“From what I’ve been told, when they took the body, the scalp fell off. They bagged it and took it into evidence. Only it wasn’t a scalp. Once the ME started messing with it, he realized it’s a wig. The scalp of the victim was burned, and the real hair, if any, was seared away. This is definitely a wig.”

Ethan got a glance of strawberry and dirt, then the phone lit up, obscuring the picture. Robinson answered, smiled grimly, and pocketed the phone.

“It’s not her. Dental doesn’t match. They’re coming to let you go.”

Ethan was too shocked to fully comprehend what was happening. “But...her rings... Who is it? Who’s dead in the field?”

“Who, and who killed her, I dunno the answers to either. Truth be told, right now, I don’t care. All I know is whoever it is, it’s not your wife. And that’s very good news indeed for you, my friend. Without a body, everything they have is sketchy and circumstantial. You’re not in the clear by a long shot, you’re still their number one suspect, but now they have nothing definitive to hold you on.”

“What do they have? How in the world could there be evidence when I didn’t commit a crime?”

“Guy who runs the farm out there? He saw you walking in the field Thursday night. That’s pretty damning evidence for the cops, you being at the scene of the crime, after dark, with a witness to place you there.”

“But I went there to pay off Wilde.”

“So you say. The cops see suspect and dead body within five hundred feet of one another, and they draw their own conclusions. Anyway, there’s all kinds of computer stuff pointing your way, stuff I barely understand, and the search of your house turned up gas cans and rags in the garage, but that’s something I can easily explain away. Every responsible car owner has a spare gas can lying around. There’s something else happening, too. It’s to do with your son’s case.”

The thorn that had been pulled from his heart when he realized Sutton could still be alive smashed back into place. “What is it?”

“That’s what I need to find out. I was hopeful that there’d be a discovery after the arraignment this morning, but since you aren’t going to court, I’m not going to find out right now. My main objective is to get you home. We’ll go from there. They’ll be down here shortly. Ethan.” Robinson shook his finger. “Do not, I repeat, do not say anything, just gather up your things and leave. I’ll be waiting outside to drive you home.”

Ethan nodded. As Robinson was walking out, he said, “Joel?”

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t hurt her.”

Robinson nodded. “I know.”

* * *