Freeforall put up his flabby arms to protect himself. “Hey, hey! Okay! I’m not gonna mention her name.”

Amy gripped Jake’s shoulder. “It’s all right, Jake. Calm down.”

Dropping back onto the creaking chair, Jake pointed at Freeforall. “I don’t want any mention of any grad student. Get that straight!”

“Okay, okay,” Freeforall said, his eyes wide, fearful. “I’ll protect her identity.”

“You won’t mention that there’s a grad student involved in this!” Jake insisted. “I’m your source. If that’s not good enough, forget it.”

“Okay, you’re my source. I’ve got it.”

The blogger resumed the interview, finally asking, “But what makes you say the professor was murdered? The police say it was suicide.”

Jake replied evenly, “Professor Sinclair was killed by a bullet fired into his right temple. But he was left-handed. Somebody shot him. Somebody killed him and his wife, then went to Florida to murder Dr. McGruder so he couldn’t reveal that Mrs. Sinclair didn’t have cancer.”

“Wow!” said Freeforall. “And that same guy from Leeds’s office was in Vernon when the professor was shot and in Florida when the doctor died?”

“That’s right. The same man. Who works for Senator Leeds.”

Freeforall seemed to consider this for a long, thoughtful moment. Then he summed up, “So you’re saying that Senator Leeds is involved in gambling, drugs, and three murders.”

“I don’t know if the senator is involved directly. But somebody who works for him sure is.”

“The senator would have to know about it, dontcha think?”

Jake nodded. “Yes, I would think so.”

“Great!” Freeforall banged his computer keyboard with a stubby finger, then turned back to Jake. “Great. This’ll go out on the Net before lunchtime.”

Amy got to her feet, beaming. “You did a good job, Jake.”

Great job, Jake thought. Sure. It’ll help Tomlinson, in an underhanded way. Maybe it’ll help nail Nacho and Leeds and the rest of the bastards who’re behind the murders. Maybe it’ll make Glynis feel better. Maybe.

Jake stood up, shook hands with Freeforall, and left with Amy. He felt as if he needed another shower.

Documentary

DOCUMENTARY

With some trepidation, Jake logged onto the Freeforall blog that afternoon, in his office.

And there was his interview, in print, scrolling down his computer screen. True to his word, the blogger identified his informant merely as “a reliable source.” But there were all the other names: Senator Leeds, Nacho Perez, Professor and Mrs. Sinclair, Dr. McGruder in Florida, Captain Harraway in Vernon—and his insistence that Sinclair had committed suicide.

Now what? Jake asked himself. Does anybody read that grubby little guy’s blatherings?

His phone rang.

“Jake, have you seen the b-school’s student site?” Glynis asked, sounding excited.

“The business school—”

“They’re running an interview somebody gave to a blogger. It’s all about Arlan’s murder!”