"I've had the entire family over for cookouts and such--we've got a fire pit, a game court, access to the beach, my grandchildren call it the Fun House. Marty hung out with my grandchildren. Does that tell you about my level of trust? There's no violence in the boy, Lieutenant."

"He ever show up wearing a hat like that? Blue with--"

"Never," Kenten snapped. "Never saw anything like that."

"We haven't latched on to him randomly, Mr. Kenten. Elise Freeman was frightened of him."

"That's ridiculous."

"Spoken like a mentor."

Kenten's blue eyes hardened. "Given your unique perspective about me, I can understand your skepticism. But mark my words, Lieutenant: You won't solve your case--your cases--until you take off the blinders and stop pursuing Marty."

"Marty could help himself by showing up and submitting to an interview."

Kenten rose and rolled toward the door. "I've done my best to educate you. If I've frittered away your time, I'm truly regretful."

Milo said, "What did you mean by my 'unique perspective'?"

"Oh, come now, Lieutenant."

"I'm serious."

Kenten eyed him. "I'll take you at your word. What I meant was you need to be thinking about your boss's role in this investigation. Because of my involvement."

"How so, Mr. Kenten?"

"I was asked to serve on the Ad Hoc Public Safety Committee searching for a new police chief. I interviewed your boss and found him an interesting, capable man. But I had reservations about his judgment and his temperament. One example of his weaknesses in those areas was his pressing me to commit to hiring him early in the interview. Needless to say, I resisted, but apparently not with sufficient clarity, because he left that meeting convinced I supported him unconditionally. Nothing could've been further from the truth, though part of the blame may rest with me. I'm not one to confront, so he probably mistook lack of debate for assent. When it came time to vote on him--an allegedly confidential process--I was a dissenting voice. Since that time, he's convinced I sandbagged him."

Kenten plinked one elfin ear. "Lieutenant, don't tell me the moment he made the link between Marty and myself he didn't inform you of his version."

"Lieutenants and police chiefs don't meet regularly for tea, sir."

"That may be so, sir, but this particular chief meets with this particular lieutenant." Kenten took hold of the doorknob. Twisted, released, let his arms drop as if suddenly exhausted.

"Lieutenant Sturgis, I'm going to leave you with something to chew on: Your name came up during that first interview."

Milo blinked but remained impassive. "Did it?"