This last question was asked separately of Catherine a few minutes later. She had been asked to stay in the living room, and the male detective remained with Majid while the woman went out to talk to Catherine, who affirmed that yes, Majid had been here all night, with her, following dinner at an Italian restaurant around the corner. No, once they returned to the apartment he hadn’t gone out for groceries or cigarettes or anything, and what was this about anyway? The woman detective looked up from her notebook and told her. Catherine’s reaction was a blank puzzlement. She didn’t know Ron Mayfield. She had never met him. But he was dead? That was terrible. But why were the police here? How did he die? Were they saying he was murdered? The detective said the death was being investigated, and she had one more question. How did Majid and his partner get along? Catherine actually had no idea. But she said, “Fine. Just fine.” As she was saying it, she realized it was actually probably true. She had never heard Majid say a negative word about his partner. (On the other hand, she couldn’t recall his ever saying anything about him at all.)

The detectives left, with a request that Majid meet them at his office so he could tell them if anything was missing. And perhaps answer a few more questions.

“Majid,” Catherine said. “I’m sorry. This is crazy. It’s awful.”

Majid nodded. Ron dead? It was awful. They had not been close, but they had been partners in the firm, and often dined together, and rarely fought, or even disagreed, until the recent business with Stavro. Which Majid had resisted cutting off.

“Do they think he was murdered?” Catherine said.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’d better go.” He found his jacket and walked out. Without kissing her, which was odd, because lately he’d been kissing her a lot.