“Without looking, I think I asked Sue Beth if she was sure they arrived before she did,” Marge said. “And she hesitated and said she was sure.”

Decker said, “Everyone I talked to at the beekeepers’ convention remembers seeing Pappy D before the Littons showed up,” Decker said. “But no one mentioned Granny D or Earl.”

Marge thought a moment. “That’s consistent with what Sue Beth said. She saw her dad but didn’t mention her mom or brother.”

“Maybe that’s why she paused when you asked if the whole family was up there when she arrived.”

“Pretty sharp, Sergeant,” Marge said.

“Only Crandal’s notes say that Pappy, Granny, and Earl came up at the same time. I don’t know if he assumed it or they actually claimed to come up at the same time.”

Marge said, “I’ll call up Sue Beth and check it out. She may tell me that she meant her whole family, but I’ll listen for a hinky tone of voice.”

“You’re good at hinky tones,” Decker said.

Hollander said to Decker, “You make a profile on all the guys Linda was balling? See if they have anything in common?”

“I did,” Decker said. “They don’t.”

“Give it to me,” Hollander said.

“Why not?” Decker tugged the Darcy file out of his drawer, pulled out the profile sheet, made a paper airplane out of it, and flew it to Hollander. “There’re only three on the ‘for sure’ list—Byron Howard, Rolland Mason, and now this Jim Grains. Creighton Donaldson is a maybe. I don’t have any proof on him.”

Marge said to Decker, “I’ve been going over your interview with Linda’s OB-GYN.”

“And?”

“Is it possible that Linda and Byron had an ongoing affair and Katie is Byron’s daughter?”

“I don’t think she’s Byron’s, but I don’t think she’s Luke’s, either,” Decker said. “I think Linda’s affair with Byron was discovered and stopped by Darlene before Linda could have become pregnant by him.”

“So we’ve got a missing link somewhere,” Marge said.

“Well, I don’t know who the link is,” Hollander said. “But I’ll tell you something about him.”

“What’s that?” Decker asked.

“He’s got a lot of kids,” Hollander said.

Decker and Marge looked at each other.

Hollander said, “Rolland had five, Byron has five, Grains has six—”

“Oh Christ, talk about being right in front of my face!” Decker was disgusted with himself. “Of course! Linda stopped artificial insemination four years ago. Too much pain, too much cost…She never gave up! She was trying to impregnate herself using men with good track records!”

“It worked,” Hollander said.

“You did good, Mike,” Decker said. “I screwed up, but you did real good.”

“Aw shucks,” Hollander said. “Want to show your appreciation? Find out if your lady has a cousin.”