It was a fairly sizable bedroom, clean and neat, with a canopied bed and white-painted furniture. It looked to Jake like the kind of room a family would have for a couple of daughters. Two windows flanked a glass door that led out onto one of the house’s upper balconies.

Perez was in his shirtsleeves and suspenders; his trousers looked baggy, overdue for a pressing. His jaw was stubbled, his thinning hair slightly awry. He was smiling, but Jake thought his eyes looked guarded, tired, dark with baggy sleepless rings beneath them.

“We want to ask you a few questions,” Jake began.

Glynis snapped, “We know that you murdered Professor Sinclair and his wife, and also Dr. McGruder.”

Perez stared at her for a wordless moment, then broke into a harsh, barking laugh.

Shaking his head, Perez said, “You kids been watchin’ too much TV.”

“We can prove that Sinclair didn’t commit suicide,” Jake said.

“So what?” Perez countered.

“You killed him,” said Glynis.

“In your dreams, kid.” Perez gestured to the sofa on the other side of the room. “Siddown. Take it easy and let me explain a couple things to ya.”

Jake led Glynis to the sofa, keeping a wary eye on Perez, who pulled a wooden chair from the corner by the windows, turned it around backwards and straddled it, arms on its straight back, facing them.

“You kids got a lot to learn,” he said. “You’re stickin’ your noses in places that could get you hurt.”

“You’re the one in trouble,” Jake retorted.

Shaking his head more in sorrow than in anger, Perez said, “I oughtta be sore at you two. I gotta sit here in this hick town ’cause you’re playin’ detective.”

“Senator Leeds sent you up here?” Glynis asked.

“Leeds?” Perez snorted disdainfully. “He’s just a front. He works for the big boys, same as me.”

“What big boys?” Jake asked. “Who are they?”

“Guess.”

“Las Vegas,” said Jake.

Perez grinned at him. “And L.A. And Chicago. They got their hooks in a lotta places.”

“Why did you kill Professor Sinclair?” Glynis demanded. “What did—”

“I didn’t kill nobody!” Perez snapped. “When they want somebody offed they bring in professionals.”

“But they did have Sinclair murdered,” Jake said.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Why?” Glynis asked. “Why murder a university professor. And his wife?”

“And her physician,” Jake added.

Perez heaved a patient sigh. “Look. You two are nice enough kids. Don’t get yourselves in this any deeper. Lemme give you some good advice. Go back home and forget about this. Leave the dead dead. You ain’t gonna bring ’em back.”

“But we can bring their murderers to justice,” Glynis said.