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and diagrams based on the data. I played with different slideshow display effects trying to achieve a modern yet conservative impact. After I finished, I went in to talk to him and see if he needed anything else.
    Matt had been in meetings on Capitol Hill all morning, meaning we hadn’t had a chance to talk since my early departure the previous day. He asked me how I was holding up and how my visit to the police station had gone. I gave him an abbreviated recap of my conversation with Detective Saks, including the fact that Hilary’s death had been ruled a homicide. Matt, too, was at a loss for any reason for someone to kill Hilary.
    I told Matt that I had emailed the conference presentation to him, and asked if he had anything else for me to do.
    “Not yet. I’ll go over the presentation and let you know if any changes are required. In the meantime I was wondering if you’d be interested in helping Dr. Stickler, on a temporary basis.”
    “Help him how? He has Carol.” In her late-50s, Carol was one of the DIPPeR’s most senior secretaries.
    Matt continued, “I spoke to him yesterday after you left. Hilary had almost completed the project she was working on. She had collected the data and compiled most of it. Dr. Stickler needs someone to summarize the info, generate graphs, charts… Beyond Carol’s more traditional skill set. I told him you could probably handle it.”
    “I’d be happy to try. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
    “Great, I’ll let him know you are willing and able, and considering your light workload right now, available. Meanwhile, take it easy.”
    As I was leaving Matt’s office, Detective Saks was making his way toward Dr. Stickler’s office. Detective Saks looked good. He was wearing a black suit with a pale green shirt, and a green and yellow striped tie. I glanced down and almost laughed aloud. It was one of those things most people wouldn’t notice. Of all my friends, only Hilary would’ve understood my amusement. A sobering thought.
    Before resuming my efforts to master that next level in Candy Crush Saga, I checked my phone and computer for messages. A new one had arrived from Kaye – “Please meet with Detective Saks at 12:30, Greenbrier.”
    I set the alarm on my phone to 12:25, and killed time surfing the net for updates on Hilary’s murder. I googled “Hilary Sterling” to see what info might be out there. Most of the hits were to pictures on Facebook, and to the DIPPeR website and employee directory. Or to other persons with the same name. I didn’t find any recent articles that mentioned her by name.
    Time flew and before I knew it, the alarm chimed. I quickly closed the web browser and set off for the meeting. The door to the Greenbrier meeting room was open. Detective Saks was sitting alone, poring over a file of papers. He looked up and smiled. “Good afternoon, Ms. Donati. Please be seated. How are you today?”
    Without waiting for me to answer, he continued, “I have been speaking with a few of Hilary’s colleagues, and I have a few more questions for you.”
    “OK. What would you like to know?”
    “In our previous conversations, we discussed Hilary’s relationship with Duncan Fletcher. It has since come to my attention that you, too, dated Mr. Fletcher. What precisely was or is the nature of your relationship with him?”
    I squirmed in my seat. “Duncan and I dated for a couple of months right after I started working here. Almost two years ago. After it ended, we remained friends.”
    “How did you feel about his relationship with Hilary?”
    “It was awkward, for me anyway, when he first started seeing Hilary, but nothing I couldn’t handle. By then I was over him… and Hilary was smitten. I was mostly afraid that she was going to get hurt.”
    That hadn’t come out right. Before the detective could react, I explained, “I mean, hurt – as in feelings; not as in murder. You see, Duncan has a well-earned rep as a player. He has dated lots of