“No,” she said. “I mean he’s not a caring person, quite the opposite. But I never imagined … not until Dr. Delaware told me about the beeswax.”

“No idea at all what Mr. Rader’s motive might be?”

The question I hadn’t gotten to when the bell rang.

Her eyes filled with tears. “I have an idea. But not one that makes sense.”

“What’s that, ma’am?”

“It’s not rational. Not in terms of normal people, anyway,” she said. “I mean how can you ever explain things like that?”

“Explain what, ma’am?”

She pulled at her hair. “This is … even for him it’s—let me ask you one thing, Lieutenant. Was the baby in the park black?”

Milo looked at me. “Why would the baby be black, Ms. Moon?”

“Because the only baby I can think of who lived at my house since Boo—my youngest—was born was black. The mother was someone who worked for us. She went into labor early, actually delivered in her room in the staff house. Needless to say I was shocked. One day she’s pregnant, the next she’s got a baby. She said she delivered it herself. Her, a little girl. I wanted to get her to the hospital, she said no, she was fine. I thought that was absolutely crazy but she insisted and she seemed fine. Even though the baby was small. Not abnormal small, not a preemie. Everything seemed okay. Except for the blood and crud on her bed.”

She frowned. “My home, her delivery.”

“How long ago was this?”

“Maybe … four months ago?”

“What happened after that?”

“The baby was adorable—lovely little thing, great disposition. Cordelia. That’s the name the mother gave her. I gave the mother time off to care for her. Gave her some of Boo’s old baby clothes. Had Boo’s crib set up in her room. She repaid me by leaving without giving notice. That’s what I assumed—a flake-out. But now …”

“You think something worse happened.”

She didn’t reply.

Milo said, “Ms. Moon, why would Mr. Rader harm this particular baby?”

Long silence.

Prema said, “Maybe you can do DNA?”

“For what?”

“To find out who the father was.”

“You think it could’ve been Mr. Rader.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I know what he is. I didn’t know he could be that stupid.”

“What is he?”

“Anything with a vagina gravitates toward him. He doesn’t exactly play hard-to-get.”

“You suspect the mother of the child and Mr. Rader had an—”

“I don’t suspect, I know. Once, after her workday was over, I saw her go over to his place. After dark. Wearing a minidress. There was no reason for that, she worked for me. Watching my children.”

“Did you mention it to her?”

Head shake. “No big deal, everyone has sex with him, it’s about as meaningful as taking a drink of water.”