‘You allege that Mr. Ferris owned a revolver because of a photograph supplied by the victim’s brother Clyde Ferris, is that right?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did Clyde Ferris make a statement to you that his brother routinely carried his gun with him?’

‘Yes, he did.’

‘Did Clyde Ferris also make a statement to you that he went ice-fishing with his brother in early January, less than a month before Jay Ferris was murdered?’

Stride hesitated. ‘Yes, he did.’

‘Were you able to independently confirm that this outing took place?’

‘Yes.’

‘How did you confirm this?’

‘I got a copy of a report filed by Jay Ferris with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.’

‘Did the report indicate that due to thin ice, Jay Ferris lost his truck and his fishing shanty into the water of Superior Bay at that time?’

‘Yes,’ Stride said, and he knew where Gale was going now.

‘Lieutenant, isn’t it possible that the gun allegedly owned by Mr. Ferris – which his brother said he routinely had with him – could have been lost in his truck or in his fishing shanty when they went through the ice?’

‘It’s possible,’ Stride acknowledged, ‘although the truck and shanty were both salvaged once the ice came off the bay in the spring. The gun wasn’t found.’

‘Would it have been possible for the gun to be lost in the bay when those items flooded and sank?’

‘I suppose.’

‘Thank you, Lieutenant. You also testified about an affair between Dr. Snow and a former colleague of yours named Nathan Skinner, is that right?’

‘Yes.’

‘You discovered this affair because the defendant brought it to your attention, is that right?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did Jay Ferris have a history of animosity with Nathan Skinner?’

‘Yes, he did.’

‘In fact, Nathan Skinner was fired from the Duluth Police because of columns written by Jay Ferris, is that right? Columns in which he cited Nathan Skinner’s use of vile racial slurs?’

‘In part, yes.’

‘Did Nathan Skinner assault Jay Ferris after he lost his job?’

‘Yes, there was one such incident.’

‘During the course of your investigation, did you find evidence that Jay Ferris had discovered the affair between his wife and Nathan Skinner?’

‘Yes.’

‘Is it reasonable to conclude that this information would have upset Mr. Ferris?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘Mr. Ferris’s wife was sleeping with a man whom Mr. Ferris described in his columns as a racist, and you don’t think he would have been upset?’

‘I can’t speculate about Mr. Ferris’s reaction,’ Stride said.

‘Did you interview Nathan Skinner when you learned about his relationship with Dr. Snow?’

‘Yes, I did.’

‘Did Nathan Skinner admit to being angry at Jay Ferris?’

‘Yes, he did.’

‘Did Nathan Skinner have a verifiable alibi after 9:45 p.m. on the night of the murder?’

‘We confirmed he was at his apartment for part of the evening, but we couldn’t specifically confirm that he was there after 9:45 p.m.’