Marjorie Holman’s laughter was brittle, unsettling. “Well, then, we’re all peachy-dandy here, because whatever I did or didn’t do with Des has nothing to do with murder.”

“We’re more interested in did than didn’t, ma’am.”

She didn’t answer. Milo let it ride and the three of us kept walking.

Five houses later, she said: “You met my husband. He’s been that way for six years. I’m not going to make tawdry excuses, but neither am I going to apologize for having needs.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“Don’t patronize me, Detective. I’m not a moron.”

Six more houses. She picked up speed. A tear track darkened her cheek. “Once. That’s all it was. Ned doesn’t know and there’s no reason to tell him.”

“I agree, ma’am.”

“He was tender, it was almost like being with another woman. Not that I’d know about that … it was a crazy thing to do, I regret it. But at the time …” Drying her tears with her sleeve. “One of my sons is the same age as Des and if you don’t think that made me feel sleazy, you’re wrong. It was never going to happen again and I was not going to torture myself.”

She stopped short, touched Milo’s wrist. “I want to make one thing clear, Detective: Des did not exploit me, nor am I some desperate cougar. It just happened.”

“One time,” said Milo.

“You want me to take a lie detector, fine. Just as long as Ned doesn’t find out.”

“All we want to do is find out who killed Des.”

“I can’t help you with that.”

“Did anyone at the firm have conflict with him?”

“No.”

“Not Helga?”

“I wish I could say yes but not even her.”

“She told us she was never intimate with Des.”

“Are you shocked? I doubt Helga has the capacity for intimacy.”

“She also said Des slept with every other woman at the firm.”

“I can’t speak to that.”

“She said you could, Ms. Holman. That she learned about all of this because you and Ms. Sanfelice and Ms. Passant talked about it openly. At a staff meeting.”

Marjorie Holman rocked on her heels. Walked with her head down. “Oh, Jesus.” She let out a strange giggle and threw up her hands. “Martinis and estrogen, what can I say?”

“Staff meeting with alcohol?”

“Staff meeting at a restaurant.”

“Without getting into details, if you could tell us where you and Des … trysted …”

“Why is that your business?”

“We’re searching for patterns, Ms. Holman.”

“What kind of patterns?”

“Des frequenting construction sites.”

She went pale.

“Ma’am—”