But as soon as the words are out of my mouth, I remember what Preston said that night years ago. In this very house. He hinted that Lance was crossing the line in some way with his students. But isn’t it likely Preston just meant the parties? I never thought it was a good idea for Lance to do it. And I never went despite being invited. The risk was too great. If one kid drank too much and wrecked their car going home . . .

But Lance is an adult, and I can’t stop him from doing what he wants to do. Preston is the only one who might be able to put a halt to it. Instead, he called the cops on me.

“I know Lance has the parties,” I say. “But that’s all I know. Zach’s the one we know assaulted two women. His wife and Madeline.”

Bowman runs her shoe over the carpet. Back and forth. “There’s also the matter of a murder scene that happens to be located in the vicinity of your family’s graves. It points directly to—”

“That’s enough, Detective,” Diana says. “That’s enough. My client was all set to come down to the station today and talk to you. And he was going to answer your questions under my watchful eye. But my client has been attacked and is quite shaken up.”

“Quite shaken? He seems okay.”

“He’s very shaken,” Diana says. “I can tell by looking at him he’s not himself.”

I sense Diana is exaggerating, playing for time. But to help her along, I slump in my seat, trying to look more out of it than I am.

Diana goes on. “And you have another man in custody who has assaulted your two victims. Any evidence you claim to have found on Madeline’s body could have been put there by someone else to frame my client. I told you there was someone in this house who could have taken a knife from my client’s kitchen.”

“But your client just said Zach Greenfield is denying killing Madeline or his wife.”

“You’re right, Alicia. Murderers always tell the truth. They never try to shift the blame onto someone else. Has anyone come forward who saw my client with Madeline?”

Bowman remains silent. She looks as contemplative as a monk.

“Everyone in town has access to that cemetery,” Diana says. “Even when it’s locked. I walk my dog there. Everybody walks their dogs there. Or they jog. Or they bird-watch. That fence is like Swiss cheese. Just because a grave in the area says ‘Nye’ doesn’t mean he did it.”

“We’d like to go ahead and search this house,” Bowman says. “Maybe there’s more evidence here that can help us.”