DECKER SPLIT THE kids up, choosing to interview the girl first, making the guy wait and more anxious. Nervous people talk even more freely. He told Tyler to take copious notes, then he opened the door to the first of two interview rooms that the station had. There were no other places for private conversation other than the jail.

“Thanks again for coming down.” He handed Lucy a bottle of water.

“Do you have hot water?” she asked. “It’s freezing in here.”

“I’ll get it,” McAdams said.

The kid was learning. Decker said, “I know it’s late. I’ll try to make this quick. What did you know about Angeline Moreau?”

She shrugged. “Like I said, I barely knew her.”

“I’m sure Lance told you things about her.”

She tried to cross her arms. Awkward because she still had her bulky coat on. “If you want to know about what Lance thought of her, ask him.”

“Right now I’m asking you.” Decker pulled his chair closer to her. “This is just fact finding, Lucy. I’m not trying to box anyone into a corner. And whatever you thought about Angeline, no one deserves to be snuffed out like that. Help me out.”

Her eyes watered again. “Honestly, she was full of herself. She was pretentious . . . an artsy, fartsy opinion on everything. I don’t know how Lance put up with it for so long. He’s kinda . . . basic.”

“Why do you think he liked her?”

“Probably the sex was hot.” She shrugged. “Isn’t that usually the reason guys put up with crazy girls?”

McAdams came in with the hot water for her and two cups of coffee for them. “I don’t know how you take it so I put in some sugar and milk.”

“Thanks, it’s fine.” Decker took a sip. He wasn’t used to the watered-down stuff. He liked his mud without any accoutrements. “We were just talking a little bit about Lance, Terry.” He turned his eyes back to Lucy. “What do you mean when you say Lance is basic?”

“Well . . .” She sipped hot water, which must have warmed her up. She took off her jacket. “Lance plays football for Littleton . . . that’s kinda like saying you’re a caddy for Tiger Woods’s caddy. Our sports teams aren’t in competitive divisions other than tennis and maybe water polo. The football teams play small liberal arts colleges in the area as well as each other.”

“Did Lance come here on a football scholarship?”

“No, his family has money.”

“Where is his family from?” McAdams asked.

“Manhattan. The Upper East Side.”

“Groton?”

“Horace Mann. I’m from Groton. Were you in Groton?”

“Phillips Exeter,” McAdams said. “What’s Lance’s major?”

“Performing arts, acting. That’s where we met.”

“You’re an actress?” Decker asked.

“Actor.”

“Right.” Decker smiled. “Is that how you met Angeline?”