Caitlin sat. “My work took me in a direction your department hadn’t been able to go. Of course, once I found evidence of a criminal enterprise, I called your detectives. Thanks again for that level of access, Chief.”

“I thought I asked you to call me Abigail.” Renton’s words carried the same underlying stink as her strained smile. “Now you’d like to watch the interrogations?”

“Observe only, from a camera feed or two-way glass.”

Renton nodded. “With the understanding that nothing heard can be used, either on or off the record, in print, web, broadcast, or any other conceivable form of media on this planet until the completion of the trials of all parties involved.”

“I don’t need to tell this story, Chief. Your detectives did promise me the scoop on the bust, and I choose to give that access to the Daily Student when appropriate.”

“You’ll sign something to that effect?”

“On two conditions.” Caitlin shifted forward. “The first—obviously, if I see evidence of abuse or violation of due process I will not hesitate to go public.”

Renton looked offended. “That won’t happen.”

“I’m just reminding you I consider my work as a journalist to be a calling rather than something I do for money. I’ll make this compromise in exchange for my second condition.”

“Which is?”

“I get a copy of the Chapman files. Again, with the caveat that I will not publish any abstract from the contents.”

“For what purpose?”

“To find that girl, Abigail. To see if anything, no matter how small a detail, has been missed. I might see things in a different way from your detectives. I promised Doris Chapman I’d try.”

She didn’t remember seeing gum in the woman’s mouth, but Renton’s jaw moved with a sideways grind.

Caitlin threw one last jab. “Small price to pay for the largest drug bust in your department’s history, all under your command.”

The woman’s stress lost to her pride. “Now that’s a story you can cover.”

*   *   *

Caitlin found Greenwood and Maverick in the lunchroom huddled over salads. “Congratulations, Detectives.”

Jane smirked. “Who let you in here?”

Greenwood started to get up.

Caitlin pulled out a chair, sat at the table. “Don’t even. I’m not trying to mess up dinner.”

Greenwood’s shirt collar was unbuttoned, his sleeves rolled up to the elbows. “A dinner that happened to be delivered from Lennie’s before we even realized we were hungry.”

Caitlin snuck a piece of chicken out of Greenwood’s salad container, popped it in her mouth. “I figured you’d be too busy to eat. Why the break?”

Maverick got up, refilled a coffee cup. “Amireau refuses to say anything until his lawyer gets here. Should be tomorrow morning.”

“What about Frodo?”

Greenwood found a gap between bites. “Complicated. He said he wanted Amireau’s lawyer.”

“How’s that complicated?”