Free The Devil in Gray by Graham Masterton Page B

into the lab. I should be able to give you a preliminary report by midday tomorrow.”
    â€œWell, I thank you, kind medical examiner.”
    Erin didn’t say anything, but then she didn’t have to, because she and Decker understood each other only too well. Eighteen months ago they had both used each other—Decker to recover from his grief for Cathy, and Erin to get over a protracted and nasty affair with a city official called Simon who used to beat her. After two and a half months together Decker had turned up at her apartment one afternoon to find her with two black eyes. She had spent the previous night with her city official, and her city official had made doubly sure that Decker knew about it.
    As they left the Drewry house, Cab said, “This case gives me dyspepsia.”
    â€œRelax, Captain, there has to be some explanation. Somebody killed Major Drewry whether that somebody was seen by anybody or not.”
    â€œIt still makes my stomach hurt. Listen—I’ve called a news conference for four o’clock and I want you back at headquarters by two-thirty to give me an update. We can’t let this one get out of hand, public-relations-wise. You see that headline about the Maitland killing? Homicide Squad Chase Their Own Shadows . I don’t want no more b.s. like that.”
    They crossed the lawn toward the next-door neighbors’ house. There was a clamor of shouted questions from the gathered reporters, and a blizzard of flash photography, but Cab gave them nothing more than a dismissive wave of his hand. “Goddamn media. They give me a pain in the ass.”
    â€œHave we released that drawing yet?”
    â€œNo, I had a talk with Major Greaves and we decided against it.”
    â€œWhat? What do you mean you decided against it?”
    Cab dragged out his handkerchief and blew his nose. “Think about it, Decker. The only person who saw this character was mentally challenged. Nobody else saw him, not even her own mother, who was standing right next to her, and to whom she actually pointed this imaginary character out. Even if we could find a guy who looked like her drawing, Sandra’s evidence would never stand up in court.
    â€œMajor Greaves agrees with me that it’s in everybody’s best interests if we quietly forget about it. Ours, and Sandra’s.”
    â€œSo we’re not even going to look for this guy?”
    â€œHe walked through the door without opening it? A door that was locked and chained on the inside, and the paramedics had to kick down? The house was a bloodbath but he didn’t leave a single footprint or fingerprint? Come on, Decker.”
    â€œWhat happened here then, at the Drewrys’ house? Don’t tell me that Major Drewry committed suicide. What with? A bowie knife, which we can’t find, any more than we could find the bayonet that killed Alison Maitland?”
    â€œI don’t know, Decker, for Christ’s sake. Don’t make me irritable. Like you say, there has to be an explanation and it’s your job to find it.”
    â€œI want that drawing released.”
    â€œNo, Decker. We have a watertight case against Gerald Maitland and I’m not going to jeopardize it by making it look as if we’re searching for another suspect. This ain’t The Fugitive .”
    They found Jean Drewry on the shady verandah at the back of the house, sitting with her neighbor on a flowery-cushioned couch. The electric storm had passed over now, although it was still grumbling and complaining out over Powhatan County. In spite of the humidity, Jean Drewry was wrapped in a thick maroon shawl. Her neighbor was a plump woman in pink ski pants. She looked up sharply as Decker and Hicks came out of the house.
    â€œCan’t this wait?”
    â€œI’m sorry, ma’am. But I have to ask Mrs. Drewry one or two questions just to help us get a handle on this thing.”
    Jean Drewry was very white, as if her