“She freaked out over the blood,” Eve said.

“Blood?”

“It’s all over the place, Mr. Rawlins,” Duncan said. “It looks like a butcher shop in there.”

Jared stared at them for a long moment, studying their faces, adding something up in his mind. “You said Tanya and the kids are gone, right?”

“And the dog, too,” Eve said.

“So it’s just blood,” Jared said.

Duncan cocked his head, studying Jared now. “Just blood?”

“Look, we’re having some problems. I told her to move out. Maybe this is payback. Maybe she went batshit, tossed a bucket of pig blood all over the place, and hit the road.”

“That seems extreme,” Eve said.

“She’s an actress, or at least she thinks she is. She turns everything into a major drama. She’d love all this attention.”

Eve couldn’t reject the possibility that he was right, but the spatter told her a tale of violence that wouldn’t emerge from somebody simply splashing the blood around the house. And she had a hard time believing that Tanya would paint with the blood to create the impression of a terrible struggle.

Even so, Eve forced herself to keep an open mind to all possibilities. Making any assumptions this early in the investigation could lead to tunnel vision that would prevent her from spotting any evidence that didn’t reinforce her preconceptions. That was especially dangerous in the initial hours of an investigation. She’d learned that from books, not experience.

Duncan took his pad out of his back pocket and clicked his ballpoint pen for action. “When was the last time you saw her and the kids?”

“Tuesday night, before I went to bed. I left the house at three a.m. I had to get to Lancaster to start rigging the lights on a Kevin Costner western that’s being shot in the desert.”

“And you’re just getting back now?” Eve said. It was Thursday afternoon.

“I was bushed after shooting so I spent the night in a motel. To be honest, I was looking forward to a big bed. I’m tired of sleeping on the couch.”

“It’s your house,” Duncan said. “Why isn’t Tanya on the couch?”

“Because I’m a fucking gentleman.”

Eve saw that as an opening and took it. “Then you won’t mind being a gentleman and coming over to the Lost Hills station to answer some more questions for us.”

“Sure,” Jared said.

Duncan said, “How about letting us take a look at your truck?”

Jared dug the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Duncan. “No reason not to.”

“Thanks, we appreciate it.” Duncan tossed the keys to Deputy Ross, who caught them. “The deputy will give you a consent form to fill out and sign authorizing us to search your vehicle. When you’re done with that, we’ll give you a ride to the station.”

“Will you throw in a wash?” Jared asked, amused with himself.

“It’s a search,” Duncan said. “Not a detailing.”

Jared shrugged and swaggered off with the deputy to a patrol car to fill out the form. Eve and Duncan watched him go.