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Really? Why did Beau have to keep pushing and pushing? Even when Archie was agreeing with him. What did he want?

Archie gritted his jaw, said with strained politeness, “I’m going to go check all the doors and windows as soon as you leave. Which should be now, right? Or was there something else?”

“Yes.”

When Beau did not continue, Archie glared at him. He opened his mouth.

“What I was going to tell you earlier before you—” Beau rethought that. “Swenson finished going over all the footage from John’s security cameras. It’s not a full-on alibi, however, we were able to see that two and a half minutes after you entered the house, John walked out of this room, onto the terrace, and went into the garden.”

Archie nodded automatically.

“We know, because we can see on the video. You didn’t go outside again until twenty-eight minutes later when you also walked out of this room, onto the terrace, and went into the garden.”

Archie nodded again.

“It doesn’t prove that you couldn’t have hired someone to kill John. But it does mean you didn’t kill him.”

Archie said bitterly, “Great. I’ll cross myself off my list.”

Irritation flashed across Beau’s face, he started to speak, but then, astonishingly, he said, “Look, it was on Sunday. I applied for the warrant Sunday morning. At that time, I had no idea if you were involved or not. I assumed not, but I can’t go on assumption. Any more than you would in my place. Also, if I’m being honest, I was still pissed off about the there was never anything for me here comment.”

Oh. That.

Beau’s honesty compelled Archie to equal honesty. “It was a stupid thing to say.”

“Yes. It was.” Beau seemed to struggle with himself before adding gruffly, “As stupid as me saying you should go to Alaska because there was nothing for you here.”

That…was so much more than Archie had ever expected to hear from Beau.

Surprise held him silent, then he stumbled through his own sort-of apology. “Sorry. I was— I appreciate you letting me know. I appreciate you checking the front door. I appreciate the due diligence.”

Beau nodded, glanced at the portrait over the fireplace. He turned back to Archie, studied him.

After a moment, he said, “What happened in Wyoming?”

Archie shrugged. “You know the gist of it.”

Beau’s smile was cynical. “Yeah, I don’t mean the part where you save the day. I mean the part that makes you look like you got hit by a car more than when you actually got hit by a car.”

Archie made a pained expression.

Beau sighed. “Crane.”

Archie remembered that Beau had had a long day and was probably under tremendous pressure to get John’s homicide solved and someone charged. Someone most likely meaning Archie. As much as he blamed Archie for all the things he still he blamed him for, he was doing his best to be fair.

Beau said quietly, “It helps to talk, which I’m sure you know. So, talk. What happened?”

Would it help to talk to Beau? Archie had his doubts. Anyway, the Bureau provided counseling and support services. Support and services Archie was never going to take advantage of. Though he probably should, because from the minute he had arrived in Twinkleton, something in him had started to give way, his normal restraint crumbling beneath the weight of holding back so much feeling for so long…

Like that kids’ game where you kept adding marbles and pulling sticks until the whole thing came crashing down. KerPlunk.

He heard himself say, “It was an undercover gig.”

Beau knew that, of course. “Right. Deep cover is difficult. Especially for such a long time.”

“Yes. But it’s not just the logistics of it. It’s… You go in with the aim of convincing people that you’re one of them, that you’re on their side. You befriend them in order to…”

You betrayed us! Kyle had screamed that into his face.