’t need to tell you why that is.”

“We could use your help, and the other doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It shouldn’t matter but it could. Imagine what it would do to Ruthie if I got asked the wrong thing under oath.”

“I promise you won’t get asked.”

“That’s a promise you can’t possibly keep, Benton. I can’t be helpful in Maryland right now but I could do some harm. And I need to finish this case. I’m not about to walk off in the middle of it. So I’m staying put.”

He goes on to remind me that the Army CID, the Pentagon, the FBI and various intelligence agencies want Briggs’s autopsy witnessed by at least one other senior forensic pathologist, preferably a special reservist with the Air Force who’s affiliated with the AFMES. In other words, ordinarily that senior person would be me, he says as if I didn’t just tell him no several times.

“Page will take care of Sock and Tesla. I expect we’ll be there for several days,” he adds, and I can’t possibly.

Benton wants to go after Carrie with guns blazing, and I have no doubt Lucy is more than happy to accommodate. Neither of them is comfortable with the idea of my staying here alone in the house with Page and the dogs, and I’m not about to move in with Janet and Desi, especially now that my sister is here.

“You’ll work both cases with us, Kay. It will be like the old days.”

“It wouldn’t. The FBI doesn’t work with anyone, and I won’t work for you or them. I work for the victim. Specifically, the dead woman I just spent several hours with in the tent.”

“I don’t want you staying here.”

“I know you don’t but that’s the way it has to be,” as we close in on headlights burning through the trees.

“Then stay at Lucy’s new place in Boston. You’ll be safe with Janet.”

“I can’t.”

“Then they can move into our place while I’m gone, and all of you will be together.”