Chapter 28

"I hate to be the ant at your picnic, but it looks like the cops are a step ahead of you on this one," James said.

They were seated in a booth at the diner, where James was ending his lunch with black coffee, while Isobel nursed a large chocolate shake. She had started with Judge Harrison's murder and painstakingly led him through all she'd discovered since, right up to the events of the past hour. To her surprise, he listened patiently - she supposed this was part of his penance - and in return for his undiluted attention, she had done her best to be succinct.

"So he changed his name," she concluded. "Who knew?"

"I don't know why you're so surprised. Don't you actors all take stage names?" James asked. "I thought that was pretty much par for the course."