“I made the same mistake that the police did. I have been looking in the wrong place. The point of intersection between the Claudia and her impostor was never New York City. I now believe that it was Idylhaven.”

“Based on what?”

“One reason I have little regard for rehabilitation programs is that I feel contempt for the philosophy behind them. They encourage people to spill out their guts, as it were, and feed them platitudes. Think about the woman who impersonated Claudia, and what she knew of her. It was all knowledge that could have been gleaned in some ridiculous group-counseling session.”

I’d had a similar thought early on, but the last thing I wanted to do now was agree with Tariq. “Have you found any proof? Anything we could show to the police?”

“I do not trust the police. They do not care about finding Claudia. If they did find her, they would blame the death of her doppelgänger on her.”

“Just tell me this.” I tried to keep my tone neutral. “Claudia asked Martin for money to go back into rehab. What happened between the two of you that she didn’t ask you?”

“Claudia asked Martin Sklar for money?” He shook his head. “Who told you this fable?”

“Martin admitted it. You haven’t answered my question. Why wouldn’t Claudia ask you for money if she needed it?”

Tariq brushed some invisible lint from his suit jacket, then adjusted one of the French cuffs of his shirt. “She has said that she finds me controlling,” he said quietly. “Also overprotective, territorial, and jealous.” He rubbed his eyes absently with one hand. “I do not disagree with her assessment. My defense is that I know what is good for her better than she does.”

“She can’t be told what to do. Never could, even when she was little. She was always a rebel.”

“She goes out of her way to horrify people. This gothic love of hers for self-destruction and ruin,” Tariq commiserated. Something like a smile moved furtively across his face, but it was gone in an instant. “I can tell you that she detested Martin Sklar. I have a difficult time believing Claudia asked the time of day, or anything else, of him.”

“What do you mean, she detested him? She propositioned him.”

“Of course,” said Tariq. “To open your eyes as to what a poor excuse for a man he happens to be. Claudia has always found your fiancé particularly loathsome. She said that he was a charming, shallow ne’er-do-well like your father, and that he’d drive you to drink and an early grave like your mother.”