“No doubt he was on his farm,” Decker said. “And we won’t be able to prove or disprove it. But it won’t hurt to push him a little, see how he reacts. Also, maybe he knows something about Rolland Mason.”

Decker pushed the pedal to the floor and whizzed by the idyllic landscape, his mind trying to picture Byron Howard as the culprit. His extreme reaction: It could have been guilt, or he still carried the torch for Linda. Or maybe they were still seeing each other and no one knew about it. Then Luke found out and bam…But how did Carla Darcy and Rolland Mason fit into that scenario?

Witnesses?

Did Byron shoot everyone to get rid of witnesses?

Jigsaw-puzzle time. Can’t force the pieces in, they just have to fit.

Decker slowed when he reached the Howard Honey Farm sign, then pulled the unmarked onto the gravel path and parked next to the green shack-cum-business office. As luck would have it, Byron was in, perched behind the metal desk. And he’d thrown out the fly-studded pizza. The beekeeper said nothing as they walked in, but his eyes were anything but welcoming. Decker spoke first.

“We might have identified the other man who was murdered along with Luke, Linda, and Carla Darcy. Name Rolland Mason ring a bell?”

“No,” Howard said.

“Never heard the name before?” Marge asked.

“No.”

“He was a friend of Carla’s, maybe a friend of Linda’s too,” Decker said.

“Don’t know him,” Byron said.

“He was a biker.”

“Don’t know him,” Byron persisted. “Is that all?”

“No,” Decker said. “I need to ask you some questions about your affair with Linda Darcy.”

Byron turned deep red, but maintained eye contact with Decker. He said, “It was over afore it started, and it ain’t none of your business.”

Marge said, “It’s our business if it has anything to do with the murders.”

“It don’t,” Byron said.

“It was four years ago?” Decker asked.

Byron bit his lip. “About.”

“And it was just one time?” Decker said.

Byron bit his lip, didn’t answer right away. Finally, he said, “Yes.”

“At the Sleepy-Bi Motel?”

“Goddam big-mouth women,” Byron said. “I’m gonna kill both of them—”

“Like you killed Linda Darcy?” Decker said.

“Whatchu say, boy?” Byron coughed out.

Decker could almost see steam coming from his nostrils. “Just getting your attention, Byron. By the way, did you visit the Darcy farmhouse within the last week?”

“No,” Byron said. His voice became soft and furious. “No, I didn’t. And I didn’t have nothing to do with anything that happened over there. And I don’t know where I was every single second of the past week, so if you got something to say, say it. If not, get out of here!”