Milo eyed the murals. Promethean figures lofting test tubes, holding calipers, watching sparks fly. “That would be a quantum leap, Tanya. Jordan’s lifestyle was what we call high-risk.”

“Dr. Delaware told me all that, but how can you be sure it’s not related?”

“We can’t, that’s why we’re here. You told Dr. Delaware you thought your mother brought up the ‘terrible thing’ because she was trying to protect you.”

“It was more a feeling than a rational thought, Lieutenant. I sensed it.”

“Nothing she actually said led you to that?”

“No, just her intensity. As if it was really important for me to have the knowledge. She used to say ‘Knowledge is power.’ It just felt like this was another example-pointing me in a certain way. That’s why I contacted Dr. Delaware.” Looking down. “So he could direct me to you.”

Milo scratched his nose. A pigeon swooped into the fountain’s plume. Drank, showered, shook its feathers dry, and departed. “Are you pretty aware of personal safety issues?”

“Am I in danger, Lieutenant Sturgis?”

“I’m not ready to put you in the witness protection program but I would like you to be careful.”

“About?”

“The basics. Keep your doors and windows locked, turn on your alarm when you get home, look around before you get out of your car, don’t talk to strangers. Stuff you should be doing anyway.”

“I am,” she said. A trio of pigeons dive-bombed the fountain. “Is Kyle considered a stranger?”

“Not anymore, I guess-Tanya, I can’t give you a cookbook. There’s no problem hanging with him at a public place. In fact, that could be a positive if in the course of hanging you learn something useful.”

“You want me to spy on him?”

“Sometimes things come out in the course of conversation.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe Kyle will recall something about his uncle that will help close this murder.”

“Did Kyle say he was close to him?” said Tanya.

“He said the two of them haven’t had contact for years.” Milo smiled. “Tanya, my bet’s on Jordan’s addiction and criminal history being the main factors in his death. But Dr. Delaware tells me you’re mature and smart and you seem that way to me. So I’m being straight with you. At this point, nothing can be ruled out.”

She thought about that. “Makes sense…I can see Kyle not wanting to hang with someone like that. Beer’s the strongest thing he takes.”

I said, “How’d that come up?”

She blushed. “We were discussing…values. I guess that sounds geeky.”

Milo said, “Tanya, if more people paid attention to values, I’d have more leisure time.”

I said, “You were talking about values and drugs came up?”

“Actually, I brought it up. I mentioned I was thinking of becoming a psychiatrist and that the whole biological revolution interested me. Kyle said he had a cousin who was on medication for all sorts of behavior problems and from what he’d seen, he wasn’t sure that was the way to go. We ended up talking about where you draw the line between treatment and fostering chemical dependency. That’s what we were discussing when you showed up.”

Bouncing her knees. “Maybe Kyle has reservations about medication because of his uncle’s problems.”

“Could be,” I said.

“If he’s someone I shouldn’t be hanging with, just tell me.”

Milo said, “Keep your eyes open and trust your instincts.”

Her eyes shifted to the entrance of the physics building. “Is inside Bergson Hall considered a public place?”

“For the time being, yes.”

She stood, began collecting the food and depositing it in a bag.

He said, “Have you found your mother’s gun?”

She stopped moving. “Do I need to learn how to use it?”

“I’d like to have it for a few days to run some tests.”

“You think it was used to do something criminal?”

“I’m sure it wasn’t but let’s verify that. Do you know where it is?”

She nodded. “Should I bring it to your office?”

“How about I pick it up? When will you be home?”

“Today?”

“Sooner is better than later.”

“Let’s see…around five, five thirty. Six to be safe, if I end up doing some studying after work.” Checking her watch. “I’m due at the library right now.”

“Go ahead, see you at six,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” she said. “And thank you for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate it.”

This time she held out a hand. Pumped Milo’s mitt then gave me a quick hug. “I know I’ve made things complicated…I feel safe with you on my side. Say hello to Dr. Silverman, Lieutenant. Mommy adored him.”

When she was gone, Milo said, “You lie to her, too?”

“You bet.”

“Good man.”

“One thing was true,” said Milo as we drove away from campus. “Can’t protect her twenty-four seven, she needs to look both ways and be smart. Think she got the message?”

“Probably,” I said. “All that gravitas you project. What did you learn from Kyle?”

“Uncle Lester was persona non grata, no one in the family had much contact with him. Last time Kyle remembers seeing him was after his parents divorced-shortly after the old man died. His mom and dad had been separated for a while and Kyle flew down from Atherton with her so she could get some art objects she considered hers. While she was scrounging, Jordan dropped by and Kyle answered the door. Jordan tried to make conversation, Mom saw who it was and told Kyle to go inside.”

“Kyle have any idea why Jordan dropped by?”

“Nope. But seeing as Jordan was an addict and she was supporting him, my bet would be he was hitting on her for extra cash. What did you lie to Tanya about?”

“I suggested Patty might have been helping Jordan with his addiction but said nothing about her feeding his habit.”

“All that medical-quality dope within reach and a junkie with a rich family. Yeah, it fits nicely, doesn’t it?”

I said, “Patty stayed there six years, got paid by the family to keep the black sheep out of their lives. The old man turned ill and his needs took priority over Jordan’s. When the colonel died, it was time for her to move on.”

“Moving her around like a chess piece.”

“Kyle’s mother has definite ideas about social class.” I told him about the daily purse inspection.

He said, “The wretched refuse. Still, if we’re right about Patty being helpful with Jordan, why not send her back to Cherokee after the old man was gone?”

“Jordan was Mrs. Bedard’s kin. I can see Mister not being thrilled about letting him live rent-free. Once he split from his wife, no more indulgence.”

“Good riddance to you and your loser brother,” he said. “Who just happened to be a pal of Lowball Leland Armbruster who just happened to get shot by a.22 while Patty was living a few blocks from the murder scene and just happened to own a.22. We handed Tanya a whole load of emotionally supportive bullshit, Alex. She was right to make the connection. Jordan survives twenty years shooting dope, we chat with him about Patty, and all of a sudden he’s sitting dead on his toilet. If ballistics matches Patty’s gun to the slug in Armbruster, we’re talking major-league complications. The kind that could lead to eliminating witnesses.”

“Jordan saw Patty shoot Armbruster? Who’d be threatened by that?”

“I’m saying Jordan knew something about the shooting that was worth killing for.” His cell chirped some kind of Hawaiian music. “Sturgis…hey, how’s it going…did you?” Big spreading smile. “Restores my faith in technology, kid. Yeah, let’s do that, say half an hour? The doctor’ll be there, too, maybe we’ll gain some deep intrapsychic insights.”

He hung up, still grinning.

I said, “Sean?”

“Petra. Jordan’s john was wiped clean and so was the inner sill of the open window. But the techies got a partial palm print from the ledge outside. Palms are finally being cataloged on AFIS and there’s a hit. Some naughty boy busted for assault last year. Ain’t it nice when the bad guys don’t learn?”