Oliver said, “Your husband also busted up Rudy’s drug business.”

“Rudy had a drug business?”

Her surprise seemed real. Decker said, “Rudy sold drugs to North Valley High. He used ghetto kids as runners because they were easy targets. One of his runners was Darnell Arlington. When Darnell got suspended, the whole business collapsed.”

Melinda said, “I didn’t follow what went on in my husband’s school.”

“But you knew Darnell Arlington.”

“I knew that my husband had a special interest in him. And I knew that Darnell had a grudge against Ben when he got expelled. But he had an alibi and that was that.”

“Rudy never mentioned anything about knowing your husband?”

“No, of course not. I wouldn’t have gone with him if he had. When I met him, he was pure punk—lots of drugs, kinky sex, and angry music. He was young, he was really good-looking, he was wild, and for a while, he was very exciting. Then it got boring. When he stopped giving me cash, I hooked up with Mudd, who was very generous. Why else would I have a fling with Ryan? It certainly wasn’t his dashing looks.”

Decker could see the calculated shrew inside the respectable woman. He said, “Where did Liam O’Dell fit into the string?”

“You don’t need to know all the sordid details, okay? It ended with Ryan. I did not murder my husband and I don‘t know who did!”

Decker raised a finger. “You cheated on your husband. You stole from his bank account. You resented his time away from you and his disinterest sexually. So tell me why I should believe that you had nothing to do with your husband’s murder.”

“How about this!” Melinda snapped back. “The police spent hours checking me out. They checked out my story on the evening of the murder and it was all true. They checked my phone records. They checked my financial records. They checked insurance policies. They checked if I had ever purchased any weapons. If I was cheating on him at the time…which I wasn’t, by the way. I had come to appreciate how much I had. I truly loved Ben.”

She became suddenly angry.

“Look, I’ve been cooperative. I’ve told you everything and I’ve talked without a lawyer. What more do you want from me?”

Oliver said, “Really quickly…you were interviewed at the time by Arnie Lamar and Cal Vitton. They’re the ones who cleared you?”

Melinda rolled her eyes. “I don’t know who cleared me, but they were the primary investigators in my husband’s case and, yes, I spoke to both of them many times. If you don’t believe me, go ask them.”

“I can ask Lamar; Vitton is dead.” When she didn’t react, Oliver added, “Suicide.”

She flinched. “When was this?”

“Right when we reopened your husband’s investigation,” Oliver said.