“At least she didn’t leave us. I take comfort in that.”

“Not in the way we thought.”

“Do you think it was me that harmed her?”

“I don’t know what to think.”

“I did love her. I know you don’t believe me, but I loved her with all my heart.” A tear trickled down each side of his face, but the effect was odd, like he’d suddenly sprung pinhole leaks. Personally, I thought it was the wrong time to try defending himself. Daisy didn’t seem receptive and she sure wasn’t interested in seeing him play victim. We all knew who the real victim was in the overall scheme of things.

“That’s no way to love, Daddy. With a fist? My god. If that’s what love is about, I’d just as soon do without.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“So you say. All I remember is your punching her out.”

“I can’t argue the point. Sometimes I hit her. I don’t deny the fact. What I’m saying is you can’t fix on one part and think you understand the whole. Marriage is more complicated than that.”

“You better hire yourself another lawyer, Daddy, because I’ll tell you what’s complicated. She was wrapped in a lace curtain and the dog’s skull was crushed.”

In the car driving back to her place, I kept my mouth shut, sensing she was in a dangerous mood. Finally she said, “I swear to god, if he killed her I want you to nail his ass.”

“I wish it were that simple, but it’s not up to me. This is a homicide investigation and believe me, the sheriff’s department doesn’t need my help or interference. I may be a licensed PI, but that cuts no ice with local law enforcement. The quickest way to alienate the cops is to tromp on their turf.”

Daisy’s face seemed set. “You owe me a day. I gave you a twenty-five-hundred-dollar retainer. Five hundred a day for five days and you’ve worked four.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“One day. That’s all I’m asking for.”

“Doing what?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something. I understand what you’re saying about the sheriff’s department, but at this point you know more about the case than they do.”

“True again,” I said. I had my own curiosity to satisfy, and I was already thinking of ways to do it that wouldn’t entail stepping on their toes. In times past, I may have been a teeny tiny bit guilty of crossing the line, but I was feeling virtuous this round. So far, at any rate.