a psyche as fragile as Clu's than his wife having an affair with a woman?"

Her voice was sharp. "Are you blaming me for his death?"

"Depends. Did you kill him?"

"Would it help if I said no?"

"It would be a start."

She smiled, but there was no joy in it. Like the house, it was beautiful and sterile and almost soulless. "Do you want to hear something funny?" she said. "Clu's beating the drugs and the drinking didn't help our marriage-it ended it. For so long Clu was... I don't know... a work in progress. I blamed his shortcomings on the drugs and drinking and all that. But once he finally exorcised his demons, what was left was just"-she lifted her palms and shrugged-"just him. I saw Clu clearly for the first time, Myron, and you know what I realized? I didn't love him."

Myron said nothing.

"And don't blame Esperanza. It wasn't her fault. I held on purely for the sake of my kids, and when Esperanza came along-" Bonnie stopped, and this time her smile seemed more genuine. "You want to hear something else funny? I'm not a lesbian. I'm not even a bisexual. It's just... she treated me tenderly. We had sex, sure, but it was never about sex. I know that sounds weird, but her gender was irrelevant. Esperanza is just a beautiful person, and I fell in love with that. Does that make sense?"

"You know how this looks," Myron said.

"Of course I know how it looks. Two dykes got together and offed the husband. Why do you think we're trying so hard to keep it secret? The weakness in their case right now is motive. But if they find out we were lovers-"

"Did you kill him?"

"What do you expect me to say to that, Myron?"

"I'd like to hear it."

"No, we didn't kill him. I was leaving him. Why would I throw him out and start filing papers if I planned on killing him?"

"To prevent a scandal that would surely hurt your kids."

She made a face. "Come on, Myron."

"So how do you explain the gun in the office and the blood in the car?"

"I can't."

Myron thought about it. His head hurt-from the physical altercation or this latest revelation, he couldn't say. He tried to concentrate through the haze. "Who else knows about the affair?"

"Just Esperanza's lawyer, Hester Crimstein."

"No one else?"

"No one. We were veiy discreet."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because," Myron said, "if I were going to murder Clu and I wanted to frame someone for it, his wife's lover would be my first choice."

Bonnie saw where he was heading. "So you think the killer knew about us?"

"It might explain a lot."

"I didn't tell anyone. And Esperanza said she didn't either."

Pow. Right between the eyes. "You couldn't have been too careful," Myron said.

"What makes you say that?"

"Clu found out, didn't he?"

She thought about it, nodded.

"Did you tell him?" he asked.

"No."

"What did you say when you threw him out?"

She shrugged. "That there was no one else. That was true in a sense. It wasn't about Esperanza."

"So how did he find out?"

"I don't know. I assumed he became obsessed. That he followed me."

"And he found out the truth?"

"Yes."

"And then he went after Esperanza and attacked her?

"Yes."

"And before he has a chance to tell anyone else about this, before it has a chance of getting out and hurting either of you, he ends up dead. And the murder weapon ends up with Esperanza. And Clu's blood ends up in the car she's been driving. And the E-Z Pass records show Esperanza came back to New York an hour after the murder."

"Again, yes."

Myron shook his head. "It doesn't look good, Bonnie."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," she said. "If even you won't believe us, how do you think a jury is going to react?"

There was no need to answer. They headed back to the house then. The two young boys were still at play, oblivious of what was going on around them. Myron watched for a moment. Fatherless, he thought, shuddering at the word. With one last look he turned and walked away.
Chapter 24
Thrill, not Nancy Sinclair, met him outside a bar called the Biker Wannabee. Honesty in advertising. Nice to see.

"Howdy," Myron said. Tex Bolitar.

Her smile was full of pornographic promise. Totally into Thrill mode now. "Howdy yourself, pardner," she cooed. With some women, every syllable is cooed. "How do I look?"

"Mighty tasty, ma'am. But I think I prefer you as Nancy."

"Liar."

Myron shrugged, not sure if he was telling the truth or not. This whole