“Couple of the residents have big mouths,” McKay went on. “That’s not a problem, though. The elderly often confuse reality and fantasy. No one pays them any mind. But Tandy wouldn’t let go. She started prying into my affairs to prove what I was doing. Tandy may be nuts, but she’s not stupid. When she makes up her mind, she’s relentless. Just like she is now with buffing. She wanted me, she was going to have me. Once she knew about my pocket change, I started doing favors for her.”

Decker said, “Leek, describe the dead body to me.”

McKay spoke softly. “It was a black woman. She wore a nurse’s uniform. Her face had been bashed in.” He buried his head in his hands.

“Did you know for certain she was dead, Leek?”

Beltran held up his hand and whispered something in Leek’s ear. A moment later, McKay answered yes to the question.

“Did you take her pulse?” Decker said. “Did you check to see if she was breathing?”

“I just knew she was dead, Sergeant. Why else would Marie be putting her in a body bag?”

Decker said, “But you’re a nurse, Leek. Wouldn’t doing something like that be second nature?”

“Don’t answer that,” Beltran said.

“I’ve been a nurse in a geriatric home for five years, Sergeant,” McKay continued. “I’ve been around enough bodies to know when someone is dead. They have a look…the eyes…the pupils…dilated. That vacant stare. I…” McKay held his hand to his mouth. “She was a mess. Her face had been smashed…front part of her skull, too. Her brains…you could see her brains. She’d been hit very hard.”

“Hit?” Marge asked.

“Hit as in smashed up with a hammer.” He shuddered. “I’ve seen more dead people than I’d care to remember. But I’ve never seen someone messed up like that.”

“Was the closet a mess, too?” asked Marge.

“No…not…I don’t remember. Maybe they cleaned it up before I got there.”

Decker said, “Any idea who messed the body up?”

“Marie said…” McKay swallowed hard. “Marie Bellson said that she did everything. So I guess Marie was the one who did the bashing.”

“Did she say she did the bashing?” Decker said.

“Not the bashing specifically. Just that she did everything.”

“Who do you think did it?” Marge said.

Beltran said, “What he thinks is irrelevant.”

“I’ll repeat what you said, Counselor. This isn’t a trial, just an interview.”

“I said a fact-finding interview.”

McKay blurted out, “I don’t know if Marie would have the strength. But Tandy does. She’s a strong woman.”

Decker knew Leek meant Tandy was strong in more than one way. “How’d you get the body out to the car?”