Page 127 of Cold, Cold Bones

That surprised me. “Did you see something to suggest otherwise?”

“Just keeping an open mind. What else?”

“Baseball cap.”

“Baseball?”

“Jesus. Fine. He or she is wearing a brimmed cap of indeterminate affiliation.”

“What else?”

“I saw a flash when his left hand moved.”

“A weapon?”

“Or a laser beam. Or a Batman ring.”

Ryan looked at me.

“Just keeping an open mind.”

After fifteen more run-throughs, we gave up. The totality of our knowledge of the intruder was as follows: a tall human in a cap carrying or wearing something shiny who may or may not have left a locket on my doorknob.

Now we were getting somewhere.

Slidell called as Ryan and I were sharing a lunch of ham and Havarti sandwiches. He was going to think we did nothing but eat. Well, almost nothing.

“I got nature boy here.”

“Sorry?”

“Kramden.” In the background, I heard voices, the scrape of chairs, the clump of feet.

“He’s at the station?”

“No. I’m treating him to pancakes at the IHOP.”

“He agreed to come in?” I asked.

“Not exactly.”

I let my silence act as question.

“He thinks the roust is about permits.”

“When will you interrogate him?”

“I’ll let the squirrel sweat an hour, then it’s bombs away.”

The CMPD is headquartered in the Law Enforcement Center, a geometric hunk of concrete facing off with the Mecklenburg County Courthouse across the uptown intersection of Fourth and McDowell. Ryan and I arrived shortly before two. We presented IDs, then rode the elevator to the second floor, the location of every detective unit.

The elevator smelled of sun-warmed nylon and wool and a late lunch being carried in a grease-stained bag. A meatball hoagie? Conversation focused on an upcoming Hornets game.

Slidell had already called to have Kramden brought to an interview room. So far, no interviewee. This did not put Skinny in a cheery mood. Nor did the sludge passing as coffee in the CCU. While waiting, everyone knocked back a mug. Skinny’s agitated pacing did not putmein a cheery mood.

The desk phone rang at 2:23 p.m. Kramden was in place. Sound and video were up and running.

We trooped down the hall. Slidell split off into interrogation room 2, gestured us to the adjacent door. Knowing the routine, Ryan and I stepped to the one-way observation mirror.