I explained how to find the fallout shelter and added, "You got three dead down there, and one seriously wounded."

"Who's dead?"

"Madox, Carl, and some other guy."

"Madox is dead? How did he die?"

I answered, evasively, "Get your CSI team there and let them get to work. Also, the wounded guy needs help fast."

Schaeffer picked up his radiophone and gave instructions regarding the fallout shelter.

I also advised Schaeffer, "You should disarm and restrain the security guards."

"They're disarmed and confined to their barracks under guard."

"Good."

"What do we have on them?"

"Accessories or witnesses to Harry's murder. Tell them the boss is dead, and see if they'll start talking."

He nodded, then said to us, "Those three diesel engines and generators were running at full capacity and we shut them down. Do you know anything about that?"

I replied, "Well, as it turned out, Fred was right. Submarines."

"What ... ?"

Kate said, "Sorry, Major, this comes under the category of national security."

"Yeah?"

I changed the subject back to homicide and informed Schaeffer, "Don't bother looking for Putyov here."

"Why not?"

"Well, according to the late Mr. Madox, he murdered his houseguest Dr. Putyov, then put the body through the wood chipper."

"What?"

"If it matters, Putyov got what he deserved. But I can't get into that." I suggested, "You may want the CSI guys to pay special attention to the wood chipper. If they don't find anything there, you might think about collecting some bear shit and see if you can find a little of Dr. Putyov's DNA there."

Schaeffer said, "I'm not quite following-"

"Hey," I asked, "what happened to the guy in the gatehouse?"

"He's dead."

"Derek. Right?"

"That's what his name tag said." He informed us, "The EMS guys thought it looked like poisoning. Maybe a neurotoxin. The guy was twitching like an epileptic before he died."

I said to Kate, "Jeez, I hope it wasn't the pigs-in-the-blanket."

Schaeffer replied, "We didn't find any pigs-in-the-blanket, but there was a fresh pot of coffee in the guardhouse, and this guy had a spilled coffee mug on his desk. So, we're thinking the coffee. We'll test it and do the toxicology."

Kate said to me, "Madox does plan ahead."

"Not anymore."

Kate asked Schaeffer, "Are the FBI here?"

"Oh, yeah. They set up their own command post." He jerked his head upward and said, "In Madox's office. Your buddy Griffith is there, and he's still looking for you."

Kate suggested, "Let's go say hello."

"Okay." I said to Schaeffer, "See you later."

He looked at us and said, "You smell like smoke, and you look like hell. What happened?"

I replied, "It's like a really long and very weird story. Let me get back to you on that."

He reminded us, "You must remain on the scene to assist with the investigation."

"See you later."

I took Kate's arm, and we left the great room.

There were about a dozen uniformed state troopers going through the house, obviously without knowing what they were supposed to be doing. I flashed my creds and asked one of them, "Where's the kitchen?"

"Kitchen? Oh ... you just go down this hallway."

"Thanks." I headed for the kitchen, and Kate said to me, "We need to see Liam Griffith."

"Schaeffer said he was in the kitchen."

"In Madox's office."

I tapped my ear. "Come again?"

We found the kitchen, which was unoccupied. I noticed that there was no sign of dinner preparations, and I pointed this out to Kate, who replied, "I think dinner was a ruse, John."

"Yeah? No steak and potatoes?"

"Why are we here?"

"Because I'm hungry."

"Can I get you a cup of coffee from the gatehouse?"