Helfgott put his water glass down, removed his specs. His eyes were small, diminished further by heavy lids, with watery hazel irises. "I don't customarily deal with faculty issues but if there'd been a serious problem, I assume I'd have heard about it. In fact, she seemed quite pleased at the contract we offered her. After I received Mr. Wydette's call, I immediately phoned Headmaster Rollins and she confirmed that fact, as well as the fact that Ms. Freeman had been happily and uneventfully employed."

"Sounds like you wondered yourself if her death had anything to do with Prep."

Back went the glasses. "Not at all, Lieutenant. I am not a brilliant thinker and I attempt to compensate for my intellectual deficits with meticulousness. That's a lesson I try to pass on to our less inspired students. Rara avises though they are."

"Prep's website says you graduated cum laude from Brown."

Helfgott smiled. "You've researched me?"

"I read the website."

"Well, Lieutenant, that was a different Brown. Now, what else can I help you with?"

"When did you offer Ms. Freeman her contract?"

"She came on as a per diem temporary employee four years ago. A year later, we offered her more steady employment. I remain puzzled by that term--mode of death."

"She's being processed by the coroner as we speak."

"How grim sounding. So it could be a medical condition, one of those rough patches--an aneurysm."

"At this point, anything's possible, Mr. Helfgott."

"Then why, may I ask, am I talking to homicide detectives?"

"We investigate any unusual death."

Helfgott tucked his handkerchief tighter. "I see. When can we expect some definitive answers as to mode of death?"

"I really can't say, Mr. Helfgott."

"Are we talking days, weeks, an inordinate amount of time?"

"I really can't answer that, sir."

"Surely some kind of narrowing--"

Milo leaned in closer. "Sir, I know from your website that Prep's got a great mock-trial team. Maybe the best in the country, you guys took high national honors last year. All those big-time lawyers' kids, no surprise. But right now, it's best if I ask the questions."

Helfgott's manicured fingers grazed the tips of the handkerchief. "Mea culpa, Lieutenant, I didn't mean to upset your investigatory routine, I was simply thinking of our students and faculty. The news of Elise's death is going to be upsetting, particularly if the mode is... unusual. Ergo, the sooner we can offer accurate information, the sooner closure will arrive." Faint smile. "I should point out that the captain of that extraordinary debate team was the daughter of a neurosurgeon, not an attorney."

"I stand corrected, sir. So Ms. Freeman's employment was uneventful."

"We paid her handsomely, her duties were light, no reason for her to be unhappy."

"What was her salary?"

Helfgott's hand waved. "I don't get involved in that kind of thing, but typically, our salaries are the best in the preparatory school universe. Do you work regularly with the chief of police, Lieutenant?"