Senator Johnson was in Washington, D.C., last weekend. Paul Gilliard is shooting a movie on location in Santa Fe, New Mexico. And the sultan, whose full name is Omar Abdul Salah and appears to be worth over a billion dollars based on my research, was on a flight home from Paris on Saturday.

Jessie nodded quietly. Jamil was exploding every potential option in her tiny bucket of remaining suspects. As she sat swiveling in the chair in the darkened research room, she allowed the complete failure of their investigation to settle in.

Almost all of their suspects had airtight alibis. Even Jasper Otis, who Jessie still liked for this, had multiple witnesses whod offered statements on his behalf. Without formal evidence to contradict their claims, he would skate, just like hed skated on all the sexual allegations made against him. It was infuriating to know that her most credible suspect kept slipping just out of her grasp.

The only person without a solid alibi was the Humbert Humbert roadie, Davey Pasternak. Jessie was actually surprised that Karen hadnt already suggested they leave to pick him up. She guessed that it was just a polite delay, so as not to rub salt in the wound.

She closed her eyes as she swiveled. Something was still eating at her, something she couldnt quite put her finger on. It was poking at her, teasing her, taunting her. It came down to this: She couldnt get past the idea that Millys killer felt comfortable enough to carefully remove her blouse, then place her in a shower and turn on the water.

Who other than Otis would feel comfortable in the residential wing, as if they owned the place? And who knew Milly Estrada well enough that shed let down her guard? Jessie opened her eyes.

Do we have visual evidence of all three of those men being elsewhere or is that just what their schedules say? she asked.

Jamil looked taken aback, then slightly embarrassed.

Just schedules, he admitted. After I found those, I stopped looking.

Thats okay, Jessie told him, not wanting to be too harsh. But we should look now.

What are you thinking? Karen asked.

Jessie smiled at her even though she had no credible reason to.

Id be willing to bet that we wont find a single photo of one of them in the location his schedule says he was supposed to be.

Why not? Karen asked.

Because I think Millys killer is still in that house.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Jessies eyes were blurry from studying screens so intently.