Sherlock said, her voice matter-of-fact, “I noticed one of the kitchen chairs was pulled out from the table and faced out, toward the kitchen doorway. After you shot Mrs. Madison in the face, Ms. Storin, you sat in that chair with Mrs. Madison’s body nearly at your feet and waited for your ex-lover to return. When Dr. Madison came in he wasn’t alone, and I imagine you were surprised, but it didn’t deter you, probably didn’t even particularly concern you. You stood up from that chair and shot both men between the eyes. After you shot them, you did your best to make the murders look like a robbery, but of course no one bought that scenario for very long.” Sherlock paused a second, hardened her voice. “In short, Ms. Storin, you shot both men from at least twelve feet away, which means you’re an excellent shot.”

Storin stared at Sherlock with her cold flat eyes, raised her chin an arrogant fraction, and said in a voice as smooth as glass, “What you’re saying is impossible. I couldn’t do that. I barely know how to fire a gun.”

Clooney again pressed his hand on Storin’s and said, his voice dismissive, “I don’t know what you’re trying for, Agent Sherlock, with this tedious tale about the placement of a kitchen chair. It’s wild supposition, a not-very-clever spin on what might have happened.”

Storin shook off Clooney’s hand, sat forward, and now there was anger in her voice. “I understand what you’re doing. Your superiors sent you up here to close this case however you can, so you don’t continue to blunder around like incompetent clowns. Really? Me? Firing a gun from twelve feet away? That’s longer than this table. Impossible.

“You will listen to me now. After the FBI got involved, I was hopeful, all of Brickson was hopeful, this horrible situation would be resolved, the Madison murderer would be identified, but instead of doing your jobs and finding the murderer, you decided I was your best shot to save face, so you’ve continued to browbeat me.” Her voice dripped contempt. “So much for my prayers that there might finally be justice, that a man I cared about would be avenged.” She splayed her hands in front of her, small hands, buffed nails, no rings. “I am more than disappointed with the lot of you.”

Clooney nodded, looked pleased. “My client could not have summed up the situation better. Now, I expect you to make clear why you asked my client to appear here today or we are going to leave.”

It was hard not to applaud Storin’s brilliant performance, but Kelly kept her voice calm and steady. “We’ve asked you before about your frequent trips to Washington, D.C. Have you now remembered where you’ve stayed when you visited?”