“If it was up to me, Kelly, I’d have lots to tell you and it would hit the paper tomorrow. Not because I care about you or your job but because it could be in my best interest. Unfortunately, by pulling that stunt at the parking lot, you made sure anything you write is going to be traced right back to me.”

“I … maybe that was poor judgment but what was my choice?”

Milo shrugged.

Kelly LeMasters said, “Okay, fine, no notes and I swear to protect your identity.” The pad and pen returned to her bag.

Milo said, “Same for the tape recorder you’ve got in there.”

“How … fine, you’re an ace detective.” She produced the machine, switched it off.

He took it, removed a mini-spool that he pocketed, returned the recorder.

Her nostrils flared. “You’re going to keep that?”

“For both our sakes.”

“Want to check if I’ve got a nuclear-laser thought-reader in here?”

“Nah, those are so twentieth century. So what do you want to know, Kelly?”

“After all that I have to ask questions? Just tell me what you’ve learned about those baby skeletons.”

“The first skeleton may not be related to a crime.”

“What makes you say that?”

“No signs of trauma or injury.”

“Maybe it was smothered or something.”

“Anything’s possible but I need evidence.”

“A body buried under a tree is evidence,” she said. “If no crime was committed why conceal it?”

“Could’ve been a death due to natural causes that someone wanted to cover up.”

“What kind of death is natural for a baby?”

“Disease.”

“Then why cover it up?”

“Wish I knew, Kelly. I may never know.”

“Why the pessimism?”

“Too old, too cold.”

“I assume you’ve traced the owners of the house.”

“You assume correctly. No leads, there.”

“I know,” said LeMasters. “I looked into it, myself. Found that old guy in Burbank, the whole John Wayne thing, he had nothing to say. Neither did anyone in Cheviot Hills. Including that kid who blabbed to the SMC paper. Her thing was I talk to Lieutenant Sturgis, no one else.”

Milo said, “Power of the press.”

“Yeah, we’re real popular—so I should just forget about the first one.”

“Probe to your heart’s content, Kelly. You learn anything, I’ll be grateful.” Sounding sincere. Not a word about Eleanor Green, a big blue Duesenberg.

Nothing from me to either of them about Dr. Jimmy Asherwood.

Kelly LeMasters said, “Okay, let’s get to the juicy one.”

“Once again, Kelly, there’s no evidence of trauma but I’m assuming homicide, because of the dead woman who was found across the park. Also, we’ve done prelim DNA on the bones and the baby was a girl.”

Kelly LeMasters didn’t emote. “Okay, go on.”

“By the state of her dentition two or three months old.”

“That’s it? What about the woman?”

Milo said, “Does it bother you at all?”