‘No? The thing is, I went to see Ham Brock again last week. I showed him the picture. He thinks Deacon was the mole inside the Alliance back then. And that made me think about you telling me how you always liked to have your own person on the inside, reporting to you. Did you use Deacon to spy on the Alliance? Were you already thinking the Alliance might be useful to take the fall if things went bad with Birch?’

Her first instinct was to give in to her agitation, but she held herself back. She knew he was baiting her. She wasn’t going to let him win. Instead, she eased back on the bench without a care in the world. ‘Ham Brock,’ she said. ‘You consider him a reliable witness, do you?’

‘In this case, I do. Did Lyle know you were using his brother as a spy?’

‘Of course not, because it’s not true.’

‘Just to satisfy my morbid curiosity, how far did the relationship with Deacon go? Did you sleep with him?’

Her head snapped around. ‘You’re on dangerous ground, Cab.’

‘I just wondered if Deacon was in love with you. It seems like he was ready to do anything for you. He killed Birch. He almost killed Diane. He even made sure you wouldn’t get blamed if he got caught. That’s chivalry. Deacon meeting with Ham Brock a few months ago – that was a nice touch. Brock said Deacon spent half an hour bragging about everything that Diane was going to do against supremacist groups when she was elected. Were you hoping that Brock would put out the word? More rumors about the Alliance when Diane was killed? Of course, it didn’t really matter what Deacon said to Brock. If Deacon got caught, the meeting alone would make people assume the Alliance was involved.’

Caprice said nothing at all.

‘Not that Deacon planned to get caught,’ Cab said. ‘He intended to frame Frank Macy. But what was your plan, Caprice? Did you plan to kill Deacon all along?’

‘Ashes to ashes,’ Caprice said in the doorway of the garage.

Deacon had the gun in his hand and pointed it at her with a swift seamless whip of his arm. Instinct. She didn’t flinch. Instead, she stood there, rain-soaked and wanton, her clothes like film on her body. The tiniest of smiles creased her face. Strange how she could smile knowing what was about to happen, but then, how could you not smile when you will soon have what you have always craved?

She came to him, dripping. ‘Are you scared?’

‘No.’

‘It will all be over soon.’

‘I know.’

Her fingers stroked the barrel of the gun, which was hard and long. She felt his excitement.

‘I want to see the body,’ she said.