“I am. Brookes is one of Sutton Montclair’s best friends. She’s been incredibly helpful to the investigation into Montclair’s disappearance.”

“If what I am being told is true, you should pick up Mademoiselle Brookes as quickly as possible. She could be a very dangerous person.”

Holly listened in utter disbelief as Badeau talked. After fifteen minutes, the woman said, “I will send you all the supporting documentation I have. We are, as you can imagine, very anxious to speak with Mademoiselle Brookes, and Monsieur Duggan is currently being searched for by your FBI. I am hopeful they will find him quickly.”

“I need a number where I can reach you immediately, at all times.”

Badeau rattled off a string of numbers. Holly gave her own mobile number, and the direct number to Homicide, too, just in case. She hurriedly thanked the inspector, hung up, and rushed into the conference room. It had been disassembled, the murder investigation had moved to the squad room, but Jim was still in there with his computers.

“Where’s Moreno?”

Jim pushed his glasses up his nose. “Home. Getting some sleep. I don’t think I’ve seen him shut his eyes all week. What’s wrong? You look like your hair’s about to burst into flame.”

“It is. I need you to do your magic for me.”

“Lay it on me, sister.”

“A few days ago, Ethan Montclair asked me if passwords could be changed remotely.”

“I remember. Of course they can.”

“Could someone from outside be watching their cyber tracks?”

“With all the malware the Montclairs have on their computers, the Russians could be spying on them. But, Holly, it’s been pretty clear all along Montclair was the one spying on his wife.”

“What if it wasn’t him? Is it possible to mimic the IP address so it looks like it came from his computer?”

“Again, sure. But you don’t think Montclair is innocent of all this now, do you?”

“I don’t know what to think. But tell me this. If someone wanted to really screw with a person, make it look like they’ve been harassing someone, it’s doable, right?”

Jim started to look excited, all notes of exhaustion gone from his voice. “Are you saying there’s a third party involved?”

“Exactly what I’m saying.”

“Montclair’s been claiming this Colin Wilde person has been harassing him and his wife for months now.”

“And everything we have says Colin Wilde is a sock puppet created by Montclair to terrorize his wife, to cut her down, ruin her career. That Montclair himself was responsible for all of it. But what if we’re wrong? What if Colin Wilde is real?”

“I’ll bite. Who is he?”

“If Sutton Montclair is to be believed, he’s probably a man named Trent Duggan. And he’s working with Ivy Brookes.”