I shook my head and frowned. “I’m innocent,” I said to Nana and the kids. They knew that, of course.

“Until proven guilty,” said Jannie, with a little wink.

Chapter 75

THERE WAS A LOUD HUBBUB out in front of the house, and Jannie ran to the living-room window to look. She hurried back to the kitchen with wide eyes, loud-whispering, “It’s TV cameras and the newspapers outside. CNN, NBC — lots of them, like that other time, with Gary Soneji. Remember?”

“Of course we remember,” said Damon. “Nobody’s retarded in this house except you.”

“Oh, good Lord, Alex,” Nana said, “don’t they know decent people are eating breakfast?” She shook her head, rolled her eyes. “The vultures are here again. Maybe I should throw some meat scraps out the front door.”

“You go talk to them, Jannie,” I said, and looked back at the TV. I don’t know why I was feeling so cynical, but I was. My remark quieted her down for a half second, but then she figured it was a joke. She pointed a finger at herself. “Gotcha!”

I knew they wouldn’t go away, so I took my mug of coffee and headed toward the front door. I walked out into a beautiful fall morning, temperature probably in the low sixties.

Leaves rustled merrily in the elm and maple trees, dappled sunshine fell on the heads of the TV crew and print journalists gathered at the edges of our front lawn.

The vultures.

“Don’t be absurd and ridiculous around here,” I said, and then calmly sipped my coffee as I stared at the noisy press mob. “Of course I didn’t kill Detective Patsy Hampton, or frame anyone for her murder.”

Then I turned on my heel and walked back inside without answering a single question from any of them.

Nana and the kids were right behind the big wooden door, listening. “That was pretty good,” Nana said, and her eyes sparkled and beamed.

I went upstairs and got dressed for work. “Go to school. Now!” I called back to Jannie and Damon. “Get straight A’s. Play nicely with your friends. Pay no attention to the craziness everywhere around you.”

“Yes, Daddy!”

Chapter 76

ON ACCOUNT OF HIS REQUEST for diplomatic immunity, we weren’t allowed to question Geoffrey Shafer about Detective Hampton’s murder or anything else. I was incredibly frustrated. We had the Weasel, and we couldn’t get to him.

Investigators were lying in wait for me that morning at the station house, and I knew it was going to be a long and excruciating day. I was interviewed by Internal Affairs, by the city’s chief counsel, and also by Mike Kersee from the district attorney’s office.

Pay no attention to the craziness everywhere around you, I reminded myself over and over, but my own good advice wasn’t working too well.