No, no. I mean when did he want you to come? The white Stetson almost ruined the hard-ass effect he wanted. If you live in Texas, Wyoming or South Dakota, the Stetson is fine, legit. If you live in a crooked river city in Illinois, youre just playing cowpoke. That he wore it while he was inside was even more of a joke. But even with the Stetson, I knew he would be dangerous. Chilton turned back.What? Now, you said you met Cowl about a year ago. But I imagine Area 51 has been going on a lot longer than that. No, I dont. But that doesnt mean that somebody associated with her didnt stage it without her knowing.’ d ebony No, Im good, thanks. Ill ask Helen about the book later, no need to bother her if you were going to. Now just a moment, Your Honor, Mason said. I dont like to object to routine questions of these preliminary witnesses— I had been down at the far end of the parking lot with a car. I was walking back. He could be in New Jersey, Dino said. The next moment he saw someone else he recognized walking down the street. She reached the front doors of the Cowl Building, swiped her card, and entered. He watched as she hurried across to the elevator bank. Devine couldnt see the security guard. He might be making his rounds. Montgomery stared at him fearfully.Y-you... youre a spy? The man looked up, and recognition sprang into his features. No. When they knocked on the door a woman answered. She was in her late forties with graying hair cut short on the sides with one long bang in the front and black-rimmed glasses on a chain around her neck. She looked more like a caricature of a librarian than a hard-charging financial journalist digging up dirt on the wealthy and powerful. But her features were alert and her eyes bright and probing. Devine thought they would head to a private room. Instead, Cowl led him outside, to the pool area. There wasnt anyone else around, so itwas private, and maybe prearranged. Devine spotted a beefy security guard hovering at the rear door, probably to make sure no one else came out here. The lights were lit, and fancy tiki torches kept the bugs away, though crickets sounded off all around them and the smell of freshly mown grass dominated. Cowl sat at a table next to the pool and motioned for Devine to sit across from him. Devine did and put his beer down. Because of what police refer to as modus operandi, the person who was in the study ran out through open French doors at the back of the study. These French doors open on the bay side. Sally Bangor, the servant who made the discovery of the body, had enough presence of mind to close the gate across the bridge when she ran back to the mainland. That left the murderer marooned on the island..