Page 19 of Wild Wolf

"Are my kids okay?”

"Yes, they're fine."

After a pause, he said, "I'll be there in a minute.”

JD and I waited in the hallway.

Footsteps shuffled down the foyer. The deadbolt unlatched, and Mr. Peterson pulled open the door with concerned eyes. He was late 40s with salt-and-pepper hair, piercing blue eyes, and a ruggedly handsome face. His sharp jaw was lined with a day's worth of stubble, and he sported a trimmed goatee. The hints of grey made him look distinguished. Grant answered the door wearing a T-shirt and boxers. It looked like we had woken him up. "What's going on?”

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your ex-wife has died."

His brow lifted, and his eyes widened. "Died?”

"She was murdered earlier this evening.”

"Oh my God! You said my kids are okay, though, right?”

I nodded.

Peterson breathed a sigh of relief. He took a moment to compose himself. "What happened?”

"We're not exactly sure at this point in time. I can't release any details, you understand.”

He nodded.

I surveyed him carefully. A fresh wound on his left index finger bled through a Band-Aid. I pointed at it. "Did you hurt yourself?”

He looked confused for a moment, then realized what I was talking about. He looked at his finger for a moment. "Oh, that's nothing. I cut it earlier.”

"How did you do that?”

"I'm not really sure.”

I shared a subtle glance with JD.

Peterson had a pair of red raised scratch marks on the left side of his jaw. Not deep. Not bleeding, just a little red.

"What happened to your face?” I said, pointing.

He touched his jawline, then grinned. "Sometimes my girlfriend gets a little carried away. She's got long fingernails.”

"Can you tell me where you were this evening between 9:00 and 11:00 PM?”

"I was here in the apartment. Why?"

"Standard question.”

"Sure.”

"Can anyone verify that?”

"My girlfriend. Do you want to talk to her?”

"Is she here?"

Peterson nodded.

"Yes, I'd like to speak to her, but I have a few more questions for you first.”