Carl nods soberly. “Her name is Cleotha Booker. She’s a widow. Long time now. She’s real old and mostly keeps to herself. Daddy talked to her about you. She refused to speak to you at first, but then she found out you were Dr. Cage’s son. She said if you were willing to drive down to Athens Point, she’d talk to you. But she told Daddy right up front that she doesn’t know anything about who killed her boy.”

“Damn. And her daughter-in-law?”

“She passed way back in ’67 or ’68. Committed suicide up north somewhere.”

“That’s what my dad remembered, too.”

“Don’t sound like much of a lead, Penn.”

I shrug. “You never know. I’ve broken cases with less.”

Carl takes a long swallow of Corona. “So, Mr. Mayor. Who is that hot thing upstairs?”

“Serenity? She’s a writer, like I said. She’s in town doing research.”

Carl manages to hold a neutral expression for about two seconds. Then he breaks into wild laughter and slaps his thigh with his free hand. “Lord, is she hot! Ain’t no way that girl was in the army. No army I was ever in, anyway.”

Carl has got me chuckling with him. “She’s not hard to look at, I’ll grant you that. She is about ten years older than you, though. I figured you’d see her as an old lady.”

Carl draws his head back like I’m a drunk driver who just swore he’s sober. “Get out with that shit. I’d trade ten college girls for a night with that lady up there. That’s a real woman. You can tell.”

“I think you’re probably right. You ought to read her book.”

Carl’s serious look returns, but then he breaks up again. “I might read a chapter if it’ll get me a chance to talk to her.”

“Hell, you can go up and talk to her right now.”

“Penn, Penn, Penn—I mean talk to her. Man, you’re old sometimes.”

Forty-five minutes later, Carl looks well on his way to getting his wish. The off-duty security guys are sitting on the back porch drinking beer. Annie is doing something on her computer, and Mia looks content reading on the sofa with her feet kicked up on the arm. I’m putting away dishes when I decide to ask Carl something about the sheriff in Lusahatcha County. Before I go looking for him, though, he and Serenity appear in the kitchen doorway.

“I’m gonna take Tee to see a couple of things before the sun goes down,” Carl says, looking innocent as a choirboy.

“Great,” I reply, just as innocently. “Get her to tell you about our visit to some Double Eagles this morning.”

“The mayor is easily impressed,” Tee says from behind Carl. “Let’s go. Sun’s going down.”

Ten seconds later the front door slams.