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The cat’s eyes focused on me After a pause: “my sister”

“Why not Grace Smith?” I asked

His eyes narrowed and he assessed“She had a different last name”

I suppose it made sense Lindsey and Robin had different last names, different fathers Maybe Felix and Grace’s mother remarried Maybe Grace had beenoverly suspicious

I said, “I’m sorry for your loss”

His gaze would have cut un

He produced a photo from his portfolio and slid it across Peralta’s i woman had butterscotch hair with blond streaks, stylishly cut to hang slightly above her shoulders, large brown eyes, very pretty She didn’t look anything like hinetic The camera liked her She liked the camera

When the suit sleeve and French cuff rode up with his reach, I saw a multi-colored tattoo on his lower arun oncartels and didn’t know if our business was settled

“This condo” I studied his face “Was it hers?”

The skin around his eyes tensed “No”

I waited and after a full two ain

“It belongs to a man named Larry Zisman”

It sounded vaguely familiar but I couldn’t place it Smith sensed it, and continued

“He was an All-American quarterback for the Sun Devils back in the seventies, then he played pro for ten years before his knees recked”

“Now I remember,” I said “I never read about this in the newspaper”

“Funny about that,” Felix replied “Larry Zisman is a celebrity with a lot of powerful friends”

“Is he married?” I asked

“Very” Felix adjusted one leg and very slightly winced It was the first tih

The next question was logical enough, but Peralta didn’t ask it

“Note?” Peralta could be e than anyone I had ever met

“No She didn’t leave a note Nothing That’s one of the things I don’t like”

“What else makes you

doubt the police?”

“She was naked and her hands were bound”

Now he had runted and I heard his pen scratch along the paper