Arthur held his breath for a moment, his mouth open as if he meant to argue with me, but no sound came out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.

“It means the criminal audit report goes to the prosecutor without one word changed,” I said.

He looked down at his shoes, sagging into his heavy coat.

“And your mother?”

“Go back inside,” I said.

“I’ve got paperwork to finish.”

At ten o’clock I sat by myself at the dining room table with Captain Keller’s disposition folder open in front of me.