“Mr. Stolowitski.” Karsten glanced at a clipboard. “You first.”

Hi rose and entered the conference room. Inside, three chairs circled a folding table. Karsten sat next to Carl on one side. Hi took the chair opposite them.

Karsten wasted no time. “Where were you Saturday morning?”

Carl leaned on his forearms in an attempt to look menacing. The posture failed.

“Saturday morning? Let me think.” Hi glanced at the ceiling. “Oh, right! I went to the canine festival with Shelton, Ben, and Tory. We took Ben’s runabout down to the marina and walked to Marion Square.”

Hi propped his chin on his fists.

“I remember because it was drizzling, and the dogs were howling like mad. A massive Doberman slipped his leash and tripped Ben. He landed in a huge puddle. It was hilarious! Ben had to buy a new shirt from a stall that only sold animal prints. He was so mad—”

Karsten interrupted. “What time did you get to the park?”

“Hmmm. Must’ve been around eight thirty that morning. Tory wanted to buy dog pastries from a vendor selling designer animal treats. The guy had run out, but said his partner was bringing white chocolate bars at nine.

“I know what you’re thinking. White chocolate. Bad for dogs. But the vendor said only the cocoa is dangerous, and white chocolate doesn’t contain any.”

Karsten opened his mouth, but Hi was a boulder rolling downhill.

“Anyway, we bought a bunch to give to the rescue dogs. We couldn’t adopt one ourselves, but we figured we could at least—”

“Stop!”

Karsten’s hand shot up to block the torrent pouring from Hi’s mouth. Carl had long since given up taking notes.

“How long were you at this dog festival? And before you answer, know that I will double-check everything.”

“No problem.” Hi leaned back, fingers laced behind his head. “I think we left around noon, when the last of the greyhounds was adopted. This huge woman from North Carolina—”

“I don’t care about that!” Karsten’s nostrils flared. He paused, as though debating something internally. “Out of curiosity, how have you been feeling lately?”

Hi’s face registered surprise. “What? Fine. Why?”

“No reason.” Karsten’s eyes returned to his clipboard. “When did you return home?”

Hi shook his head, resumed his excruciatingly detailed account.

“Maybe twelve thirty. Just after the large lady left with her pooch. We went to the dog show. A toy poodle won best in breed.” He smiled. “You have to hear about this dog!”

“So you left the dog festival at eleven?” Karsten asked. Coy.

“No, sir.”

Shelton tugged his earlobe, eyes on the tabletop. “It was at least noon. Like, twelve thirty. I remember because it was after the fat chick in the Tar Heel shirt took the greyhound, but before the dog competition.”

Carl yawned, snapped his mouth shut at Karsten’s disapproving glance.

“Who won?” Karsten feigned only minimal interest.

“Poodle,” Shelton said. “Best in breed.”

Karsten changed topics. “You saw three men in the woods on Sunday night, yes?”

“Honestly, I was so scared I’m not sure what I saw.” Still Shelton did not look up. “I remember some monkeys running around.”

“But you reported being chased by armed men.” Karsten was clearly annoyed. “You claimed they shot at you.”

“I heard two loud sounds, crack crack, like a whip.” Shelton shrugged. “I don’t know what made the noise. I just started running.”

“What nonsense is this?” Karsten snapped. “You saw no one that night?”

“I’m sorry sir.” Shelton did meek exceptionally well. “I’m afraid of the dark. Ask my mom. I’m always jumping at shadows.”

“Why would you run if no one chased you?” Karsten pressed.

“We found the bones at sunset. Tory said they were human, how scary is that? Then we heard noises coming from across the clearing.” For the first time, Shelton made eye contact. “What can I say? I got spooked. I’m a wuss. I took off.”

“No armed men? No gunshots?” Karsten raised frustrated palms. “You’re now saying that no one chased you? It didn’t happen?”

“Sorry,” Shelton muttered. “I guess my mind was playing tricks. After all, no one found any bullets, right?”

“Where did you dock your boat?” Karsten asked.

“Charleston City Marina,” Ben said. “Slip 134.”

“Do you have a receipt?”

“No. It’s prepaid for the shuttle.”

“The institute pays for that slip?”

Ben shrugged.

Karsten was silent for a long moment. Ben waited. Bored, Carl fidgeted with his badge.

“Have you been ill?” Karsten asked.

“No.” Surprised.

“Nothing at all?”

“No.” Now Ben sounded suspicious.

Karsten changed course. “You claimed you saw a human skull.”

Ben said nothing.

Karsten slapped the table. “Well?”

“Was that a question?”

“Don’t get cute, Mr. Blue. Did you find a skull or not?”

“It was dark.”

Karsten glared. “Was there a bullet hole in the skull, as you said before?”

“I never said that. Tory did.”

“Was there a bullet hole or not?”

“It was dark.”

