“Got a pencil?”

“Hold on, I just got in.” He kicked his chair out and took a pen from his shirt pocket. “Let me find something to write on. Where are you?”

“Morgue. Been here for a while.”

“Great way to start the day.”

“At least no one here gives me lip.”

Decker fished through his desk drawer and pulled out his notepad. Pen poised, he said, “Shoot.”

“Prelim forensics,” Marge said. “Rigor was gone, M.E. said the bodies were at least forty-eight hours old. That clicks with the maggot development. Entomologist found maggots in varying degrees of development—oldest eggs having been laid around two—three days ago. Mostly housefly, blowfly, and blue-bottle maggots, the latter two most common among bodies left outdoors. But the windows were left open, so those kind of flies had ready access to the bodies.”

“Okay,” Decker said. He was scribbling as fast as he could. “Got it.”

Marge continued. “I spoke to Crandal this morning—woke the son of a bitch up at six in the morn—and he informed me that the Western Beekeepers Association Twentieth Annual Convention started three days ago, the Darcys showing up on the first day.”

“How many people went down there?”

“Uh, I asked, I have to find it in my notes…here it is. Two hundred thirty-six registered, believe it or not. It’s the big hoo-ha for professional and amateur apiarists.”

Decker thought out loud to Marge. According to the time frame, the murders could have taken place before the convention started, or one of the family members could have driven back from Fall Springs, done the murders, and then returned before they were missed. None of the family really had an ironclad alibi.

“You’re right about that,” Marge said. “Anyway, family’s been notified. Prelim interview, Crandal says nothing to write home about, everyone’s shell-shocked. I just got off the phone with the sister who lives here—Sue Beth Litton—who was only semicoherent at best. The whole crew’s staying down south until Sue Beth can—this I quote—‘get this mess straightened up.’ Fall Springs SD has them under watch.”

“Sue Beth sound choked up?”

“Actually, she did,” Marge said. “Stunned. First thing she asked about was Katie. Crandal must have told her that the kid was alive. Sue Beth seemed very anxious to get her out of the foster home. She said she could make it back up here around four, take the burden off her parents’ shoulders. I told her I’d take her to Katie, but first she’d have to stop by here and formally identify the bodies. She was really upset about that, but agreed. I just looked at the corpses an hour ago. You can distinguish features, but they’re in terrible condition due to all the bloat. I hope she doesn’t freak out.”

“You can handle it,” Decker said.