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Disbelief flickered in her eyes, then vanished.

Surprise, he thought, and suppressed a grin.

“Name?”

“Irrelevant,” he said. “Unless you need her as an alibi.”

“Where were you between eleven thirty Friday night and three thirty Saturday morning?” Skye countered.

His lips curved. Barely. “In bed.”

“Alone?”

“No.”

“Who can corroborate?”

He shook his head, turning to Garcia. “This is growing tiresome, Joe. Detective Truman invited me here to help solve her case, yet she keeps circling back to me. Had I known, I would have brought counsel to protect my rights.”

Added a little bit of annoyance to his tone for good measure.

“You’re not under arrest, Mr. Calderon,” Garcia said evenly. “But an alibi for late Friday night would end this line of inquiry.”

Trent exhaled, as if inconvenienced. But this had gone exactly as planned, and he wanted to pump his fist in the air. Instead, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

“Natalie Brown.”

Skye’s eyes narrowed. He could see her thinking, Why is the name familiar?

“Yes, Detective,” Trent said, trying to keep the sound of victory out of his voice. “You might know her. The governor’s daughter.”

He let it hang there. Didn’t look away.

She stared back. He didn’t blink. Neither did she.

Then he saw it, the realization landing like a slap.

His alibi was impeccable.

III.

He gives me the creeps too,” Garcia said to Skye after Calderon left, “but we’ve got nothing solid on him. Not one thing we can hang a warrant on, so don’t even ask for us to go to the DA. You’re lucky he even came in for this interview.”

“He was at the park before and after the murder,” Skye said.

“Hundreds of people run, hike, or play there every day.”

Skye knew she had nothing except her instincts. “Did you know he was dating the governor’s daughter?” she asked.

“I don’t have social media, and no one told me.”

“There’s nothing on his social media about a girlfriend.” She’d gone through every one of his public accounts page by page. No girlfriend.

“Do you think he’s lying?”

“Not about spending the night with her.”

“It’s a solid alibi.”