“He gave me hope only to let me down. He failed my wife. He failed me! When he was going to fail his own wife, it was just too much…the pain this man was spewing into the world.” Waterson wagged a finger. “Enough was enough.”

No one spoke for a moment.

“I was appalled when he told me he was of that persuasion. He told me he had never acted out, that he was leaving to sort out his feelings. But I didn’t believe him for a second.”

“Not a second, huh?” Webster said.

“Not a single second!” Waterson snapped back. “After what he did to my wife and me, Azor had zero credibility. Besides, one only had to look at whom he kept in his employ even after the man was shown to be a pervert. At that point, it was obvious why Azor remained loyal to such an abominable sinner.”

He stopped speaking.

Gilda said, “You may continue, Mr. Waterson.”

Waterson seemed suddenly deflated. “I just couldn’t let her down.”

Again, the room fell silent.

Kent said, “Who down?”

“Dolly.” Waterson looked up, eyes wet, nose red, lips trembling. “I have sinned. I’ve had adultery in my heart.”

Kent said, “You love her, don’t you?”

“I had always loved her from afar. Yet, for the sake of God, I kept my passions in check. Even after my wife died, I hid my true feelings. Almost an insurmountably difficult task. Because I saw her wither and suffer from emotional neglect day after day after day after day.”

His eyes moved downward.

“After Azor confessed his evilness to me, I knew I had to tell Dolly. Because she was a frail thing and had to be handled with utmost sensitivity. Something that Azor knew nothing about.”

“So you told her,” Martinez said.

Waterson nodded.

“Then what?”

“She cried to me…she cried to him. She begged him to reconsider. But just as God did to Pharaoh, Satan had hardened his heart. He turned obstinate, refused to hear her pleas. I mean, would it have been so hard for him to live out his life with her…at least for decency’s sake? That’s all we were trying to do. He could do whatever he wanted as long as he…kept quiet about it and stayed with her. I swear murder was never part of the plan.”

Webster said, “What was the plan, Mr. Waterson?”

“They were supposed to convince him not to leave her…and to keep his mouth shut.”

“Who are they?” Webster pressed.

“Stanislav, aka Sidewinder, Polinski and his group,” Waterson said. “He’ll tell you different. He’ll tell you I said vile things, told him to do vile things. But this isn’t so.”

“Who are Polinski’s accomplices?” Martinez asked.

“I never asked. I just told him to take care of it for me.”

“Take care of what?”