“That’s why she boarded Indy. To take care of Mr. Good, some sort of bad flu. And you know how Indy gets.”

“Feisty,” I said.

“Needing all the attention.”

“I assumed they were on vacation. Come to think of it, Andy didn’t sound relaxed. Anyway, Indy’s all caught up.”

“Great. Andy’s so nice. Never met her husband but he’s lucky to have her.”

Just as I hung up, an officer rapped the open door.

“Lieutenant’s in Five, says you should join him.”

I walked to the interview room. Milo had shoved the table out of the way and sat opposite two women.

“Ladies, this is Dr. Delaware, our psychological consultant. Doctor, Ms. Appel and Ms. Bruno.”

One brunette, one blonde. Nervous smiles from both.

Each was in her forties and wore a cashmere crewneck, tailored jeans, large-carat ring, tennis bracelet, stud earrings. All the jewelry set with clean white diamonds.

The brunette plucked at her plum-colored sweater. She had a clear oval face, a toned body, blue eyes, dark hair cut in a boyish cap.

Her fair-haired companion was rounder, a bit younger, with painted eyebrows and sharp, brown eyes. Pumpkin cashmere, frosted locks. She held out her hand first. “Barb Bruno.”

“Susan Appel,” said the brunette, a few decibels softer.

“We’re sisters.”

Milo said, “Susan and Barb own the property where Kat Shonsky was—”

“Disaster,” said Barb Bruno. “We got the call on the cruise ship. We’re still traumatized.”

Susan Appel said, “We were planning on building an Olympic pool for our families. To think…”

“Not that we’d ever change our minds, we can’t let something hideous like this stop us from living. For us it’s always been about family, our parents raised us that way. Do either of you remember the Circle F Ranch Market in Brentwood? That was our dad, Reuben Fleisher.”

I’d never heard of the place. “Ah.”

Susan Appel reached behind one ear, twisted a wisp of short dark hair. A look from her younger sister caused her hand to drop and I imagined a child’s voice remonstrating.

Stop picking at yourself.

Barb Bruno said, “We’re still not sure we did the right thing by coming in. You called Susan and she called me and we both agreed it was most probably nothing. Then we thought about it — I thought about it and I called Susan and we discussed it some more. We came to the conclusion that no matter what happens, it was our duty to call you.”

Milo said, “We really appreciate it. Now, if you could tell us—”

“Which isn’t to say our husbands are happy with us, they aren’t,” said Susan Appel, twisting her hair again and avoiding her sister’s eyes.

Barb Bruno said, “They’re both attorneys, head their own firms.”