“Hardly at all. Most of our outings were of the male-bonding variety—catching a game, playing a game, or betting on a game. And yes,” he turned to D.D. as if already anticipating her complaint, “it’s possible such activities made Trooper Leoni feel excluded. Though from what I remember, she also follows the Red Sox, with the whole family attending many of the games.”

D.D. scowled. She hated it when she was so transparent.

“And Trooper Leoni’s alcoholism,” Bobby asked quietly. “That ever come up?”

“I was aware of the situation,” Hamilton replied just as evenly. “To the best of my knowledge, Leoni had successfully completed a twelve-step program and remained on track. Again, no history of incidents or complaints.”

“What about that whole matter of her shooting and killing someone when she was sixteen?” D.D. asked.

“That,” Hamilton said heavily, “is gonna bite us on the ass.”

The bluntness of his statement took D.D. by surprise. She had a moment, then got it. The press digging deeper into Boston’s latest femme fatale, demanding to know what the state police were thinking, hiring a trooper who already had a history of violence …

Yep, the LT would have a lot of explaining to do.

“Look,” the commanding officer said now. “Trooper Leoni was never charged with a crime. She met all of our candidacy requirements. To refuse her application—that would’ve been discrimination. And for the record, she passed the Academy with flying colors and has performed exemplary in the line of duty. We had no way of knowing, no way of anticipating.…”

“You think she did it?” D.D. asked. “You knew her husband, her child. Think Tessa killed them both?”

“I think the longer I stay in this job, the less I’m surprised by all the things that should surprise me.”

“Any talk of marital problems between her and Brian?” Bobby asked.

“I would be the last to know,” Hamilton assured him.

“Noticeable changes in behavior, particularly the past three weeks?”

Hamilton tilted his head to the side. “Why the past three weeks?”

Bobby merely studied his superior officer. But D.D. understood. Because Brian Darby had only been home for the past three weeks, and according to his personal trainer, he’d returned from his last tour of duty not very happy with life.

“There was one situation that comes to mind,” Hamilton said abruptly. “Not involving Trooper Leoni, but her husband.”

D.D. and Bobby exchanged a glance.