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"If he’s not at Stanislaus thishim in," Dix said "Noe can’t break Helen’s alibi for hi with Dr Himple She nodded, shook his hand, and walked over to theled There are no defensive wounds because whoever killed her probably crept up on her while she was asleep, garroted her, and it was over quickly I’ll bet she called Dr Holcombe, Dix Out of love or loyalty?"

Savich nodded "That’s ere saying We need to trace her ot a couple of good people to put on this?"

Dix nodded "Whenher at Stanislaus, Uncle Gordon wasn’t there, as I told you He was over in Gainsborough Hall, the big perfor to some pieces to be played at the concert next month We’ll find out who saw her before she left the campus We can check her phone records--maybe she called him at the auditorium"

Ruth said, "Maybe Helen called someone else, maybe she couldn’t remember all the names and she knew of someone else who knew, or she called one of the women"

Dix pulled out his cell and punched in his office He said to his dispatcher, "Aet Penny, Emory, and Claus in I’ll meet them at the office in twenty , then flipped his phone shut, and pocketed it "Amalee already knew," he said He shook his head "Of course she knew" He scuffed the toe of his boot against the living roo and cursed under his breath

They searched Helen Rafferty’s shly There wasn’t o, according to her brother, preferring to have few possessions But she loved photos They were everywhere, on every surface Mostly family They did find some five-year-old notes Dr Holcombe had written to her in a little box with a ribbon tied around it in her underwear drawer Not hot and heavy love notes, but things like Dinner tonight, at your place? or Meet me at my house at six o’clock

It was all incredibly sad, Ruth thought

Helen Rafferty’s empty desk at Stanislaus was pristine, not a loose paper anywhere Her computer screen looked polished Since Dr Holcoh all her desk drawers, but found nothing of interest Soon everyone on campus would want to knohat had happened Everyone would be upset and confused--first Erin Bushnell, now the director’s personal assistant Soon, Dix thought, everyone would be scared

Dix was starting up the Range Rover when his cell phone rang He hung up a moment later "That was Chappy He said Twister is at Tara, drinking his Kona coffee, eating Mrs Goss’s scones, and is of no use to anyone at all He said Twister told hi and sniffling Chappy sounded disgusted"

The sun wasn’t shining The sky was steel-gray, heavy snow-bloated clouds dotting the horizon, and it seemed as cold as the South Dakota plains Dix had visited years ago with Christie and the boys

Dix kept to the back roads and pushed the Range Rover well beyond the speed lih "Snow," he said to no one in particular "Probably by afternoon"

They pulled into Tara’s long drive twelve minutes later "I wonder where my law enforcement officers are," Dix said "I was over the li, they know it"

"You’re the sheriff," Ruth told hionna pull you over? I don’t think so When was the last ti?"

"Point e Rover to a stop, he said, "If you guys will bear withmy uncle about his affairs with Erin and the others in front of Chappy He’d probably hoith laughter, say he thought Twister was io on forever We really can’t interrogate him here I want to confront him about Erin and Helen when he’s away froation, Dix," Savich said "Your call"

Chappy answered the doorbell again, wearing a pale blue cashmere sweater, black wool slacks, and loafers

"Is Bertra around her house, his sister told ets out of bed Not a good patient, is Bertraot here, Dix I knoister killed Helen Coet hi the Feds around" He stepped back, waved them all in