Hatfield said, “You bet it’s funny.” He lit up another cigarette. “Y’all find Kat, tell her she can call me if she wants, I’ll even pretend she ain’t faking it. Been married most of my life so I know about faking.”

He moved to leave but Milo held him back, asked the kind of loose, follow-up questions designed to relax. Hatfield got a bit more amiable, told a filthy joke about a woman, a raccoon, and an exhaust pipe. But he had nothing more to say about Kat Shonsky. When Milo asked him where he’d been the night she disappeared, he said, “Usually, I couldn’t tell y’all shit about where I am. But lucky for me, this one I know. I was back in Columbus. My older daughter had a birthday.”

“When’d you arrive and leave?”

“Y’all don’t believe me?”

“Routine question,” said Milo. “Help us clear it up and we’re outta your hair.”

“Awright, awright… when’d I arrive… hmm… got to be the Thursday before y’all say she went partying. Stayed in Columbus for four days and drove to Biloxi to visit my mother. She’s in a nursing home, when I’m there I take her to the casino, wheel her chair in front of a machine till she loses all her quarters. Two days after that, I came back here. I’d say check my time card but I don’t want no trouble with the bosses so don’t screw me, okay? I’m being straight with you.”

“Fair enough. Did you happen to hold on to your airline tickets?”

“Why would I?”

“What’s your ex’s name and phone number?”

“Y’all are serious?”

“Dead serious, Clive.”

“Oh, man.”

“Do you send cars back with three wheels?”

Hatfield smoothed back his hair, favored us with a gap-toothed grin. “Sure, ask her, she got no reason to lie. Then y’all can tell her how good I’m looking.”

“Will do, Clive.”

“Make her squirm,” said Hatfield. “Tell her y’all saw me with some actress.”

“Name and number, Clive.”

“Brittany Louise Hatfield. Hold the phone far away from your ear, that girl can get loud.”

Milo copied down the information and watched him go. We returned to the front office and showed a picture of Kat Shonsky to Esther.

She studied it for a while. “Can’t swear to it but she could be one of them who comes by to see him.” Holding the photo closer. “Not bad. Better than some of the others.”

“Clive’s popular?”

“You wouldn’t believe,” she said. “They bring him lunch. Guy must have something going on but I don’t see it.”

I said, “Doesn’t appear to be charm.”

“Clean hands, either.”

I said, “This kind of work, be hard to stay clean.”

“Exactly, that’s why I’m dating a teacher.”

Milo said, “Clive ever ask you out?”