“Good question,” Decker said. “Maybe they were there for moral support for Linda, maybe Carla was after money from Luke and she wanted moral support from Linda, maybe Rolland was running away with one of the gals. A whole lot of reasons for involvement. But let’s just concentrate on Luke and Linda for the moment.”

“Okay.”

“Something primal made mild-mannered Luke explode,” Decker said. “In the past, Luke had tolerated his wife’s wild ways. But suddenly harsh words were exchanged, and Luke blew up and called Linda a whore. Then Linda got upset and called Luke the ef word.”

“What about Earl saying that Luke called Linda a pimp?” Marge asked.

“Well, that doesn’t make any sense.” Decker’s eyes widened. “Unless…unless Luke called Linda a whore, then Linda turned around and called him a pimp.”

“But—”

“Try this on,” Decker interrupted. “Linda was fooling around, but we suspect she was really trying to get pregnant, right?”

“Right.”

“So suppose…suppose, Linda stopped taking fertilization treatments because Luke refused to pay for them anymore. You know, I found out any kind of insemination procedure can cost thousands of dollars a shot.”

“That much?”

“Yep,” Decker said. “Eight years of treatment, figure two to three times a year. That can add up to beaucoup bucks. Now let’s suppose with the cocktail mixture of other men’s sperm, Luke figured that the likelihood of the kid being his was remote.”

“Go on.”

“Now take into consideration all those comments about Luke being cheap like his pappy.”

Marge nodded for him to continue.

“Okay.” Decker felt hot now. He suddenly saw Marge grab her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Marge answered through gritted teeth. “I keep getting all these goddam flares of pain.” She dropped her hands. “They come on suddenly, go away just as fast. But they’re a real pain in the ass…or the head.”

“You need something?”

“No more pain meds, Pete,” Marge said. “They’ve already dulled whatever gray matter I have left.”

“You shouldn’t be working.”

“Then what should I be doing? Moping around? Thinking about how I fucked up?”

“You didn’t fuck up.”

“Of course I did. I missed him, Pete. Asshole was right in front of my face, and I didn’t see him.”

“So now you know you don’t have sonar,” Decker said. “Margie, A: You didn’t fuck up. And B: Even if you did, what can you do about it? No one except yourself got hurt, Detective Dunn. You’ll get a commendation for an A-one collar—”

“But I know what happened.”

Decker threw up his hands. “So beat your breasts and wrap yourself in sackcloth.”

“Love your sensitivity, Pete.”

“Kiddo, all my sensitivity is reserved for the rape survivors. Whatever’s left goes to Rina.” Decker thought a moment. “And she doesn’t exactly get bushels full herself. You, being my partner and peer, get the standard male macho fuck-it-all-and-let’s-tank-ourselves-into-oblivion speech.”