In contrast to Rudy Getz’s dramatic eagles, Larry Sterne’s driveway was marked by an ordinary mailbox next to an opening in a low fieldstone wall. The house, one of the eighteenth-century stone cottages typical of the area, was set back about two hundred feet behind a casual country lawn. Kim parked the Miata outside a detached garage.

The front door of the house was open when they got to it. The man standing just inside was of medium build and medium height, and appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties. He was dressed in a golf shirt, a rumpled cardigan, loose slacks, and expensive-looking loafers—all in shades of tan that blended seamlessly with his light brown hair.

According to Gurney’s recollection of the information in Kim’s blue folder, Larry Sterne was, like his murder-victim father whose practice he’d taken over, a top-shelf dentist.

“Kim,” he said smilingly, “nice to see you again. This would be Detective Gurney?”

“Retired,” emphasized Gurney.

Sterne nodded pleasantly, as though happy with the distinction. “Come in, we’ll use this room here.” As he spoke, he led them into a bright sitting room with wide-board floors and tasteful antique furniture. “I don’t mean to be rude, Kim, but I don’t have much time today, so I hope we can get right to the point.”

They sat in wing chairs arranged around a circular rug in front of a stone fireplace. The red-coal remnants of a fire made the room pleasantly warm.

“I know how you feel about RAM News,” said Kim with great earnestness, “but I felt it was important to try one more time to address your objections.”

Sterne smiled patiently. He spoke as one might to a child. “I’m always willing to listen to you. I hope you’re equally willing to listen to me.”

The man’s gentle tone of voice reminded Gurney of someone he couldn’t place.

“Of course,” said Kim, unconvincingly.

Sterne leaned a little forward, the picture of polite attention. “You go first.”

“Okay. Number one, I’ll be the person responsible for shaping the format and style of the series. So it’s not like you’d be dealing with some faceless media corporation. I’ll be conducting the interviews, asking the questions. Number two, the children of the victims—people like you—will be providing ninety-five percent of the content. Your answers to my questions are what it’s all about. The substance of the series will be made up almost entirely of your own words. Number three, I have no personal interest in anything but the truth—the true impact of murder on a family. Number four, RAM News may have its own corporate agenda, but in this case they are just the venue, just the communications channel. They are the medium. You are the message.”