“That,” said Helga Gemein, wringing her hands, “would be all idiocy. I killed nobody.”

“Truth is, Helga, I’m leaning toward your partner as the major bad guy for Des and Doreen because there was a certain masculine stupidity to the murders and I don’t see stupid as part of your makeup. So let’s start with who he is.”

“The Dalai Lama.”

“Pardon?”

“Today he is the Dalai Lama. Tomorrow? Emperor Franz Josef, Nikola Tesla, Walter Gropius. Take your pick.”

“You’re not helping yourself, Helga.”

“You think I care to help you?” she said.

“I understand, maybe you didn’t actually pull the trigger so you think—”

“You understand nothing!” she shrieked. “I did not kill anyone!”

“Charles Rutger would debate that if he could.”

“An accident,” she said. “Had I known, I would have waited.”

“Even though you don’t care about people.”

“I avoid complications.”

“Well,” said Milo, “you’ve ended up with a whole bunch of complications.”

“You are stubborn beyond rationality.”

“Like someone else you know?”

“Who?”

Milo smiled. “I had a dad like that.”

Helga shuddered. Her turn to cover the stab of emotion with an even bigger smile. “Pity for you, Policeman.”

“Let’s get back to basics, Helga: You’re not leaving here. But you do have a chance to help yourself by telling me—”

“Policeman,” she said, “at this time, I need to …”

“Oh, shit,” said Maria Thomas.

“… have time to think. Alone. Please.”

Soft voice, almost gentle.

“You have surprised me,” she said. “I need to think. Please, some time.”

Milo said, “Take all the time you need.”

CHAPTER

33

The door to the observation room swung open. Milo stepped in, wiping sweat from his face.

He’d remained cool in Helga’s presence: Zen and the art of detection.

Maria Thomas said, “I have to say she didn’t look the least bit hinky on those two murders.”

Don Boxmeister said, “Even with that, we get her on Rutger, she’s away for a long time.”

“Don’t get overconfident about Rutger,” said Thomas. “She has family money. Want to take bets the first thing any decent lawyer does is move to throw out the last two hours because she was under emotional duress?”

“Milo didn’t persecute her, Maria.”

“Who’s talking reality, Don? It’s a game and rich people have a better win-loss record.” She turned to Milo. “You’re lucky she’s arrogant. Only reason she hasn’t lawyered up is she thinks she’s smarter than you. But now that she’s faced with Rutger, don’t count on that lasting. What’s your next step?”

Milo sat down heavily. Watched Helga through the glass.

She’d remained in her chair.

Black-wigged statue.

Thomas said, “Milo, you with us?”

“I don’t know.”