cCord was sitting at his desk, going over the day's events with Sam, Shrader, and Womack. The three men were amused and fascinated by Logan Manning's sexual athletics. "Erin Gillroy, Jane Sebring, and Trish Lefkowitz," McCord said. "A perky blonde, a gorgeous redhead, and a raven-haired beauty. Manning was not only a man of eclectic tastes in women, he was a man of notable courage."

"I don't think infidelity is admirable," Sam said; then she wondered where on earth her outburst had come from. Boys were boys, and men were, too. She knew that. Multiple clandestine affairs constituted a badge of accomplishment to boys, and to most men, too, whether they admitted it or not.

McCord slanted her a laughing look. "You obviously don't know Trish Lefkowitz, but I've known her for years. I can see Manning offering sexual consolation to a pretty, lovelorn secretary on the eve of her wedding; that would make him feel powerful. I can see him seducing a Hollywood sex goddess; that would make him feel special. But going to bed with Trish Lefkowitz? That took courage. He's lucky she didn't turn him into a soprano. That woman is like a black widow spider. I'd be afraid to close my eyes in bed with her."

McCord broke off to answer his phone, and Sam got up and went over to the table containing stacks of color-coded files on Logan and Leigh Manning, Michael Valente, and the Mannings' friends and acquaintances. Now it also held several armloads of files and documents they'd brought back with them from Manning Development that day. Shrader, Womack, and she had been systematically going through the files on individuals as McCord had instructed. Shrader had just returned the files on Leigh Manning, so Sam picked that stack up to take home with her.

McCord hung up the phone, looking well pleased. "That was Holland," he said. "Holland has the subpoena I wanted for Manning's income tax records, personal and business. Shrader, you and Womack serve it on Manning's CPA tomorrow. Once you get the records, make copies of them. Keep one set for us to go over, but bring the other set over to our bean counters. I want a Special Frauds auditor to look them over. If there's anything in Manning's tax returns that reflects money going to or from any of Valente's companies, our guys will find it."

"Why did we need a subpoena?" Womack asked. "I thought we already had Mrs. Manning's verbal permission 'to do whatever we think we need to do.' "

"We do, and that's one reason it was so easy to get a subpoena. But to protect his own ass, Manning's CPA may want something in writing before he hands over any records. I don't want him calling Mrs. Manning for permission, because there's always a risk that he'll advise her against the carte blanche she's already given us. Sooner or later, she's going to wise up and revoke it.

"That's why I'm in such a hurry to visit with Dr. Sheila Winters," he continued. "We have Leigh Manning's written consent allowing Winters to breach the doctor-patient privilege regarding her treatment of Logan Manning. When Mrs. Manning wrote it out, she didn't limit the consent to her husband's treatment alone, so Dr. Winters should be willing to talk to us about anything Mrs. Manning divulged during her own sessions with the shrink."

Shrader shook his head in wonder. "I still can't believe she agreed to that."

"She specifically asked that we keep the information confidential," Sam reminded the three of them.

"Yes, she did," McCord replied, "but you, Detective Littleton, promised only that we would be very discreet. Anyway," he finished, "with the need for haste in mind. I grabbed the first appointment Dr. Winters could give us, which happened to be tomorrow." He glanced at Shrader and Womack, "You two hand Manning's CPA the subpoena tomorrow and bring back everything he gives you. Littleton and I will call on Dr. Winters. Somehow, I don't think she's going to be anxious to cooperate."