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I had the distinct impression that Gene could talk for hours about the dangers we all faced in this brave new internet world, but Chase and Odelia still had more witnesses to interview, so they decided to thank the couple for their time and be on their way.

Pity, I thought, since when Adra had opened the fridge IÆd spotted another nice piece of chicken in there, just waiting for me and Dooley to sink our teeth into.

Then again, who knows what the next person had in store for us?

Chapter 13

Our final interview of the dayùand I must admit I was glad for it, since I was starting to yearn for a nice long napùwas Emma Kulhanek. Chase and Odelia wanted to find out if her husband Norwell had indeed been home when he said he was, and the best way to find out was to go straight to the source of the manÆs marital blissùas professed by both.

ôOh, yes, he was here,ö said Emma as soon as the question had been laid before her. ôHe arrived home late, but then he often does, and now with this big mess at the site heÆs got a ton of work to get through, as you can imagine.ö

ôWhat time did he get home?ö asked Odelia.

ôOh, around eight, I should say? IÆd kept his dinner in the oven, and warmed it up as soon as he walked through the door. I kept him company and then he went upstairs and went straight back to work in his office. IÆm afraid that when I went to bed he was still at it, slaving away at that site.ö

ôWhen did you go to bed?ö

ôLate. I keep telling myself IÆll turn in early, but I never seem to manage. I start watching something on TV and before I know it itÆs almost midnight.ö

ôSo you went to bed around midnight would you say?ö Chase insisted.

ôA little later,ö said Emma, looking sheepish. ôTwelve-fifteen. Something like that.ö

ôAnd your husband was still working in his office?ö

ôYeah, I went in there for my goodnight kiss,ö said Emma, looking amused. ôI donÆt understand. WhatÆs this all about?ö

ôYou havenÆt heard?ö asked Odelia.

ôHeard what?ö

ôValina was murdered last night.ö

EmmaÆs eyes went wide, and her face took on a paler hue. ôOh, my Godùmurdered!ö

ôWe thought you knew,ö said Chase.

ôDidnÆt Norwell tell you?ö

ôNo, he didnÆt. I havenÆt heard from him all day. HeÆs been at the office, busy as usual, trying to build a new site for Valina.ö She looked dismayed now. ôSo all these questionsà I thought it had to do with the hack, but youÆre looking for ValinaÆs murderer?ö

ôValina was killed between midnight and two oÆclock last night,ö said Chase, ôand your husbandÆs key card was used to gain access to the building at one-fifteen. So we can safely assume that the murder was committed at that time.ö

Her eyes widened, fully aghast.ôYouÆre not seriously suggesting that Norwellàö

ôHe claims that someone took his key card,ö said Odelia. ôHe had it when he badged in yesterday morning, but this morning when he arrived he discovered it wasnÆt in his wallet, where he keeps it. So someone must have stolen it between the time he arrived for work yesterday and the time Valina was shot at one-fifteen last night.ö

ôShot? You mean like with a gun?ö

ôWith bow and arrow,ö said Chase, studying EmmaÆs face.

If a person could personify shock and dismay, Emma did a perfect job at it. She looked absolutely flabbergasted.ôOh, my God,ö she muttered, then frowned. ôIt canÆt have been Norwell,ö she finally said. ôIÆm a very light sleeper. In fact I always wake up when Norwell comes to bed. HeÆs already told me to use earplugs but I canÆt wear them. My ears just start to itch and hurt when I do, even the hypoallergenic ones he got me from the pharmacy. So if heÆd left the house at any time during the night I would have heard.ö

ôYouÆre sure about that?ö asked Chase.

ôAbsolutely. I even wake up when the kids sneak downstairs for a glass of water. ItÆs very annoying. Though Norwell says itÆs a good thing. He sleeps like a log, you see. You can fire off a cannon and he wouldnÆt wake up. If the house caught fire IÆd be the one getting everyone out of bedand safely outside on the lawn waiting for the fire trucks to arrive.ö

ôIÆm a light sleeper, too,ö said Dooley.

ôAll cats are,ö I said. ôWe wake up from the least sound or movement.ö

ôEmma should get herself a couple of cats. SheÆll feel right at home with them.ö

ôWhat can you tell us about the relationship between your husband and Valina?ö asked Chase, clearly not fully satisfied that Norwell hadnÆt somehow fooled us all.

ôThey were getting along fine, until this whole business with the hack started. Valina blamed Norwell, since heÆs in charge of programming, and he blamed her, since the site was designed before he came on board and he told her several times it wasnÆt up to snuff.ö

ôIs it safe to say that they argued a lot?ö

ôOh, absolutely. But thatÆs only understandable. After all, we both gave up a lot to come here. We had a good life in San Francisco. I had a good teaching position, the kids loved their school and their friends, and Norwell was doing great.ö

ôSo why come here?ö asked Odelia.