She gives me a sticky-sweet smile. “It’ll just take a few minutes,” she says. “Then we’ll get out of your hair.”

They are already walking up the stairs onto the deck, sitting down in the chairs on the other side of the small table.

Naomi pushes her badge across the table, Agent O’Mackey does the same.

“I hope we aren’t interrupting anything important,” Naomi says.

“I hope you didn’t follow me here, that’s what I hope,” I say.

Naomi takes me in, looking more than a little surprised at my tone. I’m too irritated to care. I’m irritated and more than a little worried they’ll demand to take Owen’s computer before I figure out what it has to tell me.

There’s also this. I’m thinking of Grady Bradford’s warning: Don’t answer any questions you think you shouldn’t answer. I’m bracing myself to heed it.

Jeremy O’Mackey reaches forward, takes his badge back.

“I assume you’re aware that we’re in the process of investigating the technology firm where your husband works?” he says. “We were hoping you could shed some light on his current whereabouts?”

I put the computer in my lap, protecting it.

“I’d like to, but I have no idea where my husband is. I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

“Isn’t that odd?” Naomi says, as if this has just occurred to her. “To not have seen him?”

I meet her eyes. “Very, yes.”

“Would you be surprised to learn that your husband hasn’t used his cell phone or any of his credit cards since yesterday? No paper trail at all,” she says.

I don’t answer her.

“Do you know why that might be?” O’Mackey says.

I don’t like the way they’re looking at me, like they’ve already decided I am keeping something from them. It is another reminder I don’t need that I only wish I were.

Naomi pulls a notepad from her pocket, flipping open a page.

“We understand you’ve been in business with Avett and Belle Thompson?” she says. “They have commissioned one hundred and fifty-five thousand dollars of work from you over the last five years?”

“I don’t know off the top of my head if that’s the correct amount. But, yes, they are clients.”

“Have you spoken to Belle since Avett’s arrest yesterday?” she says.

I consider the messages I left on her voice mail. Six of them. Messages that have gone unreturned. I shake my head no.

“She hasn’t called you?” he says.

“No,” I say.

She tilts her head, considers. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, I’m sure who I’ve spoken to and who I haven’t spoken to.”

Naomi leans forward, toward me, like she is my friend. “We just want to make sure you’re telling us everything. As opposed to your friend Belle.”