Free The Lonely Silver Rain by John D. MacDonald

waste all that clout, McGee."
    "So they bury old Billy and we can sit around and wonder."
    "Well, I'm going to have to make out an affidavit saying he came to me before they left for France and told me that if he died over there I was to make absolutely certain it was a natural death. So I'm doing my duty to a client. And maybe Billy told you to check up on me and make sure I do as he asked."
    "Easy enough."
    He sighed. "I've done dumber things, but I can't remember when."

    The call came from Frank Payne at quarter to three on Sunday morning, the next-to-the-last day of the year, waking me from some kind of turbulent dream which faded before I could retain any part of it.
    His voice was guarded. "I'm at Decker's. We're in real trouble, pal."
    "What do you mean?"
    "Leaving out all the medical gibberish, somebody knocked him out somehow. Probably too late to find out if it was a drug. Maybe it was just a good whack on the skull with a sock full of sand. They then stuck something thin and sharp and curved right into the inside corner of his left eye. Something like a length of piano wire sharpened at one end, stiff wire. So they got it in there and turned it a little bit each time they jabbed. It was curved, so it created massive hemorrhaging just as if a major artery in the brain had ruptured. No bleeding to speak of at the point of the puncture wound."
    "So why are we in trouble?"
    "We didn't think it through. There has to be an official report. The finding has to be verified by other medical authorities. We have to move into a full-scale autopsy with laboratory samples of the organs and so on and so on. There has to be a grand jury verdict of death at the hands of person or persons unknown, and everything will have to be turned over-copies at least-to the Surety or whatever they call it in France. And-because Billy was prominent, everybody around here is going to want a piece of the action so they can get their name in the paper. Trav, the wire services and the networks are going to pick this up, and it is all going to point right at Millis, especially if they can find any trace of a strong sedative when they do the full-scale autopsy. The funeral is, let's say, indefinitely delayed. What they are going to do tomorrow at the church is have a memorial service. This is a real mess. Thanks a lot, McGee."
    "Does it make the estate any bigger?"
    "Maybe by a hundred and fifty thou, which is like saying the swimming pool is bigger if you pee in it."
    "Millis know yet?"
    "Not yet. I might go over to St. Kitts for a week. Get some rest."
    "You need it, Frank."
    "I'll take the wife and kiddies, and my spinning rod."
    "I want you to think about something."
    "Such as?"
    "Millis is a bright, bright woman."
    "Granted."
    "She is careful with money."
    "I'll buy that too."
    "It costs a lot less to bring home an urn full of ashes, and if you killed somebody, it's a lot safer." The silence was so long I thought he had hung up. "Frank?"
    "I'm right here. I don't do the courtroom scene but Roger Carp does. I think he could get a lot of mileage out of what you just said. If she still wants us in her corner."
    I was at the ten-thirty service at United Baptist. The big church was about half full. Had he still been in business, it would have been full. Commerce creates social obligations. Besides, it was the next-to-the-last day of the year.
    I was early and I stood outside until Millis arrived. She'd taken the dark blue Continental out of storage and the man driving it seemed to be wearing the uniform of the security troops at Dias del Sol. One of Decker's pale young men went out and escorted her in, holding her in gingerly fashion by the elbow. She wore a tailored black suit, a small hat with a short black veil, no lipstick.
    The Rev. Dr. Barnell Innerlake conducted the service. He seemed hesitant, as though working from a revised script. He recounted Billy's humble beginnings and his good works after God blessed his energies with some cash