Karsten drew two long breaths through his nose. One nostril whistled.

Ben waited.

Carl asked his first question of the day. “When you arrived at the dog festival, what’s the first thing that happened?”

Karsten looked annoyed, but listened.

Ben paused, eyes narrow.

“Well?” Carl demanded.

“A dog tripped me. I took a header and ruined my shirt. I had to buy a dorky new one from a vendor.”

“What was on the shirt?”

Ben hesitated.

Karsten leaned forward, eager for a misstep.

Ben smiled.

“Some dog.”

“That will be all,” Karsten hissed.

“Tory Brennan.”

Karsten had saved me for last. To mess with my head, I was sure. Make me nervous. Advantage Karsten. But I was determined to hide it.

“Nice to see you. Sit down.”

I parked on the hot seat. I felt prepared. We’d practiced like mad.!!!Do your worst, jerk.

“Before we begin, let me be clear.” Karsten removed his glasses and wiped them on his tie. “I know your friends are lying.”

Gulp.

The long knives were out. This wasn’t just “information gathering.” This was an interrogation, pure and simple.

“Their stories were...” Karsten chose his word carefully. “Perfect. Airtight.” He replaced his spectacles. “Rehearsed.”

“I don’t understand.” Innocent as Bo Peep. “We enjoyed the rescue festival, if that’s what you mean.”

Karsten stared lasers through his now smeared lenses.

“Carl, leave the room.”

The command caught Carl by surprise. “My supervisor said I’m supposed to observe.”

“Now!” Karsten pointed at the door. “Or you’ll be mucking out monkey cages the rest of your career!”

Shaking his head, the guard shuffled out.

Oh boy.

I prepared for the onslaught. By sweating. Thanks glands, glad you could help out.

When the door closed, Karsten spoke softly.

“I’m not jumping through the same hoops with you, Miss Brennan. I’d be wasting my time.”

“Dr. Karsten, I made a mistake.” I tried to sound embarrassed. “I was confused. It was frightening, finding something dead in the dark. I panicked.”

“I don’t believe for one second you confused anything.”

The gloves were off.

“Do you know how I’m acquainted with your Aunt Temperance?” Causal as water-cooler gossip.

I shook my head. This wasn’t what I’d expected.

“We worked together in Sudan. Five years ago. Excavating Tombos, a colony of ancient Nubia.” Karsten pressed both palms to the table. “Dr. Brennan is an expert with ancient skeletons. You idolize her. You read her books.”

Karsten leaned close. I could smell the starch of his lab coat, see the enormous pores on his nose. “You’d never mistake monkey bones for human remains.”

I cast about for a response. My mind was quicksand. I hadn’t prepared for a direct attack.

“You’ve felt unwell lately.” Karsten’s voice was hard. “Haven’t you?”

“Unwell?”

“Fever? Headache? Disorientation? Fatigue?”

“Not at all.”

Karsten exploded.!!! “Where is the dog!? ”

Adrenaline fired through me.!!!Coop! He knows!

“What?” My voice cracked.

“Where. Is. The. Dog?” Karsten slammed both fists on the table. “Enough games! I want him back. Now!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I whispered.

The denial rang false, even to me. I considered bolting, decided it was pointless.

“Did you steal him by yourself?” Karsten hissed. “How did you gain entrance to that lab?”

I didn’t answer. For a terrifying moment, I thought I might faint.

“Who told you to look for a body there?” A bony finger jabbed the table. “At that precise spot.” Something malevolent danced in Karsten’s eyes. “I know you’re working with someone.”

Silence.

Karsten sat back, squared his shoulders, and breathed deeply. When he spoke again, his voice was cool and modulated.

“If you think I’m a fool, Miss Brennan, you’ve picked the wrong man. I will catch you. And I will recover the animal.”

I found the icy calm more unnerving than the fury. But anger kept my fear in check. Given the chance, I knew Karsten would execute Cooper.

Suddenly I pushed forward, craning over the table. The move caught the old bastard by surprise.

“Bring it on,” I hissed, inches from Karsten’s face.

Before he could react, the door burst open and Kit stormed in.

“Why is my daughter being interrogated alone?”

“We’re done here.” Karsten rose. “Feel free to take the children home.”

With that, the old bastard strode past Kit and disappeared down the hall.

“You okay, kiddo?” I could see that Kit was livid. He glared down the hallway Karsten had just vacated. I suspected Kit was verging on a career-threatening move.

“I’m fine. We were chatting about the dig stuff. No biggie.”

“Are you sure, Tor?”

“Absolutely. Karsten’s not so bad!” The lie turned my stomach, but I didn’t want Kit taking action he’d regret. “Let’s go home. I’ve got tons of homework.”

Kit hesitated a moment, then, “Fine. We’ll talk about this later.”

Gathering my things, I hurried outside on shaky legs. And managed to keep it together the entire ride home.

Barely.