“We have several persons of interest we’re taking a hard look at,” Sam said as the chief slipped into the room. She nodded at him and returned her attention to the O’Connors. “I wish I could tell you more, but we’re working as hard and as fast as we can.”

Graham turned to the chief. “I’ve known you a lot of years, Joe. I need the very best you’ve got.”

Chief Farnsworth glanced at Sam. “You’re getting it. I have full faith in Sergeant Holland and Detective Cruz as well as the team backing them up.”

“So do I,” Nick said quietly from where he stood against the back wall.

Senator and Mrs. O’Connor turned to him.

With his eyes trained on Sam, Nick said, “I’ve known Sergeant Holland for six years. There’s no one more dedicated or thorough.”

As Sam fought to keep her mouth from dropping open in shock at the unexpected endorsement, Senator O’Connor held Nick’s intent gaze for a long moment before he stood and held out his hand to his wife. “In that case, we should let you get back to work. We’ll count on you to keep us informed.”

“You have my word, Senator,” Chief Farnsworth said. “I’ll show you out.”

“Before you go,” Sam said, “can you tell us who Patricia Donaldson was to your son?”

Graham and Laine exchanged glances but their expressions remained neutral.

“She was a friend of John’s,” he said.

“From high school,” Laine added.

“A friend he paid three thousand dollars a month to?”

“John was an adult, Sergeant,” Graham said, appearing nonplussed to hear about the payments. “What he did with his money was his business. He didn’t have to explain it to us.”

“Where does she live?” Sam asked.

“Chicago, I believe,” Graham said.

Interesting, Sam thought, that the senator knew, without a moment’s hesitation, the exact whereabouts of his son’s friend from eighteen years earlier. She debated pushing him harder and might have had the chief not been in the room. In the end, she decided to pursue it from other angles.

“If there’s nothing else, I’d like to take my wife home,” Graham said with a pointed look at Sam.

“We realize this is an extremely difficult time for you, but we may have other questions,” she said.

“Our door’s always open,” Graham said, helping his wife from her chair.

Lizbeth and Royce got up to go with them.

“Mr. Hamilton,” Sam said. “A minute of your time, please?”

Royce’s eyes darted to his wife.

“Go ahead, Daddy.” Lizbeth kissed her parents. “Take Mom home. We’ll be by after a while.”

After Graham and Laine left the room with Chief Farnsworth and Nick following them, Sam turned to Lizbeth. “We’d like to speak to your husband alone, Mrs. Hamilton.”