“Who? Amanda?”

“No, her mother. The widow. Not too happy about my visit.”

“Oh. What’s the problem? Amanda looks better than I expected. Bandages and an IV, but no burns.”

“She didn’t get burned.”

“I saw. I’m so relieved. I thought she would look much worse. But how did she escape? Benson was incinerated, and they were in the same room.”

“We don’t know. She was found outside the house, unconscious, and we can’t figure out how she got there. You interviewed the housekeeper, right? Does she know?”

“No, she draws a blank from hearing the gunshot to when she’s outside.”

“Well, if her mother would give me half a chance, I’d ask Amanda how she got out. I’d ask her a lot of other things, too.”

“So Amanda can talk? She’s not too out of it?”

“I spoke to the doc on my way in. She came to about an hour ago for the first time since they brought her in last night. She was in surgery for hours. Three fingers severed right below the knuckle. Fingers couldn’t be saved. I guess the…uh…the pieces, they were left inside, burned in the fire.” He looked away as he said this. It was a tough thing to say.

That animal, hurting an innocent young girl! Once again Melanie vowed she’d get Slice. How would Amanda ever sleep peacefully again, if he remained at large? She’d be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life. Melanie knew too well what that was like.

“But the doctor said she could be interviewed?” Melanie asked.

“He said we could try and see if she responds, that it can’t hurt her. She lost a lot of blood. She was in shock when they brought her in. They put her under and operated to stop the bleeding. She’s coming out of it now, but she’s sedated and on heavy painkillers. Still, she might be able to give basic information if her mother would let us talk to her. I explained to the mother that the doctor says it’s okay, but she won’t budge.”

“Let me try.”

“You might as well. I’m getting nowhere.”

They stepped back inside. Randall introduced Melanie to Nell Benson.

“Mrs. Benson,” Melanie said with true emotion, reaching for Nell’s hands, “I’m so sorry to meet you again under these circumstances. We’ve met before, at charity events. I met your husband, too. He was a remarkable man. I am so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what you’ve been through since last night. You must be completely devastated.”

“Why, thank you, dear. That’s very kind,” Nell answered coolly, immediately withdrawing her hands. She gave no sign of recognizing Melanie from their prior encounters. “I’m glad somebody around here understands the severity of the situation.”

Randall shot Melanie a sardonic glance, as if to say, See what I’ve been dealing with? and Melanie examined Nell Benson more closely. Bosomy and blond, she might have been a homecoming queen in her day, yet there was the unmistakable whiff of ballbreaker about her. Her demure black suit did nothing to camouflage the steel in her dark blue eyes. And beneath its ladylike cadence, her voice resonated with a nicotine huskiness.

“Maybe you and I should step outside, so we don’t disturb Amanda, and talk this over,” Melanie said to Nell. If this woman put up a fight, Melanie would need to get tough. She wasn’t sure if Amanda knew what was going on around her, but she didn’t want to risk alienating an eyewitness by strong-arming her mother.

“I don’t need to talk it over. I don’t want her interrogated while she’s under the influence of sedatives.”

“Just so you understand, Mrs. Benson, we have no intention of interrogating Amanda,” Melanie said. “This poor girl is not a suspect. She’s the victim of a terrible crime. And the animal who committed it, who murdered your husband, is still at large. We have reason to believe he’ll go after the witnesses to his crime, including Amanda. We’re doing everything in our power to catch him before that happens. We only want to talk to her so we can protect her better.”

Nell maneuvered so that she was standing between Melanie and the bed. “Don’t try to go around me,” she said. “She’s underage. I’m her mother. I’ll decide what’s in her best interests. How can I let her be questioned when she’s in this condition?”

“Please, Mrs. Benson, at least let us try! Amanda may have information that could lead us to your husband’s killers.”

“No! I said no, I mean no! I won’t allow it!”

“Mrs. Benson, either your daughter speaks with us voluntarily or I subpoena her to testify before the grand jury. Believe me, that won’t be an easy experience for her. After what she’s been through, I’d hate to do it, but I will if you force me to. That’s how much I believe it’s necessary to protect her.”

Nell Benson studied Melanie’s face. Melanie stared back, standing her ground, letting Nell see she meant business.

“Maybe we should talk privately outside,” Nell conceded.

“Certainly.”

When Melanie and Randall both moved toward the door, Nell said, “I meant just you, Miss Vargas.”

“Detective Walker is part of this investigation, too.”

“No problem,” Randall said mildly. “I’ll take a load off, rest my feet for a few minutes.” He folded his tall frame into an orange plastic chair in the corner of the room.

“Don’t you talk to her while I’m gone!” Nell tossed over her shoulder as they left.

MELANIE LED NELL BENSON TO A SPARTAN WAITING area she’d noticed on her way in. Eight orange plastic chairs stood along a wall facing a noisy elevator bank, next to two enormous snack and soda machines. The chairs were empty. Melanie motioned Nell to sit down.

“Can I get you a soda, Mrs. Benson?”

“That would be great. I haven’t had anything to eat or drink all day.”

“Come to think of it, neither have I.” Melanie looked at her watch. She would’ve guessed it was still morning, but it was past four o’clock already. She didn’t have much change, but luckily the machines took dollar bills. She got two Diet Cokes and two Drake’s Coffee Cakes.

“Sorry, this is the best I could do,” she said.

“No need to apologize,” Nell said. “I love these things. Gives me an excuse to eat them.”

Nell ripped open the cellophane with her teeth and broke a piece off one of the coffee cakes. Melanie sat down and watched her devour it, brushing away the crumbs that fell on her expensive suit. Chanel. She recognized it by the intertwined Cs on the buttons. Those things cost a mint. Qué lástima, because Melanie would have liked to own one herself. Eating at such a time seemed bizarre to her. She’d barely known Jed Benson, her daughter wasn’t lying maimed in a hospital bed, yet she didn’t feel hungry in the least. Then again, she should give the poor widow a break. It didn’t necessarily mean anything. People reacted to grief in different ways.

“Mrs. Benson, I understand your reluctance to let us speak to your daughter. I’m a mother, too. Your first instinct is to protect your child. But there’s a lot more to fear from this killer’s remaining at large than from our talking to Amanda.”

“Are you going to eat that?”

“No. Please.” She handed Nell the second coffee cake, then popped open the Diet Coke and sipped at it. The bitterly cold liquid set a vein in her temple to pounding. “As I was saying-”

“I heard you the first time. Look, Miss Vargas, I’m going to be completely frank with you. What I’m about to say is highly personal.” Nell glanced around to make sure they were alone, then leaned toward Melanie, lowering her voice. “My daughter is a very fragile girl, Miss Vargas. Please understand. I can’t have her interviewed. Before I could let you speak to her, I’d need to consult her psychiatrist.”

“What exactly is the problem?”

“Amanda is very troubled. Drugs, bulimia-you name it. I placed her in an inpatient program at Wellmead. You know, up in Connecticut. It’s a lovely facility. Girls from some very prominent families go there. It’s almost like a summer camp, really. But Jed went and signed her out! He was such an indulgent father. He refused to accept that her problems were serious. I just keep thinking, if only he hadn’t done that! She’d still have her fingers, for Chrissakes!”