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victim and the victim’s father. We may not have the gun, but we have a bullet in the tree and a bullet in Ashlynn’s head. We’ll match the two, I assure you. There is no rush to judgment here, Mr. Hawk. If we’ve moved quickly, it’s because the evidence warrants it.”
    “Maybe so,” Chris said, “but the victim was also the daughter of one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the county.”
    “You think your daughter is in prison because of pressure from Florian Steele?”
    “Let’s say it crossed my mind.”
    Altman sighed and opened the center drawer of his desk. He removed a business card and slid it toward Chris with the tip of his index finger. “I haven’t had to get new business cards in twenty-six years, Mr. Hawk. That’s how long I’ve sat behind this desk. I’ve seen it all. Meth factories. Mayors selling city contracts for bribes. Environmental fringe groups blowing up power lines. Illegal immigrants locked in semi trailers. Right now, I’ve got the US attorney in Minneapolis telling me he’s got hard evidence of child pornography distribution operating out of my county. Frankly, I’ve got too much on my plate to worry about political pressure.”
    “That’s refreshing, Mr. Altman, but men like Florian Steele know how to get their way. If Florian is convinced that Olivia murdered his daughter, he wouldn’t be shy about demanding action.”
    “As would you if it were your daughter.”
    “I’m not the CEO of Mondamin Research,” Chris said.
    Altman stared at Chris in silence for a long time. “I appreciate your situation, Mr. Hawk,” he replied finally. “I would find it hard to imagine one of my children taking someone else’s life. It’s easier to believe she’s being railroaded to satisfy a powerful man like Florian. Unfortunately, I live here, and you don’t. I’ve seen too many sweet young people—people just like your daughter—who have been radicalized by this insane feud. There’s a lot of misguided hatred in this county surrounding Mondamin.”
    “Misguided?” Chris asked. “Five teenagers in St. Croix died of leukemia.”
    “I realize that, but it’s a tragic coincidence.”
    “In a town of four hundred people? That’s a hell of a coincidence.”
    “Honestly, no, it’s not. People shudder when they hear about cancer clusters, but nearly all of them are mathematical anomalies. If you flip a coin a few million times, you’ll land on heads a hundred times in a row at some point. It happens. The loss of those children in St. Croix is devastating, but the families blamed Mondamin because of emotion and speculation, not facts. I’m just a lawyer, so I can’t tell you anything about the science involved. That’s why the judge appointed an epidemiologist as an independent special master—to analyze the scientific evidence and assess whether there’s any possible causative link between Mondamin Research and the deaths of those young people in St. Croix, and none was found.”
    “You’re a lawyer. You know a lack of evidence doesn’t mean there’s no link.”
    Altman stared at the ceiling. “Yes, I get it, Mr. Hawk, I do. People are naturally suspicious. I don’t know exactly what goes on behind the walls at that company. However, one of the largest agribusinesses in the world acquired Mondamin last year, so they must be doing something right. I gather they snip at DNA strands and create new strains of seeds and pesticides. Genetically modified organisms. Nanoparticles. If you believe the hype, they’re part of a revolution that will wipe out world hunger. If you believe the environmentalists, they’re monsters fiddling with things they don’t understand, creating mutants that will kill all of us. Take your pick. Whatever you believe, the hard truth is that the families of St. Croix lost in court. They chose not to let it end there. Ever since the judge threw out the litigation, I’ve had to deal with terroristic violence from teenagers in both