"You seem to know very little about the woman who sleeps beside you."
"Is that what this inquisition is all about? You still think this has something to do with a marital quarrel?"
Kessler gave an assessing look. "I'm not ruling anything out."
"Well, you'd better rule it out. Or you're going to piss away valuable time."
"Please," said Andie, "don't get angry."
"I have every right to be angry. So what if I don't know every little detail about my wife's daily routine? That doesn't mean I don't care what happens to her."
"You're absolutely right," she said.
"Then why are you putting me through this?"
Andie started to say something, then stopped. It was premature to tell him his wife might be a bookend homicide, and this inquiry was going nowhere. "I'm sorry, Mr. Wheatley. It's late, and you've been through an awful lot for one night. Go home to your daughter. I'm sure she needs all the support you can give her."
"And then some," he said, seemingly overwhelmed. Kessler pressed on, as if Gus's lousy answers had suddenly fueled his interest. "Mr. Wheatley, is there someone else who could answer these questions for us?"
"Probably my sister, Carla. She was Beth's best friend before we got married. My biggest enemy after we got married."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing. I'm exaggerating. Let's just say Carla's always been a lot closer to Beth than she ever was to me." "Anyone else?"
"My daughter, of course. But she's only six. I'd rather keep her out of this."
Andie said, "We'll handle her appropriately when and if the time comes."
"Your wife's mother and father live anywhere nearby?" asked Kessler.
"They're both deceased."
"You have a housekeeper?"
"We have a woman who comes in twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays. She just does her work and leaves." "What's her name?"
"Uh, jeez. Ramona something. I don't know her last name."
"What about a nanny?"
"We had one till recently. Michelle Burgette."
"What happened?"
"Beth let her go when Morgan started first grade. Didn't need a live-in anymore."
"You know where she is now?"
"No idea."
Kessler raised an eyebrow. "She raises your kid for six years, then that's it? Cold turkey, no contact?"
"Look, I don't know. Maybe they've talked on the phone. For all I know, she's even come by to visit. Beth would have taken care of all that."
Kessler jotted down a note to himself. "You mind if I talk to any of these people, Mr. Wheatley?"
"Why would I mind?"
"You tell me," he said, eyes narrowing. He was clearly trying to intimidate.
Gus rose, speaking with controlled anger. "I don't really like the way I'm being interrogated here."
"I don't really like the answers I'm getting."
Andie stepped between them. "Ohhh-kay, boys. Let's call it a night."
Gus glared, then looked away. He shook Andie's hand. "Thank you," he said, looking only at her. "You've been nice. Please call me as soon as you hear anything."
"We will," she said, seeing him out. As the door shut behind him, she faced Kessler and said, "Are you always so confrontational?"
"Only when the subject is evasive."
"I didn't think he was being evasive."
"I see it all the time. These smartass attorneys who think the only safe thing to tell a cop is either 'I don't know' or `He went that-a-way.' You can't get a straight answer out of a guy like that."
"He 'wasn't playing games. Didn't you see the embarrassment in his eyes? The pain in his expression?"
"Give me a break. I'm not the world's greatest husband.
I bet I even work longer hours than he does. But even I know where my wife buys groceries."
"Is that so?" she said, toying with him. "Where?"
His mouth opened, but the words stumbled out. "The grocery store."
"Nice try, Detective."
"No, give me a second. I know this."
She checked her watch, waiting. "Tell you what. E-mail me. I really have to get home. Got a long day tomorrow." She started for the door.
"Safeway!"
Andie stopped. "What?"
"That's where my wife buys the groceries."
She smiled thinly. "That's very impressive, Dick. But to truly be a better man than Gus Wheatley, you have to put your knowledge to use."
"What do you mean?"
"Now that you know where the store is, why don't you go buy the groceries?" She gave a friendly wink, then headed out the door.