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lot of help. I have a dead woman in the morgue and I need to know where to go to start chasing down her murderer. I realize you’ve got to preserve her reputation—and your own ethics—but I need help.” He looked directly into her soft, brown eyes. “I’m not asking you to tell me any of her deep, dark secrets.”
    â€œThat’s precisely what you’re asking.”
    Walker shrugged.
    Randi leaned forward, her voice quiet. “Elizabeth was an exceedingly smart woman. Complicated, troubled, no question about it.” She shook her head again, dismissing an unwelcome thought. “Look, Detective, as a human being, not to mention as her therapist, I’d like to give you whatever help I can if it would identify the person who did this. At the same time—how did you put it? I’ve got to preserve her reputation. And my own.”
    Now Walker leaned forward. “What about her husband?”
    â€œWhat about him?”
    â€œShe ever say anything about him?”
    Randi laughed, breaking the tension Walker was obviously working hard to create. “We’ve already established that I specialize in marriage counseling. I think it’s fair to say she discussed her husband.”
    â€œThink he could’ve killed her?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThat’s a fast answer, Doctor.”
    â€œThat’s because I’ve seen the question coming since I found you waiting in my hallway.”
    Now Walker laughed.
    â€œThat’s what you came to ask me, isn’t it? If I thought Stanley Knoebel was capable of murdering his wife?”
    â€œThat’s one of the reasons,” Walker admitted. “How about this one . . .”
    â€œIs there anyone else she ever mentioned who might have had a reason to kill her?” Randi said.
    Walker offered an appreciative nod.
    They heard a knock. Randi excused herself, went to the door, and opened it slightly. Speaking to someone out of Walker’s view, she said “I’m just finishing up. I’ll be with you in a couple of minutes, just have a seat in the group room.” Then she closed the door and turned back to the detective. “That’s my next patient.”
    â€œ Next patient? Am I being analyzed?”
    She showed him a slight smile but said nothing.
    It was apparent she would not be sitting down again, so Walker stood up. “You still haven’t answered my question.”
    â€œWhether she ever mentioned that someone might want to murder her? No, I would remember that.”
    â€œAll right. Anything else she might have said about anyone that might be useful, anything at all you can share with me?”
    â€œI’ll have to think about this. I’m sorry. I probably need to get some legal advice.”
    â€œWhat a world,” Walker sighed. “Everybody’s got to call their lawyer for everything.” He shook his head. “All right. You look into it and we’ll talk again.”
    Randi paused. “I’m not sure how far I can go with this, but I feel I can tell you that she never said anything about being in danger.”
    â€œNothing that might suggest a problem with someone?”
    Randi stared at him without responding. That was a different question with more answers than she was willing to contemplate right now. “That’s not what I said. I mean that she never expressed any particular fear that someone might want to harm her that way.”
    â€œ That way ? Meaning what? Did she ever say someone might have wanted to hurt her? Other than murder, I mean.”
    â€œNo, she didn’t.”
    â€œElizabeth Knoebel had scratch marks on her neck. The coroner says they were made a day or so before the murder. Know anything about that?”
    This time, Randi Conway’s silence spoke volumes.
    Walker nodded. “You know we found Mrs. Knoebel in bed. Naked. Probably late afternoon when someone put that bullet in her